Customer demands are the driving factor behind every new food product launch or craft beer experiment. But for those working in the food and beverage industry, governmental regulations play just as big a role in the costs and profitability of the average business. You need to produce a high quality product and meet all the safety protocol in order to have a thriving business. After all, if there is a mistake, your brand is on the line. No one wants to be known as the company that gave everyone salmonella instead of salad! So how can you walk this tightrope and still remain profitable?
Consider reviewing your plan to address any hazards or critical incidents that occur. If it has been a while since you updated your protocol, make that a top priority for this year. Make sure everyone involved in the production process understands the standard operating procedures when it comes to production and safety. Include employee input, as what happens on paper isn’t always what is happening on the plant floor.
Controlling your shop floor can also ensure you are meeting safety requirements – as well as boosting your bottom line. Human error is rarely the culprit of costly batch mistakes – machine issues are. Now, humans obviously operate machines. But outdated equipment can clog and foul easily. Outdated technology means that your slurry may tunnel, creating uneven mixing, adhering to the sides of the equipment where bacteria can set in, and making you the nation’s next headline for a listeria outbreak. Modern equipment allows for a more streamlined and thorough process. A great mixer, like Komax’s static inline mixer, creates the exact formula every time with mixing capabilities that won’t clog or foul the machine.
In the end, compliance isn’t a suggestion – it’s a hard and fast requirement. Whether the result of negligence or unintentional mistakes, recovering from a safety incident in this industry is difficult to do. Bad batches mean lost profits, lost credibility and customer loyalty. How can Komax help you ensure safety is being met on your plant floor?