Clean design in pet food facilities, including processing lines, floor surfaces, drains, waste systems, HVAC, dryers, raw material handling, to reduce the risk of spreading dangerous germs and the costly lawsuits that may accompany them Almost every aspect of plant operation is covered. and packaging. Any surface that contacts pet foods or treats needs to be considered for potential contamination, especially in damp locations. Airborne particulates or fines, pesticide residues, pollen and dust can all cause problems. The provisions of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) added another reason for pet food facility managers to consider clean design. Along with keeping pet foods free of pathogens, certain food safety aspects of pet food manufacturing lines helped reduce the potential for employees to spread SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
In the Petfood Forum, learn about planning and engineering for pet food safety.
At the end of 2019, pet food production facilities were already focused on preventing the spread of germs as facilities as they were compliant with the provisions of the Food Safety Modernization Act. During the early months of the pandemic, some pet food production facilities adapted those existing biosafety and food safety measures to help prevent COVID-19 transmission. As the pandemic persists, biosafety and food security are the most important concerns among pet food and other animal feed production facility workers, yet the facility may present the greatest challenge.
“The COVID-19 pandemic forced us to think more about biosafety in our animal food manufacturing facilities,” Gary Huddleston, director of feed manufacturing and regulatory affairs for the American Feed Industry Association, told Petfood Industry in a previous article. “Some of the processes we’ve put in place to improve worker safety during the pandemic are also excellent biosafety procedures to improve animal food safety.”
Those security programs must often consider the boundaries of the building itself. Aging facilities prove to be a challenge, as the average age of buildings in the pet food and livestock feed industries increases.
Pet food facility employees must still worry about workers spreading pathogens in food, or vice versa. During the last (nearly) two years, facilities focused on keeping workers away from germs among themselves. At the same time, various factors have resulted in labor shortage. Keeping employee safety and health in mind can help keep a pet food facility running smoothly.
3 Considerations for Pet Food Facility Safety
As Lindsey Beaton, editor of Petfood Industry magazine, wrote in a previous article, pet food safety is an important topic among pet food suppliers and manufacturers for obvious reasons. But food safety isn’t just about the individual ingredients or the final products themselves; It is (perhaps specifically) about the environment that surrounds said material or products. To this end, experts from various aspects of facility security provide their opinions and advice on how to ensure that your facility not only complies with any relevant regulations, but also actively contributes to the high quality business that you wish to pursue. want to provide to customers.
1. Construction: Focusing on safety off the ground
Food safety should be considered even before your facility even exists, and designing your building with this in mind will not only set you up for instant success, it can save you a lot of trouble down the road.
2. Cleanliness: Considering All Angles
Planning for the future isn’t just a good idea for new construction – it can save a lot of headaches later, when you realize you need bigger, better machinery…
3. Fire Risk: The Top Dangers and the Importance of Planning Ahead
When it comes to fire prevention, at least, keeping track of the fundamentals can make a significant difference in minimizing potential catastrophes. According to Franklin, some of the most overlooked dangers are neglected maintenance and runaway dust.
