Why Food Processing Safety is Important?

The answer to this question may seem basic: to keep people from getting sick. But there is more to it than that. Let’s look at five ways food processing safety is so important, and not just about avoiding getting sick.

1. Public Health Protection

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), “An estimated 600 million – almost 1 in 10 people in the world – fall ill after eating contaminated food and 420,000 die every year.” Food manufacturing processes must prevent contamination to avoid foodborne illnesses such as E.coli, salmonella, and listeria that can affect thousands or even millions of consumers when products are distributed widely. Appropriate food processing standards help reduce risk of serious health issues, hospitalizations, and deaths.

2. Legal Compliance

Globally, food manufacturers must adhere to strict regulations like the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP International), and requirements from agencies like the U.S. Federal Drug Administration (FDA), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Food Standards Agency (FSA). By complying with the appropriate food safety regulations, a food processer can avoid legal consequences, fines, and facility shutdowns. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is another agency to serve as an impartial source of scientific advice for laws and regulations to protect European consumers from food related risks associated with the food chain.

3. Brand Reputation

Food processing safety incidents can devastate consumer trust and a company's reputation, potentially leading to significant financial losses and business failure. A single food safety issue can derail consumer confidence with negative press and word of mouth. Food recalls hurt sales and often the long-term market position of a brand. Following proper food processing safety guidelines helps keep a brand consistently safe to keep consumer loyalty and trust.

4. Economic Impact

Recalls due to food processing safety issues cost companies millions in direct expenses while also causing long-term revenue losses from damaged reputation. Businesses may need to downsize leaving people without employment. “US $110 billion is lost each year in productivity and medical expenses resulting from unsafe food in low- and middle-income countries,” according to the WHO. Families and households also lose money not being able to work and medical expenses.

5. Global Trade Requirements

When food products are manufactured for international trade, they must meet global trade requirements to ensure safety, quality, traceability, and regulatory compliance across different countries and regions. Understanding the laws and regulations for food safety when manufacturing food products that will ship overseas is crucial. Companies can turn to recognized food safety standard organizations such as HACCP International or GFSI-Benchmark Certifications or the food code developed by FAO/WHO, Codex Alimentarius.

Food safety in food manufacturing is important for so many reasons including public health protection, legal compliance, brand protection, economic impact, global trade requirements, and more. In another article, “What Does Food Safety Mean in Food Processing?” we looked at how people define food safety depending on their own priorities, perspectives, and roles in the food system.