Any food recall incident is a crisis situation that requires quick action to mitigate any longstanding financial and reputational damage. Phil Brown, European Managing Director at metal detection specialist Fortress Technology examines the different factors that can make food manufacturers vulnerable to a recall, even with inspection equipment in place.
The temptation to cut corners on equipment and the connection between compromising on food safety standards was recently highlighted by global insurance broker Lockton International.
Virtually all (98%) of the manufacturers surveyed for the Lockton Food & Beverage Report[i]agreed that continued price pressures would influence the final product on the retail shelves, with 42% believing that cost cutting is to blame for the recent rise in the number of recalls.
As a result of retail pricing pressures, safety standards are being compromised suggest the survey participants. The study also points to a significant increase in food recalls by the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA), with the number doubling in the last five years, and a sharp rise in those with physical contaminants, including metal. Lockton’s Food and Beverage Product Recall Risk Tracker found that food contamination linked to choking hazards were the cause of 22% of food and drink recalls over the past six years.
