Americans rely on U.S. farmers, ranchers and food processors to safely produce the food we eat every day. Their vegetables, fruits, meats, beverages and individual ingredients need to be grown, harvested, processed and shipped using safe methods that ensure they are free of foodborne pathogens.
In fact, specialists at leading global food processing machinery manufacturer, Key Technology point out that two hundred illnesses and diseases — ranging from diarrhea to life-threatening cancer — can be attributed to parasites and bacteria, such as listeria, E. coli, norovirus and salmonella. These and other pathogens can sometimes find their way into food products if those goods are handled improperly at any point throughout production.
The food supply chain is long, and it incorporates many links. It is possible that contamination that originates as early as the farm on which the crop was grown can be transported all the way onto consumers’ plates. That’s why conscientious farmers, plant managers and business owners follow best practices to keep food safe, such as:
- Regular maintenance and cleaning of machinery, including equipment used for harvesting, processing, sorting, conveying and transporting
- Appropriate training for all employees in the correct methods of personal cleanliness, food preparation and storage, equipment cleaning, waste disposal, and pest control
- Proper environmental hygiene measures to ensure products and chemicals that are used during production do not contaminate
In an industry that feeds a country of 325 million people, maintaining food safety is everyone’s responsibility. The accompanying resource below was compiled by Key Technology. A web version of the infographic can be viewed here.
Source: Key Technology
