5 strategic actions to mitigate food contamination risks

Organizations across the food and beverage sector face significant challenges related to food contamination. As risks evolve, businesses should consider reviewing their risk management strategies and risk transfer solutions to effectively mitigate and respond to potential recall events.

A well-known distributor finds out that one of its most popular products, a staple for many during the holidays, is linked to a potential outbreak of foodborne illness. With the holidays just weeks away, the distributor needs to urgently recall this item and consider the potential financial and reputational repercussions that could ensue.

For a number of food and beverage organizations, this hypothetical example is a reality. A variety of food products, including eggs, produce, meal kits, and breakfast items, were recalled in the last few months due to potential contamination with E.coli, listeria, and salmonella, among others. These highly publicized recalls cast a bright spotlight on the potential risks that may be present in our food chain and the need for food manufacturers, processors, distributors, wholesalers, retailers, and restaurants to take action to identify and address food contamination risks.

While the number of annual recalls vary, data from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) shows that recalls due to potentially dangerous contamination remain a persistent concern for the food and beverage industry. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) documented nine distinct foodborne outbreaks in October alone.

The impact of foodborne illnesses has major implications on people and communities: the CDC estimates that each year 48 million people get sick from a foodborne illness, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die.

Mitigating food safety risks

For companies that process, sell, and serve food, contamination may lead to significant and potentially costly challenges. And in a regulatory environment that is constantly evolving to meet new food and product safety initiatives and legislation, standards are increasingly stringent.

In today's fast-paced information landscape, news of a product recall can quickly damage consumer trust and severely impact a company's brand and viability, underscoring the importance of putting systems in place that prioritize food safety amid a host of dynamic challenges. Integral to doing so effectively are food security and biosecurity measures that protect food systems from the introduction and spread of harmful organisms across the production lifecycle, which can include pathogens, pests, and diseases.

As risks evolve, food and beverage organizations need to consider more robust protections for their businesses, implementing a number of comprehensive risk management strategies while purchasing risk transfer solutions that help them mitigate and respond to recall events.

Reevaluate your workforce strategy

The people responsible for handling food play a pivotal role in its safety. However, the food and beverage industry has long battled high turnover rates and labor shortages, making it challenging to retain workers who are trained and experienced in fostering a clean and safe work environment.

Doing so requires a multi-pronged strategy, including clearly defining employee roles and responsibilities. Having well-communicated and documented food safety and sanitation procedures enables knowledge to remain accessible and transferable when employees leave or retire.

Technology that monitors cooking and storage temperatures may help counter human error, significantly enhancing food safety. Sensors and monitoring tools can provide real-time alerts if temperatures deviate from safe ranges, helping employees adhere to food safety protocols even during staffing changes. By equipping employees with these technological tools, organizations can foster a culture of accountability and safety, ultimately enhancing employee confidence and retention.

Additionally, regular updates to your hazard analysis critical control points (HACCP) program may help you remain compliant with current food safety standards. Regular training sessions will keep employees informed about new regulations and best practices for sanitation.

Prioritizing employee wellness is equally important. Evaluate existing employment policies to ensure that employees’ physical and mental health are supported through benefits, flexible work arrangements, access to mental health resources, and a positive culture of communication. Encourage employees to take necessary time off to rest and recover. A workplace safety management analysis may provide valuable insights into your current safety management system, allowing you to align it with your organization's objectives and reduce the risks of on-the-job injuries. A safe and healthy workplace also helps attract and retain qualified employees.

Prioritize visibility in your food supply chain

A growing global population has only intensified demand for diverse food products, necessitating more intricate logistics, sourcing strategies, and distribution networks. For businesses and their products, the risk of product recall and/or contamination remains a severe exposure assumed by all stages of the supply chain.

As supply chains become more complex and interconnected, several actions may help you mitigate the risks of contamination, including investing in technology that enables real-time tracking of products, from raw materials to finished goods. Real-time insights may allow you to gain greater visibility into food storage conditions, such as temperature and humidity, as well as to identify potential contamination points and be able to rapidly respond to issues when they arise.

Regular audits and assessments of suppliers are essential to ensure they adhere to safety and sanitation standards, thereby protecting the integrity of the entire supply chain. Data may provide you with better oversight of exposures throughout the supply chain, extending beyond just tier one suppliers, and empowering you to maintain control over all aspects of your operations.

Consider agricultural practices and climate implications on food safety

Climate-related events are expected to continue to impact food and beverage companies, potentially leading to variability in crop yields, damaged infrastructure, and changes in growing seasons that can all have implications for safety. While crop contamination remains a core challenge for the industry, it can be greatly reduced through effective agricultural practices. Rising social pressure to implement sustainable practices is also prompting companies to adopt more environmentally conscious agricultural practices.

Up against this complex risk backdrop, organizations may consider conducting a thorough analysis of agricultural practices to identify vulnerabilities that could impact safety and sanitation, including factors such as cleaning protocols, water usage, and pesticide types and applications.

Performing a climate resilience assessment of physical infrastructure and operations — including farms, processing facilities, and distribution centers — may help evaluate potential impacts from climate-related events that may disrupt operations, food storage, processing, and more. To address these vulnerabilities, consider implementing improvements, such as investing in more robust irrigation systems and crop rotation strategies to enhance soil health, reduce contamination risks, and minimize greenhouse gas emissions. Organizations should also think about upgrading sanitation facilities and establishing contingency plans for climate-related disruptions to food processing or storage.

Perform regular and varied tabletop exercises

Regular tabletop exercises may prepare your organization to respond effectively to food safety risks before a recall event occurs. These exercises simulate various scenarios, such as foodborne illness outbreaks and contamination events, as well as workforce challenges, supply chain disruptions, and climate-related events that may impact food quality, storage, and safety.

Building a culture of awareness and preparedness begins at the top and leadership teams should help enforce the roles and responsibilities of key stakeholders in the event of a foodborne illness outbreak or recall event by identifying core action items. It is important to reiterate communication best practices, including internal communication among teams as well as external communication with suppliers, clients, and other stakeholders.

Addressing product contamination risks requires a cross-team collaboration. For senior leaders, part of the call of duty is cultivating a culture that is committed to people and food safety across all departments, to avoid this risk becoming a siloed effort.

Quantify food safety performance

Quantifying food safety performance is essential to determine whether your organization is meeting regulatory requirements and maintaining high standards of safety and sanitation. However, most organizations do not have effective food safety metrics or indicators to assess their performance.

Consider prioritizing the development of clear, quantifiable food safety metrics that align with the company’s values and operational goals. Track performance indicators related to compliance with safety regulations, incident response times, sanitation practices, and employee training. Senior leaders have a critical role in creating a culture where food safety is viewed as a core value rather than merely a compliance requirement.

Elevate your approach with effective risk transfer

Food safety is hardly a new issue in the food and beverage industry. Yet in an era defined by increasingly complex supply chains, heightened government regulation, media scrutiny, and increased public awareness, it has never been more important for food and beverage companies to unite robust risk mitigation measures with effective risk transfer solutions.

Organizations should consider engaging with a third-party risk advisor that may help them effectively transfer risks associated with foodborne illness out of their organization. Specialists may also be able help you enhance food safety procedures to avoid potential contamination events, or offer solutions that leverage real-time data and AI to help pinpoint sources of contamination in supply chains and respond more efficiently.

To learn more about managing food safety exposures, speak to a specialist from our Product Recall Practice and to cultivate a culture of workplace safety take the below survey.

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