Massive Food Recalls for Contamination Making You Blue

(Newswire.net — December 7, 2016) Anaheim, CA — Can ‘Blue’ fix food recalls? The year 2016 has seen some staggering food recalls by large food processors. Massive recalls of chicken specifically seem to have happened multiple times. The part that is the most amazing is that the root cause of many of these kinds of recalls is preventable. The specific recalls listed below are all for possible plastic contamination in the food product.

These large food processors should be aware of some simple steps that can totally eliminate these kinds of contaminates from getting into their food products.

Penny Wise, Pound Foolish

While using FDA approved plastic materials for conveyor parts and moving components is a standard practice in most food processing plants, many processors use the cheapest available approved materials. This means that many producers are using a natural (white) HDPE, Acetal or other white approved plastic material. While it is safe to use these plastics, occasionally one of these parts gets jammed, breaks or wears to the point where parts can crack and pieces can get into the food processing line.

It Is Plain To See

The first easy step would be to use the same quality FDA approved material, but to buy the Blue version of the same approved material. This minor color change in the material makes any contaminates very easy to see with the naked eye. Since there are no food products in these bright blue colors, as long as there are employees looking at the food line, these broken pieces are easy to detect.

I Can See You

Speaking of detect, the big step up for detection of contaminates is to use a FDA approved plastic that is detectable by the X-ray or metal detection equipment already installed in these food processing lines. While these ‘detectable’ plastics cost more, they certainly cost less than one recent 4.5 million pound poultry recall.

The goal here is not to point the finger or call any company a ‘bad processor’, but rather to encourage these great food processors to use the ‘best practice’ types of materials to eliminate these monster food recalls.

 In September 2016, Tyson Foods recalled 130,000 pounds of chicken nuggets for foreign materials in the product.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/27/health/tyson-chicken-nugget-plastic-recall/

“According to Tyson Foods, the plastic material ranged in size from 21mm in length and 6.5mm in diameter and may have come from a round, hard plastic rod used to connect a plastic transfer belt. The firm said the products pass through a metal detector, but the plastic is not detectable to this technology,” the USDA recall announcement said.

Have You Considered Detectable Blue?

Perhaps they could consider using a metal detectable plastic that is detectable by a standard metal detector. Industrial Plastic Supply has supplied this FDA approved Metal Detectable UHMW rod since early 2010. Currently, there are several FDA approved materials that are available in Blue; UHMW, Acetal, PET and now PEEK. Some of these materials are also available in a ‘triple detection’ version, where it is detectable because of the vivid Blue color, and it is also Metal detectable and X-Ray detectable. One of these new versions is the Ultra-Detectable Polyester rod made by Ensinger Plastics called Hydex 4101 UD Blue (FDA Grade Polyester).

In April and May of 2016, Pilgrim’s Pride had a recall totaling 5,550,904 pounds (yes 5.5 million pounds) of poultry do to possible foreign matter contamination.

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/recalls-and-public-health-alerts/recall-case-archive/archive/2016/recall-027-2016-release-exp3

What is the cost of these huge food recalls?

The cost is staggering. To recall this quantity of food takes a small army of people to identify the possibly contaminated batches of food. Then notification is spread to all the possible distribution and wholesalers. The USDA is normally notified as one more step to notify the public. 

What is the cost to change to a more detectable plastic?

This depends on the type of plastic, and the detection method.

Let’s assume that the currently used material is an FDA approved grade of 1″ diameter Natural Acetal rod (a popular performance plastic used in food processing). And let’s assume this material would sell for approximately $2.00 – $2.50 per linear foot.

Changing to a Bright Blue FDA approved grade of Acetal Rod would cost about $3.50 – $4.00 per foot.

Upgrading to a Metal and X-ray detectable FDA grade of Blue Acetal plastic rod would cost in the range of $8.25 – $9.00 per foot.

A recall of 100,000 pounds of poultry is, of course, significantly more expensive than upgrading the plastic materials in the food processing plant. Consider the upgrade an inexpensive insurance policy against these kinds of monster recalls.

Reference Articles:

Tyson Recalls

Oct 15, 2016 – 1,148 pounds: 

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/recalls-and-public-health-alerts/recall-case-archive/archive/2016/recall-096-2016-release

Sept 27, 2016 – 130,000 pounds:

http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/27/health/tyson-chicken-nugget-plastic-recall/

Pilgrim’s Pride

May 13, 2016 – 5,550,904 pounds: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/recalls-and-public-health-alerts/recall-case-archive/archive/2016/recall-027-2016-release-exp3

Michigan Turkey Producers

Oct 15, 2016 – 54,011 pounds:

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/recalls-and-public-health-alerts/recall-case-archive/archive/2016/recall-097-2016-release

About Industrial Plastic Supply, Inc.

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