quality management, quality, food and beverage, food and beverage manufacturing

Every food and beverage (F&B) recall catches the public’s attention, as we run to our pantries or refrigerators with hearts racing to check for the infected product. For food and beverage manufacturers, the response is one of relief if it’s not your product, or utter terror if it is.

How can food and beverage processors and manufacturers become better prepared to prevent potential safety issues and comply with future changes to regulations?

QAD’s Stephen Dombroski outlines lessons learned and suggested avenues for improvement in his recent article in Food Safety Tech, “Recent Recalls Emphasize Need for Quality Management Systems in the Food and Beverage Industry.” In it he describes how modern quality systems that are fully integrated with a manufacturer’s operating systems, processes and procedures meet requirements for:

  • Traceability
  • Document control
  • Product and process change management
  • Audits
  • Supplier quality management

The Real Water Recall

In March 2021, the FDA ordered an investigation into Acute Non-viral Hepatitis Illnesses stemming from “Real Water” Brand Alkaline Water and in May 2021, the FDA ordered a complete recall of the Las Vegas-based bottled water brand. In June, the FDA announced the company agreed to cease operations until it can comply with the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic (FD&C) Act and other requirements. The Department of Justice filed a complaint on behalf of the FDA claiming the company “failed to meet preventive controls requirements to control food hazards, failed to follow current good manufacturing practice (CGMP) requirements for bottled water,” and alleged that the company’s products are adulterated within the meaning of the FD&C Act because they have been prepared, packed or held under insanitary conditions whereby they may have become contaminated with filth or may have been rendered injurious to health.” The complaint also alleges misbranding.

The increasing complexity of the bottled water segment highlights the need for better quality technology and process management to handle, among other issues, the SKU proliferation and explosion of consumer demand. Adding to the complexity is the heightened focus brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic as the industry and the government investigate the potential for virus transmission via food or food packaging. Ongoing changes in labeling laws affecting additives and processes add yet another layer of demands and challenges.

Minimizing Recalls with an Adaptive ERP

An adaptive food and beverage ERP system can guide manufacturers toward streamlining inventory, more efficiently managing the supply chain, and keeping quality monitoring front and center. A comprehensive system synchronizes the steps and processes to minimize breaches in the field-to-fork movement of food products. It’s way past time for producers to abandon manual processes and digitize their operations.

The most crucial components of an adaptive ERP for food and beverage manufacturers include:

  • Track and traceability of every lot from the company facility or co-packer to its final distribution in the market.
  • Document management and control, including safety precautions, ingredients and processes.
  • Product and process change management so that inspection processes are integrated with control plans.
  • Audit processes that support a manufacturer’s compliance with all regulations and drive continual improvement and corrective actions as needed.
  • Supplier quality management following industry best practices to avoid food safety issues and ensure supplier conformance.

Industry-specific ERP solutions for food and beverage manufacturers offer management systems for the critical elements of the supply and value chains. An adaptive ERP solution promotes efficient plant maintenance, food safety, traceability and recall procedures to minimize the possibility and costs of a recall.

Lessons Learned

The need for quality management systems couldn’t be more acute. Following a major recall like that experienced by Real Water, there are more lessons to be learned:

  • Regulations will continue to increase to protect food safety
  • New processes and ingredients will increase government scrutiny
  • Customer demand will continue to pressure the industry
  • A focus on sustainability is growing
  • Product life cycles are accelerating, lead times are growing shorter and manufacturers are pressured to deliver product faster than ever
  • Technology delivers efficient processes, systems and compliance for managing food production

“Manufacturers in the food and beverage industry are under intense scrutiny to consistently produce safe food. Occasionally, issues occur that are out of a manufacturer’s control, but the producers of food and beverage products still have a responsibility to ensure that all precautions are in place to meet the safety needs of the end consumer.” — Stephen Dombroski, Director of Consumer Markets

To learn more, check out the full article in Food Safety Tech.

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