9fbtechreview.comAPRIL 2025At Tyson Foods, we are experimenting with innovations such as hyperspectral imaging, which can not only identify the presence of something but also identify what that something is. For example, as the production process at our state-of-the-art facility in Danville, Virginia begins with fresh product, machine learning-powered equipment inspects each piece. This human-like vision grading detects any foreign objects in the individual chicken breasts before their being ground and cooked into nuggets and strips, offering enhanced product safety and quality assurance. Our Ready-to-Eat food-safe packaging environments benefit from the latest food safety product bagging equipment, along with highly effective metal detection and X-ray technology to maximize food safety and consumer protection. All of this is supplemented by the human factor: Team members perform multiple safety and quality checks of products each day. Another major advance is that the system, not a person, now monitors equipment settings in modern food production facilities. In many instances, the system will sound an alarm or cease operation when something is operating outside the target. This is a huge step forward in food safety because the FSQA team gets a continuous flow of information instead of point-in-time performance snapshots. It also eliminates the potential for human error. Lastly, because the system is self-monitoring, we are better able to identify the root cause when something goes wrong. That's because we can start with the equipment settings instead of working backward from whatever was observed with the product or process performance. More than ever before, our industry needs to recognize that food safety and quality don't begin or end with the food safety and quality team. They're the result of deliberate everyday actions by all team members ­ even those who don't work in the production plant. For example, the health and welfare of the animals we harvest has a direct effect on meat quality. The suppliers we partner with and the materials we use in the processing plant need to produce to certain expectations that must be known in advance of the relationship, which means Procurement has a role. The engineers need to understand sanitary design and the need to ensure that processing equipment does not create a foreign material risk. The distribution team must have a good understanding of the cold chain and product rotation so that we get the product to the customer with plenty of shelf life and at the correct temperature. We have to make sure everyone understands their role in the process, including where and how they influence the product ­ even if they're not actually touching it or even in the building where it's made. People inherently want to do the right thing, so focusing on awareness and education will go a long way.The evolution of safety and quality assurance in food production is about far more than technology. It's also about standards, practices, and the emerging understanding that people and machines accomplish more when they work together. Here are a few lessons learned to share as you consider your approach to food safety and quality in 2024 and beyond:· Trust but verify. The equipment you purchased from vendors needs calibration and you need verification of that calibration.· Conduct your own trial. Vendors likely have their own data or validation, but it may not apply to your ingredient, processing aid, or equipment. · Stay open to new technologies and processes. Automation frees people up to focus on next-level solutions.Most importantly, make it a resolution in 2024 to make food safety everyone's business. It's a win for everyone, especially the consumers and foodservice customers who rely on your brand.
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