If you follow food safety in the news, you may have noticed the ongoing trend of wide food recalls due to the possibility of contamination. It’s an occurrence that both food processors and consumers want to avoid at all costs for the safety of everyone involved. It’s important for processing facilities to establish strategies and practices to avoid potential foodborne illness contamination incidents at the source. One way to reduce the risk while looking great in the eyes of auditors and regulatory bodies is the implementation of a color-coding program.
A color-coding program uses a system of colors to distinguish between zones in a food processing facility. This system allows for instant recognition of tools, clothing and other items necessary for a work area, and quickly identifies supplies from a foreign zone that could be potentially hazardous or contaminative. It’s a simple system that is easily implemented and simple to follow while effectively keeping facilities safe and organized.
Any food processing facility can use color-coding, but it’s especially important in areas with cross-contamination concerns such as allergens or pathogens. When establishing or revising a color-coding system, keep these best practices in mind:
• Keep it simple!
• Pick colors for each area that logically fit
• Avoid complicated color assignments
• Implement a complete roll out for easy program adoption
• Communicate changes to all parties involved
• Incorporate signage to reinforce the program
While there is no set regulation requiring a color-coding program, it’s an increasingly popular system that also lends itself to a HACCP plan and GPM strategy. Our selection of color-coded food processing supplies are the key to enhancing your company’s defense against contamination hazards. View our selection online or call us at 800-456-5624 to learn how our color-coded processing supplies can go to work for you!
