Food safety is a top priority for food and beverage processors. Preventing contamination and operating hygienically is a constant effort, especially as compliance with Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) updates becomes mandatory in 2026.

However, avoiding contamination can be difficult if equipment and electrical system components are not designed for harsh washdown conditions or to deter bacterial and microbial harborage. Cable and wire management solutions engineered for these challenging environments can support food safety and compliance, while helping to improve equipment uptime.

What is FSMA, and How Does it Impact Electrical System Design in Food and Beverage Facilities?

FSMA was enacted in 2011 and empowers the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to enhance the food safety system. It also emphasizes preventive controls in an effort to reduce foodborne illness risks. The 2026 updates are expected to expand upon sanitation controls, environmental monitoring, and equipment design for cleanability and durability.

Components such as conduit systems and bodies, fittings, and metal framing are part of the facility infrastructure. When improperly designed or maintained, they can harbor bacteria, corrode under caustic washdowns, and cause downtime or compliance failure. To comply with FSMA, electrical system components must withstand frequent, harsh sanitation efforts; avoid bacterial harborage points; and support traceability and documentation such as hygienic labeling and conduit identification.

What Challenges Does Sanitization Pose for Food and Beverage Processors?

To prevent bacterial and microbial contamination hazards and comply with FDA and other regulatory standards, processors must engage in harsh cleaning regimes, such as caustic washdowns. However, the chemicals and wet conditions used for sanitizing can degrade equipment and cause corrosion, which is an additional source of contamination that not only compromises food safety, but can also result in equipment downtime and production losses.

When a line goes down, it costs processors thousands of dollars per minute in lost production. However, a recall due to contamination can lead to a shutdown of the entire facility, which can cause a staggering loss of revenue and reputation.

What are the Most Prevalent Sources of Contamination in Food and Beverage Processing?

Ensuring food safety and preventing foodborne illness is challenging for food and beverage processors because contamination comes from many sources. Contamination can be caused by microbial, bacterial, chemical, and physical hazards, including corrosion, metal shavings, or plastic components.

Corrosion can result from exposure to alkaline or acidic cleaning chemicals, saltwater, and high humidity levels in food and beverage facilities. Corrosion can also be attributed to the use of incompatible materials, such as carbon steel and aluminum in washdown zones, as well as galvanic corrosion from mixed-metal installations. Additionally, food processors are faced with microbial-induced corrosion, which occurs when bacteria accelerate the degradation of metals.

Bacterial contamination is often the result of improper sealing of components, caused by loose fittings or exposed threads. Crevices, flat surfaces, or porous materials that retain moisture can also lead to contamination.

How Do Properly Designed Electrical System Solutions Prevent Food Safety Issues?

It is important for electrical systems to be designed in such a way to mitigate the risks associated with corrosion and contamination. The use of corrosion-resistant wire and cable management systems—stainless steel rigid conduit, anti-microbial flexible conduit systems, cable glands, and accessories (such as those from T&B Fittings and T&B Liquidtight Systems®)—can help prevent corrosion, as well as bacterial and microbial contamination.

Enclosures with an appropriate Ingress Protection (IP) rating help prevent moisture and bacterial buildup in washdown environments. Adding a T&B® Fittings Stainless Steel Dome Drain enhances this protection by continuously draining accumulated moisture and small debris from electrical enclosures. This drain is constructed from 316 stainless steel, helping ensure hygiene and corrosion resistance. Its slotted threads facilitate efficient drainage, reducing the risk of contaminants. Additionally, its UL Type 4X rating and IP56 listing confirm its durability in harsh washdown conditions.

These solutions contribute to food safety because sealed, corrosion-resistant materials reduce contamination risks, while ingress protection prevents water and chemical entry. However, when it comes to IP ratings, be sure the rating is suitable for the area. For example, IP66 is rated for wet areas, while IP69 is rated for washdown zones.

Mitigating corrosion and preventing ingress also maximizes equipment durability, reducing downtime and maintenance expenses.

How Important are Antimicrobial and Hygienic Components in the Fight Against Contamination?

The use of antimicrobial and hygienic materials is critical for food and beverage operations because they inhibit bacterial growth to reduce contamination risks and help ensure compliance with FDA, FSMA, and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) standards, while also improving equipment longevity and reducing replacement costs.

It is important for food and beverage processors to integrate hygienic and antimicrobial cable and wire management solutions like stainless-steel food-grade conduit, hygienic stainless-steel fittings and accessories, and antimicrobial metal-detectable cable ties and mounts, such as those from the Ty-Rap® TyGenic™ line, to help ensure food safety. (Note: Ty-Rap TyGenic™ antimicrobial detectable cable ties provide no antimicrobial inhibitory activity beyond the protection of the cable ties themselves. They do not provide protection against specific pathogenic organisms, nor do they prevent the growth of bacteria on adjacent or nearby surfaces.) The antimicrobial efficacy of the material is designed to last for the life of the cable tie under normal use conditions.

Hygienic and antimicrobial solutions not only help prevent contamination and foodborne illness to assure compliance with FSMA and other food safety regulations, but they also aid in the reduction of downtime, minimize repair and replacement costs, and decrease the risk of costly shutdowns and noncompliance fines by mitigating corrosion-related failures.