As new regulations have led to increased food recalls, companies work to digitize their food safety systems, hoping they will help make it easier to track their products.
Amazon VP Carletta Ooton spoke Tuesday morning during the Food Safety Summit keynote about how the company uses Natural Language Processing to scan customer feedback, and constantly monitor for food safety issues.
On Dec. 1, 2017, Amazon detected several food safety concerns on a dietary supplement. They suppressed sales the same day and initiated an investigation with the manufacturer. On Jan. 26, almost two months later, the product was officially recalled.
As a food-safety lawyer, these three words send shivers down my spine. They are all exceptionally difficult to routinely control in products regulated by the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). Almost invariably, at least one of these three words is featured prominently in recalls.
By putting the right programs and procedures in place, dairy facilities could help prevent cross-contact and contamination that lead to costly recalls.
In 2017, there were more than 400 food recalls in the United States. Undeclared allergens and/or improper labeling led the charge as the primary source. Pathogenic organisms from Listeria Monocytogenes and Salmonella and foreign materials came in second and third, respectively.
In 2007, there were only 14 recalls involving undeclared allergens in U.S. Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS)-regulated foods. This year, there have already been 60 recalls involving nearly 10 million pounds of product.