Following strict regulatory standards is vital for protecting consumers from dangerous foods. Whether they're contaminated due to improper packaging, handling or storage, these foods can cause serious harm to anyone who eats them.
To prevent this, any business involved in the food industry must adhere to several standards. Here's how you can meet FDA food packaging regulations with Plexpack machines.
What Are the FDA Food Packaging Regulations?
One of the Food and Drug Administration's main purposes is to ensure the food that consumers eat is safe. That's why various guidelines were created for manufacturers and producers to uphold.
For food packaging businesses, the main standards they must meet are:
Food Contact Substance Compliance
FCS compliance defines what types of materials food can safely come into contact with. This contact can occur at any point during the food's preparation, packaging, handling, storage or transportation. Food contact substances include packaging materials and the machines used to package them.
The materials you can use depend on the type of food you're packaging. For example, aluminum can be used to package low-acid foods like canned beans, but it can't be used for acidic foods, such as pickles. Some common materials that can be used in packing many food types include stainless steel and polymers. The FDA Inventory of Effective FCS Notifications allows you to search for specific materials.
Good Manufacturing Practices Compliance
Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) provide standard food preparation protocols. To ensure consumers can trust and expect certain standards from all food manufacturers, GMP covers various areas, from disease control to equipment maintenance. To comply with GMP, food packaging manufacturers must:
- Adhere to the GMP standard operating procedures.
- Ensure equipment meets cleanliness and consistency standards.
- Implement quality control measures.
- Define what skills workers need to meet GMP standards, and provide necessary training to ensure workers have those skills.
- Conduct audits to check that GMP standards are being met.
- Keep complete and detailed records of compliance.
Plexpack Machine Features That Help Meet FDA Food Packaging Regulations
Complying with the many standards can be challenging, but it is a nonnegotiable for food packaging businesses. Failure to comply could put consumers at risk and lead to repercussions for the business.
Here's how the features found in Plexpack machines can help packaging businesses stay compliant with FDA regulations.
Stainless Steel
Stainless steel can be used to package many types of food thanks to its nontoxic, durable and corrosion-resistant nature, as required by GMP § 117.40 Equipment and utensils. It's also easy to clean, since it can be cleaned at high temperatures and doesn't absorb the chemicals found in detergents. Its nonporous surface prevents bacterial growth, too.
Many Plexpack machines use stainless steel so they can deliver optimal performance, all while helping you meet GMP standards and clean your equipment properly.
Sanitary Design With Washdown Capability
Many Plexpack machines are designed with washdown capabilities. They have sealed enclosures to protect electronics, corrosion-resistant materials and waterproof components.
These features allow manufacturers to thoroughly clean the machine without causing any damage.
Modular Construction
In areas where food is manufactured, GMP requires machines that don't come into direct contact with food to be designed and constructed in a way that they can be cleaned and sanitized.
Plexpack machines have a modular design with removable components, allowing for seamless disassembly. This feature enables every part of the machine to be cleaned and sanitized as needed.
Quality Control Integrations
Quality control is a core requirement to ensure consumers eat food that is safe for consumption. These quality controls can take many forms, including for food packaging.
Plexpack makes quality control easier through various features, such as:
- Seal validation technology.
- Advanced digital controls and recipe management.
- Calibration and validation capabilities.
- Integrated inspection and rejection systems.
Compliance Documentation
Food manufacturers don't just need to comply with the necessary standards — they also need to provide evidence that they've done so. This is why compliance documentation is vital. Without it, there's no proof that they've consistently met the required standards.
Compliance documentation can be a large task, but Plexpack machines can help. With features like automated batch records, production reports, event logging and calibration, and validation documentation, Plexpack machines can provide many forms of compliance documentation.
Technical Support
For food packaging machines to meet the relevant standards, they must be well-maintained and cleaned. However, equipment can malfunction, leaving food manufacturers unable to continue operations.
A dedicated technical support service can help you keep your packaging machines well-maintained and operational. Plexpack's dedicated support service provides:
- Installation advice.
- Predictive maintenance.
- Technical assistance.
- Field service.
- Remote diagnostics.
High-Risk Food Categories
There are several high-risk food categories that require additional care during the production and manufacturing processes.
Acidic Foods and Beverages
Acidic foods and beverages can only come into contact with certain noncorrosive materials. Otherwise, the acids could corrode the material and make the machinery unsafe for use.
Plexpack uses stainless steel wherever necessary to eliminate this risk.
Allergen-Sensitive Products
One of the biggest risks of food manufacturing is that foods will become cross-contaminated with allergens. GMP requires non-food contact surfaces, including machinery, to be cleaned as frequently as needed to prevent cross-contamination. Thanks to their easy-to-clean materials, washdown capabilities and modular design, Plexpack machines make this simple and convenient.
Ready-To-Eat Foods
Ready-to-eat foods are considered high-risk, as they don't require further cooking that can kill any contaminating bacteria. Extra care must be taken to ensure these food products aren't contaminated before they reach the consumer.
Machine cleanliness and effective product packaging are some key methods of achieving this. Plexpack machines can help, thanks to their various features.
What Are the Benefits of Plexpack Machines?
Beyond helping you comply with the many FDA food packaging regulations, Plexpack machines can provide several other benefits, such as:
- Exceptional packaging quality.
- Reliable operations.
- Customizable solutions that meet your specific needs.
- Improved efficiency.
All of these benefits mean your machine will provide great value for your investment.
Streamline Food Packaging Regulation Compliance With Plexpack
Complying with the FDA's regulations on food packaging can be challenging, but Plexpack's machines make it easier. Whether you have one of our Emplex bag and pouch sealing systems, a VacPack vacuum and gas sealing system or a Damark shrink wrap and bundling system, your machine will help you comply with various regulations.
With over seven decades of experience, we're intimately familiar with the industry and the standards businesses must meet. That's why all of our machines have features that help packaging businesses remain compliant.
To find out more about our machines and how they can benefit your business, contact us today.