Recalls occur on meat and poultry products for a variety of reasons — from positive tests for pathogens to allergen-labeling issues to foreign-material contamination. Any reason for a product recall is a serious one — and each should open the industry’s eyes to what it can do better to prevent these recalls from occurring.
In the 1990s, a meat-plant employee entering a work station might have to use a decontaminating foot wash. Now, plant employees have to navigate a boot-scrubbing system, put on personal protective equipment (PPE) such as gloves, masks and goggles, and their movement is restricted to prevent any contamination.