Protecting Food Processing

Making the case for proactive supply chain sanitation

As the world's population grew, so did the scale of farming and agriculture; smaller farms emerged, multiplied, and eventually merged into larger farms that operate globally. As a result, almost every pantry worldwide contains a product from large corporations. When you consider that many in a population of 8 billion rely on thousands of food processing plants owned by these conglomerates to plant seeds, grow, sort, package, and ship harvests - the problem becomes obvious.

Recalls Causing Havoc

A day does not go by without a news article about a food recall for E. coli, Salmonella, and Listeria. Recent high-profile food safety failures have raised significant concerns about the effectiveness of sanitation procedures in the food industry. The recent wave of recalls for onions, waffles, smoked salmon, cheeses, carrots, and more highlights the ongoing food safety crisis and raises concerns about consumer trust in major corporations.

An outbreak associated with deli meat resulted in at least 10 deaths and 59 hospitalizations across 13 states where the contamination was traced to unsanitary conditions at a production facility. The E. coli outbreak linked to McDonald's Quarter Pounder affected 104 individuals across multiple states, leading to one reported death and numerous hospitalizations. The source was identified as contaminated slivered onions used in the burgers, avoidable with sanitary conditions.Various Salmonella outbreaks have occurred including those linked to eggs and green onions, resulting in multiple illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths. While these incidents highlight significant outbreaks, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates food-borne illnesses cause approximately 3,000 deaths annually in the United States, and that number is increasing year over year. These examples underscore a concerning trend in the food industry, where lapses in sanitation and safety protocols can lead to serious public health risks, including fatalities - for simply EATING. They highlight the necessity for stringent adherence to established food safety and sanitation standards to protect consumers.

Why are we having so many recalls?Dangerous microbes develop in the hidden corners of any part of the food processing chain, with every food product passing through those facilities running the risk of unknowingly being contaminated - with almost a majority of recalls discovered only after infections occur. Food contact surfaces become a breeding ground for pathogens like E. coli, Listeria, and Salmonella, and unlike inorganic contaminants, they can spread.

But why wait for a recall?There needs to be a proactive approach to food safety.

While the FDA can cite a food processing facility for cross-contamination and has the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) CFR Title 21, which are requirements for sanitation controls in place, there seems to be a large gap between regulatory standards and the observed practices in facilities.

Failure to deploy adequate cleaning processes and reliable eco-friendly sanitation and disinfection technologies like SteraMist ionized Hydrogen Peroxide (iHP) into facilities can result in devastating recalls and citations. As long as surface and airborne microorganisms exist undetected, a contaminated food batch can spread, staff and consumers are at risk of infection, and microbes can collect and colonize in hard-to-reach areas, effectively multiplying risk vectors.

Protect Tomorrow with SteraMist Today

With the FDA Food Traceability Final Rule, known as FSMA 204, set to go into effect on January 20, 2026, food quality controls are tightening, and refined tracking methods are holding businesses large and small accountable for their products and hygiene practices. Moreover, there is added pressure on food and drug regulation, meaning companies falling short of best practices could ultimately decide their presence on the market.

SteraMist is at the forefront of cutting-edge food disinfection and sanitation technology, offering an increasingly adopted cold plasma technology into the process. Using low-percentage hydrogen peroxide, SteraMist utilizes enhanced disinfection and sanitation to deliver a dry mist to every corner of a treated area in both handheld and remote application modes. Using an all-natural ionization process, SteraMist iHP avoids the corrosion and added labor of common food surface sanitizers to disrupt microbes, not schedules. SteraMist is the perfect solution to easily maximize yields, minimize losses, and navigate strict food hygiene regulations.