In 2018, there were 382 food product recalls. Can you guess how many of those cases were related to undeclared allergens?
According to Food Safety Magazine, 160. And of those, about a third—the most of any category—were due to undeclared milk allergens.
The FDA’s Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act requires that products containing milk—as well as the other allergens—list it as an ingredient on the product's packaging. To assure compliance with legislation on allergen-management, and to notify internal staff quickly on the presence of potential allergens, dairy producers can rely on a food and beverage ERP system designed for their unique needs.
A dairy producer’s ERP can be used to enter data on allergens, which need to be reported to key stakeholders to create visibility into the presence of allergens during processes in manufacturing and distribution.
While dairy producers are more focused on milk allergens, it's just as important to track the risk of cross-contamination with non-milk allergens. These allergens might be in the same area processed in other production runs. This means, the produced item “may contain” an allergen—but in very low quantities. ERP for dairy producers should also share this visibility with key stakeholders.
Avoiding milk, or items containing milk products, is the best way to manage a milk allergy. It's simple—dairy producers need to identify and track allergens.
For more ERP best practices for the dairy industry, visit our ColumbusFood for Diary page for a detailed explanation of key features in our solution.
