The Hidden Risks Behind Our Food: Managing Materials and Contamination Risks in Manufacturing

According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 600 million people—nearly 1 in 10 globally—fall ill each year from eating contaminated food, with 420,000 of these cases resulting in death. Unsafe food containing harmful bacteria, chemical substances, viruses, and parasites can cause more than 200 diseases, highlighting the urgent need for the highest standards of food safety in food manufacturing and supply chain.

Six tourists in a holiday town in Laos died from suspected methanol poisoning caused by tainted drinks. Methanol poisoning from counterfeit alcohol has been a long-standing issue across Southeast Asia. Whilst many believe that the UK has some of the safest and most authentic food and drink in the world, frequent product recalls due to food safety issues still persist.

Heavy Metal Contamination in Chocolate

Consumer Reports found dangerous heavy metal in premium dark chocolates, which has left many consumers in shock. Lindt, Tony’s, Lily’s, Godiva, Green and Black’s, along with several other premium chocolate brands, faces scrutiny after tests revealed elevated levels of lead and cadmium — two heavy metals linked to a host of health problems in children and adults. This is just a snapshot of the chocolate brands that were found to be contaminated with metals.

The issue is complex as lead and cadmium are naturally absorbed by cocoa plants through the soil, meaning contamination begins long before processing. To help minimise the risk, manufacturers can adopt several strategies to protect consumers from these contaminants.

Raw material testing is critical for chocolate manufacturers. Implementing pre-processing quality checks can identify coco beans with higher levels of metals, enabling manufacturers to reject or divert these batches. Processing methods such as optimising fermentation, which affects metal absorption, can further reduce metal content. Manufacturers can also consider sourcing cocoa from regions with lower contamination risk or working directly with cocoa farms to monitor soil conditions and minimise exposure to heavy metals.

While heavy metal contamination in chocolate underscores the challenges of managing naturally occurring contaminants, within agricultural supply chains, another significant risk arises from imported meat.

The Challenge of Imported Meat and ASF Risk

Dartford Borough Council recently seized 170kg of illegally imported meat suspected to be contaminated with African Swine Fever (ASF). Although ASF is different from swine influenza and does not affect humans, it has a high mortality rate among infected pigs. Experts warn that an ASF outbreak could create a crisis on the scale of the ‘foot-and-mouth’ epidemic, severely impacting British farmers by reducing food production capacity and increasing prices. Some farmers have voiced concerns that current border controls, especially post-Brexit, may not adequately prevent the introduction of devastating animal diseases.

As local authorities work to block risky imports, food manufacturers play a crucial role in maintaining the safety of their supply chains. By auditing raw materials and verifying compliance with health regulations and ASF guidelines, manufacturers can help ensure only safe ingredients enter their production lines. Regular on-site inspections further support safety standards, and robust traceability systems enable quick identification and isolation of affected batches in the event of an outbreak, protecting both consumers and domestic livestock.

Whilst biological threats like African Swine Fever (ASF) highlight some of the risks associated with illegally imported animal products, chemical contamination in plant-based foods is also a growing concern.

Rise in Pesticide Residues Found in Tea Bags

Nearly 900,000 tea bags from the East West Tea Company were recalled after the FDA discovered pesticide residues above permissible levels in their Organic Yogi Echinacea Immune Support tea. The EU has banned 30 harmful pesticides since Brexit, yet the UK has not adopted these bans, resulting in allowable pesticide residues that are sometimes thousands of times higher than previously permitted. Given rising rates of cancer and other chronic diseases, there is an urgent call to reduce exposure to these chemicals.

For manufacturers, this challenge underscores the need for stringent sourcing protocols and regular testing of raw materials to detect and control pesticide levels. By partnering with suppliers who adhere to rigorous pesticide management practices, manufacturers can help eliminate the risk of harmful chemical residues reaching consumers. Additionally, real-time monitoring and traceability systems allow companies to pinpoint and address contamination sources swiftly, reducing production costs (even rejects), reducing the risk to consumer health and aligning with growing public demand for safer, more transparent food production.

Partner with Harford to Overcome Quality Issues

From high levels of heavy metals in premium dark chocolate to illegally imported meat, potentially carrying African Swine Fever (ASF) and the recent surge in pesticide residues in tea bags, these incidents underscore the vulnerabilities in our food supply chain. It is crucial for manufacturers to strengthen safety measures at every stage of production.

As an end-to-end MIS/MES provider, Harford Control offers comprehensive Materials and Process Quality Control solutions, along with Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS), to support rigorous quality control and full traceability of materials. Harford Materials and Process Quality Control solutions ensure consistent quality from raw materials to finished products, while LIMS enables manufacturers to track approved materials and monitor non-compliant (even rejected) products.

When your factory is looking to address material and quality or efficiency issues, please reach out to us at info@harfordcontrol.com or give us a call on +44 (0)1225 764461.