Traceability of hose assemblies in food processing machinery

"It comes as no great surprise that the International Standards Organisation has found it necessary to issue ISO 22005:2007 [Traceability in the feed and food chain - General principles and basic requirements for system design and implementation] to underpin the implementation of traceability systems along the food chain.

"In recent years, high-profile cases of food poisoning and events such as the recent outbreak of BSE have illustrated the need for systems that not only protect public health, but also protect the food processing and manufacturing industry from the negative social and economic impact of such crises.

"One aspect of traceability that is often given scant attention, however, is consideration of the hose assemblies that are in common use in almost every food processing system. Yet this vital area is one where traceability issues can readily be addressed.

"Since my company, FlexRite, started operations in 1985, every hose assembly produced has been recorded and given a unique reference number that is clearly shown on the assembly. From this number, the origin of the components, order details, date of manufacture, materials of construction and the original duty for which the produced can all be determined.

"In other words, this system provides complete traceability for the hose assembly and, therefore, is a major aid for users in meeting the requirements prescribed by ISO 22005.

"Hose assemblies play an essential and almost ubiquitous role in food manufacture - their traceability, therefore, should never be considered as merely optional!"