Food industry supply chain must reduce contamination risks

THE food industry needs to do more to ensure its supply chain is using the right material to avoid contamination later in the process, a Wolverhampton supplier has warned.

MacLellan Rubber said product recalls were becoming more common, often because of contamination problems within the production chain.

Simon Winfield and Andrew Onions said rubber contamination was often the result of firms buying cheap imports were countries where standards were not as strict as they are in Europe.

They said it was likely less than 10% of the rubber used in gaskets and seals in the various production operations originated from Europe or the UK.

They said the problem was the lack of enforcement further down the supply chain, where cost pressures were often the determining factor when it came to sourcing equipment.

However, with the considerable financial and reputational risks associated with contamination, such a move could often be a false economy.

Mr Winfield, a director of MacLellan Rubber, said: “There has definitely been a decline in the quality of imported rubber sheeting from the Far East and Asia, which independent tests have shown to contain high levels of chemicals that leach from the material or are released when temperatures are raised.

“Being Food Safe is a legal obligation and manufacturers shouldn’t assume because the material their suppliers are using is white or blue that it meets this requirement. They need to dig deeper into the supply chain and obtain the necessary documentation and evidence to prove compliance.”

MacLellan, which manufactures and distributes polymer and rubber sheets and rolls, industrial matting and sealing products, has invested £100,000 to ensure its products met the highest standards demanded by the food industry.

Co-director Mr Onions said: “We are trying to educate the major food processors and their supply chains that ‘cheap imports’ are not the answer long-term…the material deteriorates rapidly under heat or when cleaning fluids are passed along it.

“With a little more up-front investment in ‘Food Safe’ rubber, the industry can eliminate any risk that seals and gaskets could be the cause of the contamination.”

In addition to its work with the food and drink industry, MacLellan Rubber also supplies to the automotive, power utilities, petrochemical, construction, engineering, marine, mining, rail and transport sectors.

Turnover increased by £200,000 last year, with plans in place to take this past £3m by 2017.