It Seems So Simple...

Every food product that is packaged––whether in glass, rigid plastic, paperboard carton or flexible pouch––is labeled, and that label lists––or should list––every ingredient in the product. The product manufacturer is aware of what goes into each product and is aware of the regulatory requirement to list every one of those ingredients.

It seems so simple: You know your ingredients; you list your ingredients. How likely is it for an error to occur? Yet the FDA reports that the most common cause of a food safety product recall is mislabeling: incomplete, incorrect or damaged labels––and the most frequent error is an unlisted allergen.

A large, well-respected food company with a global operation recently had to recall 41 tons of sausage because a commonly recognized allergen was not disclosed on the product’s label. That not only constitutes a large non-recoverable expense; it will also very likely deal a considerable blow to the company’s brand image. When consumers discover that a company has not been careful enough to disclose all of its ingredients, they begin to wonder if they can trust the quality of that company’s products.

How do errors happen?
As simple as labeling a package seems, the process involves several steps that offer opportunities for error. The list of ingredients that begins with a knowledgeable food chemist or technician may go through the hands of 3 or 4 people to be typed, typeset, proofread, etc. before it becomes a printed label. Each handoff offers the opportunity for a miscommunication.

Then at the last stage, on your packaging line, the product, package, closure and label all come together for the first time. Now there are opportunities for new errors. The label may go onto an unrelated package, or the front label and the back label may be separated and applied to different packages. The simple act of selecting and mounting the correct roll of labels onto the labeler is an opportunity for a mistake.

A reliable solution
Machine-based vision inspection systems inspect labels using cameras, comparing the ingredient list on the label with input entered directly into the inspection system software by your production department, eliminating the data passing through a number of hands. In addition, using codes assigned to each product and related label, the system confirms that label and product match. Using a Label Control Number (LCN) that is assigned to each label, it also confirms that the label being used is the most current version of that label, including up-to-date revisions.

While confirming that the label is being applied to the right product, the system also ensures that it is applied perfectly, with no wrinkles or flags hiding ingredients, and that it is positioned correctly. This protects not only against recalls but simultaneously ensures that the package projects a strong brand image.
With such a system in place, confirming that your labels are correct once again becomes simple.



Written by: Robert Rogers
Senior Advisor for Food Safety and Regulations
METTLER TOLEDO Product Inspection