Pet Food Processing - January 2024 - 30

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By Richard Rowlands | petfoodprocessing@sosland.com
Like any food, pet food carries safety risks, including contamination
from foreign material and the presence of mycotoxins
and bacteria like Salmonella. Pet food processors
play a vital role in mitigating these hazards, safeguarding
the wellbeing of both pets and their owners.
Billie Johnson, Ph.D., food safety and regulatory compliance
manager for BHJ North America, Omaha, Neb.,
shed light on the parallel between human and pet food
processing.
" Not unlike the human food side, pet food also experiences
the same types of hazards within food
processing, " she explained. " These hazards
include biological, chemical and physical hazards.
For the pet food manufacturer or even
the supplier of raw ingredients to the pet food
chain, controlling these hazards or possible
contaminations is imperative to ensuring food
safe pet food for both humans and pets. "
Material contamination risks
Controlling contamination is a multifaceted
challenge in pet food manufacturing. As the industry
grows, so does the sophistication of contamination
management strategies. TOMRA, a
leader in sorting technology, identifies two main
sources of material contamination in pet food production.
" Firstly, foreign materials like plastic, metal, glass and
bones typically come in with the raw materials or occur
during the process in the production plant, " said Lars
Povlsen, global category director, protein, TOMRA, Asker
Municipality, Norway. " This applies to both wet and dry
pet food production. Secondly, cross-contamination in dry
pet food production is also a challenge. This is when a mixup
of different recipes occurs. "
To address the challenge of foreign material (FM) contamination,
many companies implement Hazard Analysis
and Critical Control Points (HACCP). This preventive approach
targets safety from biological, chemical and physical
hazards in production, aiming to reduce these risks to a
safe level before they reach the consumer.
" Conventional methods like metal detection and x-ray
systems are then used to safeguard the process against
dense foreign materials such as metal, stones and glass, "
Povlsen continued. " These are effective, but the challenge
remains with less dense materials like plastic, liner, bone
fragments, wood, paper, etc., which metal detectors and xray
systems may not detect. This is where optical sorting
comes into play. We are now seeing more companies in
this industry installing in-line optical sorting systems, using
advanced sensor technology to sort out all the foreign
materials that can't be detected by other means. "
When it comes to controlling the risk of cross-contamination
in dry pet food production, Povlsen recommends
taking a proactive approach and investing in advanced optical
sorting technology. This investment not only streamlines
the manufacturing process but also enhances food
safety measures.
" Having an optical sorter with the latest technology installed
means a recipe change is just a click of a button, "
Povlsen said. " Not using optical sorting can make the
process more complicated and less safe. Without it, more
intensive cleaning and product dumps between two recipes
become part of the daily routine, which is both timeconsuming
and wasteful. "
The pet food industry has continually evolved its safety
protocols to address and mitigate risks throughout the
RAPIDREAD™ from Alltech connects portable test devices with
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Alltech
30 PET FOOD PROCESSING | January 2024 | www.petfoodprocessing.net
Safeguarding products against cross contamination is made
easier as containment solutions and strategies evolve.
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Pet Food Processing - January 2024

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