10 Things to Know About Color-Coding: Preventing Cross-Contamination

How Color-Coding Helps Prevent Cross-Contamination in Food Processing

In this segment of our color-coding series, we explore how implementing color-coded systems in food processing facilities can significantly reduce the risk of cross-contamination. Facilities dealing with cross-contamination risks should seriously consider adopting color-coding practices to minimize these hazards. The threat of product recalls looms large over food processing companies, and every effort must be made to avoid such incidents.

Color-coding serves as a practical solution to mitigate contamination risks that could lead to costly recalls. Food processors operate under strict FDA regulations aimed at ensuring cross-contamination is kept to a minimum to protect consumers. One of the key tools the FDA mandates is HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points), which provides guidelines to limit cross-contamination, including requiring detailed safety plans.

Effective prevention of cross-contamination involves keeping potentially harmful foods separate, such as raw meats from processed ones, or avoiding mixing allergens like peanuts with other products. A straightforward way to achieve this separation is through color-coding. When a facility adopts a color-coded system, it becomes instantly clear which tools belong in specific zones. For instance, raw meat areas might use red, while cooked or processed sections could be marked with green.

Examples of Color-Coding Systems:

To Prevent Functional Cross-Contamination:

• Red: Raw Meat
• Green: Processed or Cooked Meat

To Prevent Departmental Cross-Contamination:

• Blue: Seafood
• Yellow: Chicken

To Prevent Allergen Cross-Contamination:

• White: Milk
• Green: Soy
• Yellow: Wheat

With color-coding in place, it becomes immediately obvious if a tool ends up in the wrong zone, allowing quick action to prevent potential contamination. Maintaining clear boundaries between zones is crucial for food safety, and color-coding simplifies this process. In our next installment, we’ll delve into how color-coding can further assist in identifying critical zones and control points within a facility. To learn more about color-coding strategies, feel free to download our comprehensive white paper below.