Food Safety & Quality Assurance
Quality Assurance (QA) in Product-Related Areas
Food safety and quality assurance (QA) are essential for reducing the risk of contamination, production losses, and downtime. In practice, seemingly “minor” details often determine QA reliability: Which materials and components are used in areas in close proximity to the product—and how is their suitability documented in a traceable manner?
Industrial sensors support quality assurance by providing reliable process data (e.g., temperature, pressure, flow rate, or conductivity) for plausibility checks, trend analyses, and the investigation of deviations. However, the approval of food contact materials is based primarily on documented evidence (e.g., Declaration of Conformity/DoC), traceability, and an internal assessment of the context of use—including within the framework of Regulation (EC) No. 1935/2004.
Why Material and Sensor Selection Is a Core Quality Assurance Task
The selection of appropriate materials, components, and sensor technology influences key quality assurance decisions: the approval or suspension of plant areas, the definition and review of alarm limits, the evaluation of deviations, and the traceability of decisions (who approved what, when, and why?). Errors often arise not from “the sensor” alone, but from the entire system consisting of the sensor, connector, cable, seal, and parameter settings. Typical risk factors include unclear material specifications, incomplete or outdated certificates of conformity, untested changes (supplier, material, connector/cable, version/parameter settings), and vulnerabilities in connectors in damp or product-adjacent environments. Hygiene and cleaning conditions are an important constraint for the design.
Clearly Separate Zones and Contact Types
For a proper QA approval, it is crucial to determine whether a component or measurement point comes into direct contact with the product, is used in close proximity to the product (e.g., the injection molding area), or has no relation to the product. This classification determines which documentation you should prioritize and how you should structure the internal approval process.
Direct contact with the product:
Components in the product flow (e.g., the inside of a pipe).
Priority:
- Declaration of Conformity (DoC) with the appropriate scope,
- clear specifications regarding materials,
- Traceability and a documented quality assurance approval.
Product-Related Area:
Components located close to the product (e.g., the outside of a storage tank).
Priority:
- risk-based assessment (operating conditions, potential inputs),
- Appropriate materials and design, as well as clear documentation and change control (MOC).
No product contact:
Areas not directly related to products.
Priority:
- Functional and Process Safety (Criticality of Measurement Points),
- Proper change management and documented parameterization and versioning.
Practical Tip: Document the contact type and installation location for each sensor/component ID. This facilitates traceability, the investigation of deviations, and MOC decisions.
Legal Framework & Supporting Documentation
Regulation (EC) No. 1935/2004 provides a key framework for materials and articles intended to come into contact with food. For quality assurance (QA), this primarily means: providing plausible evidence of suitability for the intended use, ensuring traceability, and approving changes in a controlled manner. This page provides guidance for QA practices and is not a substitute for legal advice.
The Declaration of Conformity (DoC) is a key working document. Typical quality assurance checkpoints include:
Scope:
The product, material, and application are clearly described (does the DoC match the actual use?).
Current Status/Version:
The date, version number, and person responsible/issuer must be clearly identifiable.
Traceability:
Assignment to a batch, delivery lot, or component ID is possible.
Clear specifications regarding materials:
Materials and components are clearly labeled and can be easily identified.
Terms of Use:
Relevant limitations/assumptions (e.g., temperature, medium, type of contact) are specified.
Depending on the material and application, additional documentation (e.g., test and evaluation data on migration) may be relevant. It is important to file these documents in such a way that they can be quickly located in the event of deviations or changes.
Industrial Sensors in Production-Related Areas: Typical Measurement Tasks and Quality Assurance Benefits
Industrial sensors provide process data that specifically support quality assurance (QA) in production-related areas—particularly in plausibility checks, trend analyses, the investigation of deviations, and the assessment of measurement point criticality.
Temperature:
Supports batch comparison, trend analysis, and the classification of deviations.
Flow rate:
makes dosing and process stability measurable.
Conductivity:
Supports the detection of process states and media changes.
Print:
helps detect filter and pump problems or leaks early on.
Level:
Reduces downtime (dry running/overflow).
Position/Attendance:
reduces operating errors and provides clear status confirmation.
Important for quality assurance: The sensor, connector, cable, seal, and parameter settings should be considered as a single system. Changes to any one component should be evaluated and documented through the change management process (MOC).
From Contact Type + Measurement Task to a Robust Preliminary Selection
A pragmatic quality assurance (QA) workflow for selecting and approving components and sensors consists of the following steps:
- Specify the connection type and installation location, and clearly identify the measurement point.
- Define the measurement task, including process limits and critical events.
- Request and review supporting documentation (DoC, data sheet, material specifications, traceability information).
- Document the evaluation: Record the QA decision, inspection points, and any restrictions, if applicable.
- Storage & Versioning by Sensor/Component ID.
- Approval & MOC: Grant approval and re-evaluate changes in a controlled manner.
Materials in Focus: Stainless Steel & PEEK
Stainless steel and PEEK are widely used in product-related applications. For quality assurance, what matters is verifiable suitability for the specific application, as well as clear documentation regarding the Declaration of Conformity (DoC) and traceability.
Stainless steel:
Examples of QS review questions include: Is the material clearly identified? Is it suitable for the medium? Are the surfaces and design plausible? Is the necessary documentation available?
PEEK:
In this context, QS specifically verifies whether a suitable food-contact material is available within the intended scope of application and whether the DoC covers the actual use.
Chemistry & Cleaning
Cleaning and hygiene requirements influence the selection and design of components. You can find specific cleaning profiles, information on durability, and implementation tips in our separate article on CIP/SIP Processes in the Food Industry.
Sensors for the Food Industry
Food & Beverage Industry – hygienic, reliable, CIP/SIP-compatible, and ideal for IO-Link.
High-Resistance-Class Sensor Cables (PVC)
For food-contact and wet areas—durable, hygienic, and reliable for everyday use.
Frequently Asked Questions About Quality Assurance in the Food Industry (FAQ)
Materials that may come into contact with food. For quality assurance, assessing the context of use and providing appropriate documentation (DoC, traceability) are crucial.
It is a key review and record-keeping document used to provide a traceable rationale for approvals and to evaluate changes.
Through unique identification of components/measurement points and consistent linking to documents (DoC, data sheet, approval) for each ID.
This depends on the product, process, service life, temperature profile, risk (e.g., allergen change), and the acceptance criteria. In practice, cleaning intervals are derived from risk analysis, process data, and quality assurance specifications, and are then refined through monitoring and deviation management.
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