In theory, implementing food safety protocols should not be difficult. It’s as simple as keeping foods stored at the correct temperature, preventing cross contamination, and washing your hands when switching from poultry to vegetables. But what might seem like a simple and manageable task is proving otherwise. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that one in six Americans suffer from a foodborne illness, due to contamination, each year.

Fortunately, new technology solutions offer simple ways for businesses to use preventative measures to ensure food stays safe. There are five food safety technology solutions that are becoming a must-have for any business that handles food—from casinos and colleges to hospitals and hotels.

Food Irradiation

This new technology uses electron beams, more commonly known as X-rays and gamma rays, to kill bacteria without causing harm to the food product. While these powerful beams do not do any reputable damage to the food, they do kill the DNA of living organisms like bacteria. With irradiation, there is no concern for food safety in terms of radioactivity since the beams do not contact the food and food irradiation does not change the taste or nutritional value. There are no signs that food has been irradiated, so consumers won’t notice the difference.

Irradiation is FDA approved and used in 37 countries around the world—and in space!—on more than 40 different food types.

UV Light

The FDA recently approved the use of UV light, via low-pressure mercury lamps, for decontamination of air in food factories and refrigerators, surface treatment, and water. With the help of UV lights, the risk of contaminated raw products or surfaces decreases dramatically. However, there is a catch. The UV light must be able to touch every part of the food product to decontaminate the product completely. This would prove difficult if you were to try to decontaminate a gallon of milk. For now, UV light is primarily used to decontaminate easily penetrable surfaces or food products.

In-Fridge Thermometers

This technology may seem simple compared to UV lights, but it can prevent thousands of dollars of food waste if an employee forgets to close the fridge or there is a power outage. These thermometers are designed to alert you if temperatures rise or fall outside the preset threshold set per food safety standards and regulations. In-fridge thermometers are a simple addition to a complete food safety program. Plus, if your business is already utilizing a mobile app for food safety inspections, temperature data can be automatically uploaded to line check results.

3D Printed Sensors

Students at UC Berkeley found a way to create a smart cap to tell you if your gallon of milk is fresh or spoiled. The caps use wireless sensors that communicate with smartphones to tell you if the milk is safe for consumption. While this technology is not fully developed, the hope is that one day consumers will be able to check the freshness of food while it’s still on the shelves at the store.

Inspection Apps

Mobile inspection apps, like the RizePoint Mobile Auditor, streamlines food safety inspections and eliminates the manual data transcription process. Mobile inspection apps are becoming the standard for food safety. RizePoint recently launched thermocouple device integration so temperature data is tamper-free and stored in one place. In addition to streamlined inspections, it’s important that the inspection app be coupled with built-in business intelligence and automated corrective action. Those critical features make it possible to address any food safety hazards before they become costly liabilities.

As the food industry brings more IOT devices into the kitchen for food safety, it will be essential for businesses to have an app that can integrate IOT data into one, easy-to-read dashboard. Reserver a demo to learn more.