Food Safety Regulations Make News Again

In a recent Food Manufacturing article, Alaska legislator Tammie Wilson states that she, "wants to get rid of safety regulations for food sold by Alaska producers directly to consumers."  Ending these regulations would be for the benefit of growing the Alaska food industry in her opinion.  Wilson also says, "permits and expensive equipment are stifling local food development and consumers should take responsibility for what they eat."

Well then, there you have it.  Aren't food manufacturing safety regulations in place to protect consumers?  While I agree that regulations can be challenging and add additional expense, I don't believe that ridding the industry of all regulations is a solution.  And how exactly do I as a consumer take responsibility for what I eat?  I don't know how it's been handled or prepared.  Right now, if I buy food from a business I can trust they are operating under a certain sanitary environment and they are processing this food in a safe manner.  This is due to regulations.  Assuming that these regulations are "stifling" to the manufacturers, if the regulations are ended there's a strong possibility they would stop following the rules.  I'm not sure I want to purchase food from a company that makes up their own rules just to save money.  This solution seems like a slippery slope.

There are a number of ways businesses can save money other than cutting out the rules. For example, investing in the right food manufacturing ERP software can give your business the accurate, real-time information it needs to make better business decisions. O2 Food ERP software was developed specifically for food manufacturers and will give you the tools to operate more efficiently.  This food software also has the functionality to help manufacturers meet regulations, such as HACCP and lot tracking.

I'm sure it would be easy to rid the food industry of regulations for growths sake, but we need to be realistic and remember these regulations are there for the consumers protection.  Let's go back to the drawing board and find a solution that will help food manufacturers grow, while keeping consumers safe.

For more information on food manufacturing software, visit www.evs-sw.com.