For any business in the food industry, managing food safety is a top priority. All aspects of the process must be kept clean and free from potential sources of contamination. This includes equipment, machinery, and even uniforms.
Food processing uniforms are a critical part of this process, as they often come into direct contact with the food during processing and production.
What is HACCP?
For industrial laundering, HACCP means only one thing: the prevention of cross-contamination that could impact your product. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has enforced guidelines focused on ensuring that the introduction of contaminants is controlled.
According to the FDA, Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point, also known as HACCP, is a management system in which food safety is addressed through the analysis and control of biological, chemical, and physical hazards from raw material production, procurement, and handling, to manufacturing, distribution, and consumption of the finished product.
Why is Understanding HACCP Important?
Any garment that is worn inside a food processing or manufacturing plant is considered a “food surface”, and we treat your uniform garments as an integral part of the food safety process.
At Kleen Kraft, we have developed a detailed HACCP Program to ensure you have hygienically clean garments that are free of bacteria and viruses, as well as chemical and physical hazards.
The clothing worn by food processing employees is an important part of the HACCP system, as it can be a potential source of contamination.
The Five Components of HACCP Uniforms
So how do you determine if a uniform design is compliant with HACCP guidelines? HACCP standards include the following:
- Durable Fabrics: Uniforms must be designed to withstand numerous washings without fabric deterioration. This is because damaged fabric can shed tiny fibers or threads that could introduce contaminants into the processed food. HACCP guidelines mandate durable, easily washed fabrics that maintain their integrity over time.
- No Pockets Above the Waist: Pockets tend to trap bacteria in hard-to-reach areas, and items stored in pockets can fall out onto food. For these reasons, HACCP guidelines require that uniforms are either pocketless or have no pockets above the waist.
- No Buttons: No buttons are allowed anywhere on the food processing garments. Buttons can fall off unexpectedly and contaminate entire batches of product.
- Proper Fit: A proper fit is paramount to HACCP clothing. Trailing or ill-fitting garments, particularly in the body and sleeve lengths, can increase the potential for food contamination and spill hazards. In addition to HACCP standards, well-fitting uniforms increase productivity and efficiency among employees, as they are more comfortable to wear.
- Clean: Facility and employee cleanliness is essential in food processing and packaging plants. All uniforms must be sanitary to prevent food contamination.
These features are key to ensuring compliance with HACCP guidelines and keeping your employees and your customers safe.
Our procedure in laundering garments is to use the specially developed detergents and high water temperatures to ensure excellent cleanliness, maintain sterile and bacteria-free garments, and preserve fabric life.
In addition, there are two key factors in the proper sanitation of food processing garments to prevent contamination during the wash cycle:
- First, wash formulas must be engineered to produce hygienically clean garments that are free from microbial contamination due to bacteria and viruses.
- Second, an appropriate water temperature during the wash cycle must be used to kill any microorganisms on the garment.
A Uniform Rental Company That is Hygienically Clean and Certified in Food Safety
Kleen Kraft has received the Hygienically Clean Certification in Food Safety from the Textile Rental Service Association (TRSA), reflecting our commitment to keeping our food processing customers productive, safe, and healthy.
Kleen Kraft passed three rounds of quantified biological testing by an accredited laboratory, verifying that our laundry processes are producing Hygienically Clean Food Safety uniform garments that meet internationally recognized hygiene standards.
Microbial testing provides tangible proof that our garments are free of mold, yeast, viruses, and bacteria, including E-coli, Salmonella, Candida, Staph, and others.
To receive the certification, Kleen Kraft additionally underwent a comprehensive, third-party inspection that confirmed essential evidence that:
- Our employees are properly trained and protected
- Our management understands the most up-to-date legal requirements and regulations
- We are OSHA-compliant
- Our physical plant operates effectively
We’re as committed to food safety as you are because our work directly affects yours. We guarantee that choosing Kleen Kraft as your uniform rental provider, is choosing a partner in food safety and compliance.
Choosing Uniforms for Your Food Processing Employees
Kleen Kraft uniforms are designed to meet and exceed FDA, USDA, HACCP, and other industry standards. We offer various types of uniforms for different roles within your facility, such as those working in your warehouse and loading docks.
We support your safe food-handling requirements and can help reduce cross-contamination through proper attire. Kleen Kraft Services offers a wide range of garments that can be customized for your unique operation, including:
- Wrap-Around Smocks
- Butcher Coats with Knit Cuffs
- Lab Coats
- Aprons
- And more!
When choosing a uniform for your food processing employees, selecting uniforms made from durable fabrics that can withstand the intense laundering process will ensure your facility meets HACCP standards over and over again.
Keeping Consumers Safe Through Proper Uniforms
We make it our responsibility to help food processors stay compliant with HACCP guidelines by preventing cross-contamination and providing hygienically clean garments.
With years of experience servicing food-processing plants of every size throughout Southern California, we maintain a thorough understanding of HACCP. Because of this, we have a detailed, tried-and-true process that follows specific guidelines to help our food-processing customers remain productive and safe.
With a large range of workwear options, laundering services that meet or exceed industry standards, and garment-tracking technology to make sure you never have a late or missing uniform delivery again, you’ll be able to keep your business operating safely and efficiently with Kleen Kraft.
Reach out to us today to learn more about our uniform solutions for your food processing business!
