This is the year that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) begins rolling out key components of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), the sweeping law meant to modernize the U.S. food safety system. And, as part of that legislation, FDA is requiring significantly more detailed monitoring and record-keeping on the part of food producers.
One way food producers are choosing to monitor more of their production and handling operations is by utilizing sensors connected to the “Internet of Things” (IoT), the vast network of devices communicating over the Internet without the involvement of humans.
With the IoT, food companies are beginning to use various types of sensors to monitor key production conditions, shipping time, numerous other metrics, and, most important, temperature.
“Temperature has the biggest impact on food safety, and it’s what many food companies are most interested in monitoring,” said Brad Walters, CEO of Monnit, a sensor technology company. “By far the most prominent use is in commercial refrigeration,” he added.
Over the Internet, these sensors are able to keep constant tabs on the condition and quality of food as it’s produced, transported and stored. The resulting paper trail gives companies more assurance that they’re maintaining adequate food safety standards.
According to some estimates, by 2020 there will be four times as many non-traditional devices connected to the Internet as there are computers, tablets and smartphones.
