According to Australian & New Zealand Food Standards Code 3.2.2 it is critical that all food businesses use all practicable measures to ensure that food packaging is not contaminated.

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Static electricity can attract dust and other contaminants to a food process. However did you know that the equipment used to reduce the amount of static electricity in these exact same food processes can also be a contaminant itself.

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The use of conductive foam during IML processes which can break

off during the in mold process and lodge within the food packaging

is a potential source of food contamination. SEC suggest the use

of pinning systems as opposed to conductive foam for any food

grade IML process.

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The use of static control bars that are made from a food grade

appropriate material is important. Typically metals or plastics that can

harbor mould or fungi should be avoided.

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The use of static control bars with emitter pins made from

tungsten carbide or stainless steel should also be avoided

due to particle burst where the broken pin can fall into the food

or packaging process.

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Static combs and brushes and carbon string or static string

should be avoided in food processing and packaging as

comb or brush filaments and string filaments can fall off into the process.

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The consequences for using these types of controls is that

if a contaminant falls into the process and embeds on the label or container (even if it is on the underside of the label and the outside of the container) a customer may perceive that the contaminant is in the food or beverage. The cost of a product recall and all of the associated costs is significant, let alone the impost and damage to reputation.