Food Safety in Inspections: A Responsibility We All Share

As Weights and Measures inspectors, our primary focus is ensuring accuracy and fairness in commerce—testing scales for legality and verifying package weights against legal standards. However, there’s another critical aspect of our role that often goes unnoticed: food safety.

The CDC estimates that foodborne illnesses affect 1 million Americans annually. Cross-contamination, where food becomes contaminated from another source, plays a significant role in these cases. To fulfill our duty responsibly, we must remain vigilant about food safety during inspections.

NIST Handbook 133, Section 1.6, reminds us that, as inspectors, we are responsible for determining and implementing appropriate health and safety practices. Let’s explore three types of cross-contamination and how they can impact our inspections:

1. Food-to-Food Contamination

Raw foods can contaminate cooked or ready-to-eat foods with harmful bacteria. For instance, when conducting net content inspections, it’s essential to clean your scale before and during the process—especially after inspecting raw poultry, meat, pork, or seafood. Use food-safe disinfectants to ensure the equipment remains sanitary without compromising its functionality.

2. People-to-Food Contamination

Human contact is another common source of contamination. Handling food without proper handwashing, especially after inspecting raw meat or seafood, can transfer bacteria. Gloves are a simple yet effective barrier, but don’t forget to change them between tasks. Keep disinfecting wipes on hand to clean equipment and surfaces regularly.

3. Equipment-to-Food Contamination

Equipment used during inspections can also introduce contaminants if not properly cleaned between uses. For example, weights used in a meat department could carry bacteria to a produce department if not disinfected. After handling raw products, clean and sanitize your weights and other tools before storing them in their cases. For a basic guide to cleaning weights you can download our guide on the inspector resource page

A Shared Responsibility

The FDA reported 465 food/cosmetic recalls due to contamination as of December 2024. While not all of these incidents stem from inspection practices, it’s our responsibility to ensure we don’t contribute to that number. By being mindful of food safety protocols, we protect not just the integrity of measurements but also the health of the public.

As inspectors, our role extends beyond the technicalities of weights and measures. We are stewards of fairness, accuracy, and safety. Let’s take this responsibility seriously and work together to uphold these standards.