Quality and continuous improvement

Quality Control in Canned Goods: Challenges and Digital Solutions

By Claudia · · 6 min read

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Production line with glass jars of canned goods on the conveyor belt

Quality Control in Canned Goods: Challenges and Digital Solutions

The quality control in canned goods is one of the most demanding processes within the food industry. Canning companies work with products that must guarantee safety and stability for months or even years, which means a chain of rigorous checks from the receipt of raw materials to the dispatch of the finished product. In an increasingly regulated and competitive environment, digitalizing these processes is no longer an option: it's a strategic necessity.

Main quality challenges in the canning industry

Companies in the canning sector face specific challenges that set them apart from other food industries. The nature of the product —subjected to intense heat treatments and stored for long periods— demands thorough control at every stage of the production process. These are the most common challenges we identify in canning companies across Spain:

Managing heat treatments and sterilization. Controlling sterilization or pasteurization is the critical point par excellence for quality in the canning industry. Any deviation in temperature, time or pressure can compromise the safety of the final product. Recording, validating and archiving this data manually is slow, error-prone and hard to audit.

Traceability across the entire chain. As set out in the Regulation (EC) 178/2002 on general food law (Regulation [EC] 178/2002, 2002), food operators are required to guarantee the traceability of their products at every stage of production, processing and distribution. For a canning company handling multiple batches, suppliers and product references, building this traceability manually takes enormous effort and poses a real risk in the event of a food safety alert.

Container and seal control. Container integrity is essential in canned goods. A faulty seal can lead to microbiological contamination, loss of vacuum or product spoilage. Double-seam, tightness and seaming checks must be carried out frequently and properly documented.

Document management and regulatory compliance. Procedures, HACCP records, cleaning plans, equipment calibrations, supplier certificates… The documentation load of a canning company is enormous. Keeping everything up to date, accessible and organized for an audit is one of the biggest sources of strain for quality managers.

Staff turnover and ongoing training. Seasonal campaigns bring mass hiring. Ensuring that every operator knows and correctly applies quality procedures is an operational challenge that directly affects product consistency.

Which critical checks can't fail in the canning sector

Beyond the general challenges, there are checks whose omission or failure can have serious consequences, both for consumer safety and business continuity. A solid quality management system must guarantee the correct execution and recording of the following checks:

HACCP and critical control points (CCPs). Hazard analysis and critical control points is the backbone of food safety in canned goods. As set out in the Regulation (EC) 852/2004 on the hygiene of foodstuffs (Regulation [EC] 852/2004, 2004), all food business operators must put in place, apply and maintain procedures based on HACCP principles. In a canning company, the CCPs usually include heat treatment, pH control, water activity and seal inspection.

Control of raw materials and suppliers. The quality of the final product largely depends on the quality of the raw materials. Verifying specifications, reviewing certificates and carrying out incoming checks is essential to prevent a problem at source from reaching the end consumer.

Calibration and maintenance of critical equipment. Autoclaves, thermometers, pressure gauges, double-seaming equipment… The reliability of check results depends directly on the condition and calibration of the measuring instruments. A miscalibrated piece of equipment can invalidate hours of production and compromise the safety of the batch.

Microbiological and physicochemical control of the finished product. Finished product analyses make it possible to validate that the treatment was effective and that the product meets the established safety parameters.

Management of non-conformities and corrective actions. Detecting a deviation is only the first step. Recording it correctly, investigating its root cause and implementing an effective corrective action is what sets apart a company that learns from its mistakes from one that repeats them.

Quality control in canned goods: how Solved helps canning companies meet regulations

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Solved is a quality management software designed specifically for the food industry. Its practical approach and adaptability make it a particularly useful tool for canning companies that want to digitalize their processes without losing flexibility.

Here are some of the ways Solved transforms quality management in the canning sector:

Digitalizing HACCP and check records. With Solved, operators record check point data directly from their workstation: sterilization temperatures, seal checks, visual inspections… Everything is stored in real time, with a timestamp and user, which makes internal and external audits much easier.

Integrated two-way traceability. The system makes it possible to track any batch from raw material to finished product, or the other way round. In the event of a food safety alert or customer complaint, the quality team can locate all affected products within minutes and make decisions based on accurate information.

Management of non-conformities and corrective actions. Solved centralizes the entire flow: detection, classification, owner assignment, corrective action tracking and closure. This gives quality managers a complete view of the status of deviations and helps them spot patterns for improvement.

Documentation that's always up to date and accessible. Solved's document management keeps all procedures, instructions and records organized, with version control and access managed by user profile. No more physical folders that go missing or outdated versions circulating around the plant.

Real-time indicators and dashboards. Quality managers can access dashboards with the department's main KPIs: open incidents, check results, calibration status, non-conformity trends… A clear view for making better decisions.

Canning companies of different sizes have already transformed their quality management with Solved. You can read about their experiences in our success stories or explore all the possibilities in detail on our features.

If you'd like to see how Solved adapts to your canning company's specific needs, we invite you to request a free demo. Our team will analyze your situation and show you, using real cases, how digitalization can reduce administrative workload, improve regulatory compliance and increase the efficiency of your quality department.

The canning industry has spent decades guaranteeing the safety and quality of its products through rigorous processes. Digitalization doesn't change that commitment: it strengthens it, makes it more efficient and prepares it for the challenges ahead.

References

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