Plastic Contamination Now Outpaces Metal in Food Manufacturing

While plastic now accounts for 37% of reported contamination events, the industry’s defensive posture appears to be weakening. The share of producers planning to boost investment in detection technology dropped to 57% this year, down from 70% in 2025. Despite this cooling in capital expenditure, reliance on internal resources remains high, with 63% of manufacturers choosing to handle material events in-house rather than outsourcing to specialized remediation services.

Kurt Westmoreland, Chief Commercial Officer at FlexXray, noted that the data provides a vital reality check for safety leaders. The stagnant confidence levels regarding in-line equipment suggest that many facilities are operating with a false sense of security. As manufacturers continue to face these challenges, the report highlights a growing need for more precise inspection strategies to bridge the gap between current equipment limitations and the evolving nature of product contamination.