Error-Proofing the Food Industry: A Review of Poka-Yoke Applications for Safety, Quality and Efficiency
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.36877/aafrj.a0000625Abstract
The food industry faces persistent challenges in ensuring quality, reducing waste, maintaining operational efficiency, and safeguarding food safety. Poka-Yoke, a Japanese error-proofing methodology, has been widely applied in manufacturing to minimise defects and human errors. This review examines its implementation in the food industry, focusing on its role in improving quality control, reducing process variability, and enhancing productivity. A review of existing literature was conducted, covering applications such as automated error detection, process standardisation, and ergonomic tools, as well as their integration with Lean Six Sigma (LSS) methodologies. The findings show that Poka-Yoke can significantly reduce defects, improve process stability, and enhance worker efficiency across various food sectors. Despite these benefits, the integration of Poka-Yoke into Food Safety Management Systems (FSMS) remains underexplored, with most applications targeting quality improvement rather than comprehensive food safety assurance. Furthermore, research on digitised Poka-Yoke incorporating automation, real-time monitoring, and data analytics is still in its infancy in the food industry. Addressing these gaps presents opportunities for future studies to strengthen FSMS effectiveness, enhance traceability, and ensure proactive error prevention, ultimately advancing food safety and operational excellence in modern food manufacturing.
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