Thanks to their unique housing, Retreeva Detectable Pens offer three forms of detectability: X-Ray, Metal, and Visual. This reduces the risk of a food safety incident caused by foreign body contamination.

Even so, the Retreeva motto is ‘Prevention Before Detection’ – highlighting the importance of sites taking precautionary measures to promote food safety, instead of relying solely on measures for identifying products that have already been contaminated.

Pausing production, disposing of products, and re-testing batches all come at a cost, which is why we have put together a guide to carrying out a thorough inspection of your detectable pens before and after every use.

Note: Every food factory is different. This article is a general guide to encourage best practice. It should not replace any site-specific procedures you already have in place. Always follow your factory’s safety policies, SOPs, and site-issued guidelines.

To ensure the ink flow of your detectable pens is up to standard, practise writing a few words. Make sure the surface you write on matches the intended application of the pen. For example, pens with pressurised ink are typically used to write on damp, dusty, or slightly greasy surfaces. Whereas, pens with gel ink are specially formulated for use in chilled and sub-zero environments. This is a good opportunity to confirm that the pens are in the right area of your factory, a step that could play a crucial role in reducing the amount of pens that go missing at your site and even prevent cross-contamination. It is also worth noting that environmental conditions can have a significant impact on pen performance.

Check the housing of your pens for fractures, warping, loose or missing parts, surface wear, and damage. For Retreeva Detectable Pens, this process will be slightly different, as their unique housing is shatterproof and incredibly durable. Although Integrity Checks are still important, you are far less likely to face the kind of issues you would expect when inspecting a different design. A prime example is that Retreeva Detectable Pens will only ever bend or eventually break into two parts (under extreme and unusual force), but won’t shatter into small, brittle parts. They are also made from FDA food contact approved polymers, so have been designed to withstand the daily demands of factory life.

When inspecting the housing of your detectable pens, you should also take time to check any lanyard loops and pocket clips, making sure they are still intact and functional. Again, Retreeva Detectable Pens will simplify this process, as additional features like lanyard loops and pocket clips are always part of a one-piece design. Instead of there being a vulnerable join between the loop/clip and the body of the pen, there is a virtually indestructible connection. This is essential for compliance with the BRCGS Version 9 expectation that sites ensure “stationery items such as pens are designed without small external parts.” It is also worth noting that these features (loops and clips) are optional.

Evaluate the cleanliness of your detectable pens and markers, ensuring they are free from grease, dirt, and moisture. Not only is this essential to food safety, but it will also improve pen performance and extend the lifespan of your writing equipment. Ideally, the detectable pens at your site will have been designed with easy-cleaning in mind. For instance, Retreeva pens and markers have a smooth finish that makes it easy to wipe away residue. If you notice any issues with the cleanliness of your pens at the start of a shift, you will need to remove the compromised pens from the factory floor and speak directly to your site’s Hygiene Manager about refresher training sessions and updated processes.

1. Do not continue using the pen and make sure it is immediately removed from the factory floor.
2. Swap it with an approved spare pen that passes all of your inspection criteria.
3. Report the issue to the relevant team leader and discuss corrective action.
4. If a serious incident was avoided or you are dealing with an ongoing issue, your HACCP team will need to carry out a Root Cause Analysis before deciding on a course of corrective and preventative action.
5. If damage involves small broken parts, the area and relevant products will need to be checked for fragments, otherwise you are risking a foreign body incident.

1. Reliable ink flow with a long ink life (some pens offer up to 10km of ink).
2. Ink types for a range of challenging environments e.g. sub-zero, greasy, damp ect…
3. Unique shatterproof housing for increased durability and reduced foreign body risk.
4. Optional lanyard loops and pocket clips – part of a virtually indestructible one-piece design.
5. Smooth housing surface that is easy to wipe clean of moisture and residue.