Food processing, packaging and transporting processes generate a large amount of dust and airborne particles which can lead to both health and explosion risk. The most common dust types include grain and flour dust, corn and other powdered starches, dust from milling or grinding nuts, legumes, spices, flavoring and additives.

Most dust created by the food industry isn’t toxic but long exposure can cause serious skin condition and asthma, if it’s not collected and filtered correctly. If cross-contamination occurs it can affect the quality and safety of the product, which has a negative impact on productivity and profitability.

Another reason why dust control is crucial in the food processing industry is to reduce the spread of microbial pathogens. Uncontrolled dust can in fact become breeding ground for dangerous yeast, molds and bacteria, which can easily end up in the final product.

Finally, dust generated from the processing of organic ingredients, such as flour, grain, sugar, dairy, and many others, is combustible and may cause fire or explosion if not properly contained.