Physical contaminants are either foreign materials unintentionally introduced to food products (e.g., metal fragments, hair, pieces of bottle) or naturally occurring objects (e.g., bones in fish) that are hazardous to the consumer.
A physical hazard contaminates a food product at any stage of production. Food processors should take adequate measures to avoid physical hazards in food.
In previous articles, microbial and mycotoxin contaminants were discussed, including the organisms causing contamination either directly or through the production of mycotoxins, as well as strategies for reducing food contamination. This article focuses on physical food contaminants, how they contaminate foods, and strategies for their prevention and elimination.
Read Also: Major Genetic Differences between Tropical and Temperate Livestock Breeds
Common Physical Hazards and Associated Risks
1. Examples of Physical Hazards
i. Glass: Light bulbs, glass containers, and glass food containers.
ii. Metal: Fragments from equipment such as splinters, blades, needles, utensils, staples, etc.
iii. Plastics: Material used for packaging, fragments of utensils used for cleaning equipment.
iv. Stones: Incorporated in field crops, such as peas and beans, during harvesting.
v. Wood: Splinters from wood structures and wooden pallets used to store or transport ingredients or food products.
vi. Natural Components of Food: Hard or sharp parts of a food (e.g., shells in nut products) if consumers do not expect them.
2.Risks of Physical Hazards in Food
Hard or sharp objects are potential physical hazards and can cause:
- Cuts to the mouth or throat.
- Damage to the intestines.
- Damage to teeth or gums.
The presence of physical hazards in food can trigger a food recall, affecting the brand name of a company and its product.
Read Also: Crossbreeding as Tool for Tropical Livestock Improvement
Strategies for Preventing and Eliminating Physical Hazards
1. Prevention of Physical Hazards
There are many ways food processors can prevent physical hazards in food products:
- Inspect raw materials and food ingredients for field contaminants, such as stones in cereals, that were not found during receiving.
- Handle food according to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs). For instance, avoid inclusion of physical hazards such as jewelry or false fingernails in food products by using proper personnel practices.
- Eliminate potential sources of physical hazards in processing and storage areas, e.g., use protective acrylic bulbs or lamp covers to prevent contamination by breakable glass.
- Install an effective detection and elimination system for physical hazards. Use metal detectors or magnets to detect metal fragments in the production line, while filters or screens remove foreign objects at the receiving point.
- Establish an effective maintenance program for equipment in the facility to avoid sources of physical hazards, such as foreign materials that can come from worn-out equipment.
2. Detecting and Eliminating Physical Hazards
Several methods are available to detect foreign bodies on food processing production lines:
i. Magnets: Can be used to attract and remove metal from products.
ii. Metal Detectors: Can detect metal in food and should be set up to reject products if metal is detected. Equipment should be properly maintained to ensure it is always accurate and doesn’t produce false positives.
iii. X-Ray Machines: Can be used to identify hazards such as stones, bones, and hard plastics, as well as metal.
iv. Food Radar Systems: Transmit low-power microwaves through food products to identify foreign bodies such as metals, plastics, bones, or kernels in food.
Assess every step of the operation for potential sources of contamination.
As physical hazards can contaminate a food product at any stage of production, food processors should take adequate measures to avoid physical hazards in food. Metals and broken glass fragments in foods can cause serious health problems.
A food processor must ensure the prevention of physical hazards by inspecting raw materials and food ingredients for field contaminants, such as stones in cereals, that were not found during receiving, and by strictly adhering to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs).
Examples of physical contaminants include stones, pieces of metal, broken bottle fragments, hair strands, twigs, etc. Some physical contaminants, like metals and broken bottles, are potential hazards and must be eliminated.
Preventive measures must be implemented to eliminate such hazards, including proper inspection of raw materials and strict adherence to GMPs. The use of screens, magnets, and metal detectors is important to detect foreign bodies on food processing production lines.
Do you have any questions, suggestions, or contributions? If so, please feel free to use the comment box below to share your thoughts. We also encourage you to kindly share this information with others who might benefit from it. Since we can’t reach everyone at once, we truly appreciate your help in spreading the word. Thank you so much for your support and for sharing!