Physical Hazards in Food
This post is also available in:
This post is also available in:
Español (Spanish) 
Ελληνικά (Greek)
What are the types of Physical Hazards in Food?
Physical hazards in food can be categorized as either foreign materials that are accidentally introduced during production (such as metal fragments in ground meat) or naturally occurring objects (like bones in fish) that can pose a risk to consumers. These hazards can contaminate food products at any point during the production process. It is essential for food processors to implement appropriate measures to prevent physical hazards from occurring in food.
The most common physical hazards are presented below:
- Glass
- Metal
- Plastics
- Plastic
- Stones
- Wood
- Natural components (feathers, shells, bones, animal debris)
Which factors determine a potential risk from physical hazards?
Various factors contribute to the potential risk consumers face concerning food products. These factors include the following:
- Any foreign material present in a food product that measures two millimeters or more in size can pose a health risk to consumers.
- Certain products that are specifically intended for vulnerable populations, such as infants or the elderly, may have a higher level of risk.
- The nature and form of a product, such as infant formulas or beverages, can impact its risk level.
- Factors like a product’s hardness, shape, and sharpness can influence its risk level and potential hazards for consumers.
How to detect and eliminate physical hazards in food?
Multiple techniques are available for identifying foreign objects on food processing production lines. These methods include:
The use of magnets to attract and remove metal contaminants from food products.
X-ray machines, are capable of identifying various hazards, including stones, bones, hard plastics, and metal within food products.
Metal detectors, which can detect the presence of metal in food and should be calibrated to reject products if metal is detected. Regular maintenance is necessary to ensure accuracy and prevent false positives.
Food radar systems employ low-power microwaves to transmit through food items, enabling the identification of foreign objects such as metals, plastics, bones, or kernels in the food.
Which are the food safety hazards?
References,
ESFA, Chemical contaminants in food and feed
Government of Canada, Chapter 4: Food Safety Hazards
Antonella Cianferoni, Jonathan M Spergel, Food Allergy: Review, Classification and Diagnosis, Allergology International, Volume 58, Issue 4, 2009, Pages 457-466, ISSN 1323-8930, https://doi.org/10.2332/allergolint.09-RAI-0138.
Food Standards Agency, Government of UK, Allergen guidance for food businesses
Government of Canada, Province of Manitoba, Physical Hazards in Food
Iweala OI, Choudhary SK, Commins SP. Food Allergy. Curr Gastroenterol Rep. 2018 Apr 5;20(5):17. doi: 10.1007/s11894-018-0624-y. PMID: 29623490; PMCID: PMC5940350.
Harvard Medical School, 2021, Common food additives and chemicals harmful to children
Jain A, Mathur P. Evaluating Hazards Posed by Additives in Food- A Review of Studies Adopting A Risk Assessment Approach. Curr Res Nutr Food Sci 2015;3(3). http://dx.doi.org/10.12944/CRNFSJ.3.3.08
University of Nebraska, Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Food Allergy research and resource program
Forbes JD. Clinically Important Toxins in Bacterial Infection: Utility of Laboratory Detection. Clin Microbiol Newsl. 2020 Oct 15;42(20):163-170. doi: 10.1016/j.clinmicnews.2020.09.003. Epub 2020 Oct 7. PMID: 33046946; PMCID: PMC7541054.
Senesi S, Ghelardi E. Production, secretion and biological activity of Bacillus cereus enterotoxins. Toxins (Basel). 2010 Jul;2(7):1690-703. doi: 10.3390/toxins2071690. Epub 2010 Jun 29. PMID: 22069656; PMCID: PMC3153264.
Rather IA, Koh WY, Paek WK, Lim J. The Sources of Chemical Contaminants in Food and Their Health Implications. Front Pharmacol. 2017 Nov 17;8:830. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2017.00830. PMID: 29204118; PMCID: PMC5699236.
Ssemugabo C, Bradman A, Ssempebwa JC, Sillé F, Guwatudde D. Pesticide Residues in Fresh Fruit and Vegetables from Farm to Fork in the Kampala Metropolitan Area, Uganda. Environ Health Insights. 2022 Jul 10;16:11786302221111866. doi: 10.1177/11786302221111866. PMID: 35846167; PMCID: PMC9277444.
