Introduction
For a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) plan to work well, it is important to first identify and understand all possible food safety risks. To help with this key step, we have created several detailed hazard analysis tables that cover a wide range of contaminants.
The information below focuses specifically on physical hazards. These are any foreign objects found in food that are not meant to be there, and they can pose a serious risk of injury to the consumer. The hazard table provided gives a complete overview, showing common sources of these hazards, effective methods for prevention, and listing the important control points and checks needed to manage physical contamination.
Because the table contains a lot of detailed information spread across many columns, it is best to download the file to see it properly.
What are physical hazards?
A physical hazard refers to any foreign material or object in food that can cause illness or injury. Common examples include fragments of glass, metal, plastic, wood, and stones.
These objects can accidentally enter the food supply at any stage of production, from the farm to the processing facility. Sources can include harvesting and processing machinery, packaging materials, the building environment, or even personnel.
To protect consumers, food producers implement a variety of preventive controls. These include advanced detection methods like metal detectors and X-ray scanners, as well as screens, filters, and thorough visual inspections. Strict Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) and employee training are also fundamental to prevention. Because of these comprehensive systems, the resulting health risk to the public from physical hazards is significantly minimized.
Sources
iMIS Food - Physical Hazards Table
| Category | Origin | Characteristics | Health Effects | Prevention & Control | Detection |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glass | • Raw materials (field). • Packaging (jars, bottles). • Facility (lights, windows). |
Hard, brittle, sharp. Transparent or colored. |
Cuts, choking, internal injury. Severity: Medium to High. |
• Use alternatives (plastics). • Protective covers for lights. • Glass breakage procedures. |
• Visual inspection. • X-ray inspection. • Container integrity checks. |
| Metal | • Machinery (wear/tear). • Raw materials (wire, bullets). • Maintenance debris. |
Hard, sharp. Magnetic or non-magnetic. |
Cuts, choking, dental damage. Severity: Medium to High. |
• Preventative maintenance. • Pre-start-up checks. • Avoidance of metal clips/staples. |
• Metal detectors. • Magnets (ferrous only). • X-ray inspection. |
| Wood | • Pallets, crates. • Building structures. • Field contamination. |
Splintery, fibrous. Hard or soft. |
Cuts, choking, mouth injury. Severity: Low to Medium. |
• Use alternatives (plastic pallets). • Strict pallet control. • Regular maintenance. |
• Visual inspection. • Sieves. • Manual sorting. |
| Stones / Minerals | • Harvested raw materials (soil). • Crumbling concrete/building. |
Hard, dense, abrasive. | Dental damage, choking. Severity: Medium. |
• Supplier GAP compliance. • Washing/Flotation steps. • Building maintenance. |
• X-ray inspection. • Stone traps/De-stoners. • Flotation washers. |
| Plastic (Hard) | • Rigid packaging. • Equipment guards/parts. • Staff tools (pens). |
Rigid, sharp fragments. Various colors. |
Cuts, choking, injury. Severity: Medium. |
• Equipment maintenance. • Use of metal-detectable plastics. • Control of brittle plastics. |
• Visual inspection. • Optical sorters. • Sieves. |
| Plastic (Soft) | • Packaging films/bags. • Soft seals, tubing. • PPE (gloves). |
Flexible, light. Films, strands. |
Choking hazard. Severity: Low to Medium. |
• Proper waste handling. • Use of detectable PPE (e.g., blue). • Regular seal inspections. |
• Visual inspection. • Difficult to detect automatically. |
| Personal Effects | • Staff (jewelry, buttons, pens). • Medical items (band-aids). |
Variable shapes and materials. | Choking, injury, contamination. Severity: Low to Medium. |
• Staff training & GMPs. • Ban on jewelry/loose items. • Use of company-issued pens. |
• Visual supervision. • Metal detectors (if metallic). |
| Pests | • Infested raw materials. • Environment entry. |
Insects, larvae, droppings. | Consumer aversion, pathogens. Severity: Low to High. |
• Integrated Pest Management (IPM). • Building proofing/screens. • Sanitation. |
• Visual inspection. • Traps (light/pheromone). • Optical sorters. |
| Bone Fragments | • Meat, poultry, fish processing. | Hard, sharp fragments. | Choking, dental damage, cuts. Severity: Medium. |
• Validated deboning processes. • Manual trimming. • Supplier specifications. |
• X-ray inspection. • Visual checks. |
| Unwanted Natural Components | • Fruit pits/stones. • Nutshells. • Stems/stalks. |
Hard, fibrous, sharp. | Choking, dental damage. Severity: Low to Medium. |
• Sourcing "seedless" varieties. • Effective pitting/shelling process. • Sifting/Sorting. |
• Optical sorters. • X-ray inspection (dense items). • Sieves. |
Download and Print the Physical Hazards Table
Comprehensive compliance with iMIS Food
Please note that the hazard tables provided here are for informational purposes and serve as a general guide. iMIS Food Compliance offers significantly more detailed and robust hazard analyses that are essential for full regulatory compliance. For more information on our complete food safety solutions or to request a consultation, please get in touch via email or visit the following page
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