Physical Hazard in Food Industry

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Physical Hazards in Food Processing — LinkedIn Infographic
Food Safety Science · HACCP Reference

Physical Hazards
in Food Processing

~5%
of all food recalls from physical hazards (FDA 2023)
7mm
critical injury-risk threshold (Codex Alimentarius)
8
principal hazard categories per ISO 22000
0.5mm
min. detectable metal size via inline X-ray
Codex CAC/RCP 1-1969 Rev.4 FDA 21 CFR Part 117 (FSMA) ISO 22000:2018 EFSA Scientific Opinion 2020 BRC Global Standard v9 · IFS Food v8
— 8 primary physical hazard categories · sources · severity · control measures
🔩
Metal Fragments
Severity
Most prevalent inorganic hazard. Originates from machinery wear, maintenance, and screen/blade failure. Fragments ≥2 mm can fracture teeth or lacerate GI tissue.
BladesWire meshBoltsCan lids
Controls
Metal detectionX-rayPreventive maintenance
🦴
Bone Fragments
Severity
Leading hazard in meat, poultry & seafood. Poultry bones splinter during deboning; fish pin bones resist metal detection due to low metallic density.
PoultryRed meatCanned fishSeafood
Controls
X-ray systemsVisual inspectionDeboning spec
🪟
Glass & Hard Plastics
Severity
FDA classifies any glass ≥2 mm as a potential adulterant. Invisible to metal detectors. Sharp fracture patterns cause lacerations to mouth, oesophagus, and GI tract.
Gauge coversOverhead lightingBottles
Controls
Glass registerShatterproof coversNo-glass zones
🪨
Stones & Grit
Severity
Agricultural contaminants entering via field crops during harvesting or bulk transport. Cause tooth fracture, GI damage, and equipment destruction in milling operations.
GrainsLegumesRoot vegetablesSpices
Controls
DestonersAir separationSieves
🌾
Wood & Vegetative Matter
Severity
Splinters from pallets, crates, and tools. Nutshell fragments are a leading U.S. litigation source (EFSA 2020). Fruit pits and stems occur in produce processing.
PalletsNutshellsFruit pitsStems
Controls
No-wood-to-floor policyScreen & sieve
💎
Jewellery & Personal Items
Severity
Fully preventable yet persistent. FDA GMP (21 CFR 117) mandates removal at food-handling entry points. Reputational impact is disproportionate to physical risk.
RingsEarringsWatch partsPen caps
Controls
Jewellery ban policyEntry body checksTraining
🪲
Insect Parts
Severity
FDA Defect Action Levels (DALs) define maximum insect fragment tolerance per 100g. Chitin can lacerate tissue and is an allergen for crustacean-allergic individuals.
GrainsSpicesDried fruitsCocoa
Controls
Integrated pest mgmtAir curtainsOptical sorting
🧵
Packaging & Fibres
Severity
Plastic film, foil, cardboard, string, and label fragments from high-speed filling lines. Soft films are largely undetectable by metal detection. Choking hazard in children's products.
Plastic filmFoilTwineLabels
Controls
Packaging auditControlled openingX-ray
Detection technologies
Metal detection
Electromagnetic induction. Detects Fe ≥0.8 mm, SS ≥2 mm. Most common CCP globally.
X-ray inspection
Density contrast imaging. Detects glass, bone, stone, metal ≥0.5 mm. Detects non-metals.
Machine vision / NIR
Optical & near-infrared sorting on grain, nut, and produce lines. Colour & shape anomaly detection.
Magnetic separation
Rare-earth magnets remove ferrous particles from dry & liquid streams. PRP at raw material intake.
Ultrasonic detection
Emerging tech for hard particles in sealed liquid containers via acoustic impedance analysis.
Trained visual inspection
Trimming lines in meat & produce. Validated by SOP, speed limits, and periodic competency checks.
HACCP 7-principle framework · Codex CAC/RCP 1-1969
1
Hazard Analysis
Identify all physical contaminants reasonably likely to occur across raw materials, process, and environment.
2
Identify CCPs
Determine steps where control is essential — e.g. metal detection at final pack, X-ray on formed product.
3
Establish critical limits
Set measurable detector sensitivity thresholds and documented reject-confirmation procedures.
4
Monitoring system
Define frequency, method, and responsible person. BRC/IFS typically require checks every 15–30 min.
5
Corrective actions
Product hold, segregation, root cause investigation, and revalidation before release.
6
Verification
Periodic challenge testing, audits, and system review confirming ongoing effectiveness.
7
Documentation & records
Full evidence that the system operates as designed. Required for regulatory and retailer audits.
Regulatory frameworks
FDA FSMA · 21 CFR Part 117 (USA)
Preventive Controls for Human Food. Mandates written Hazard Analysis addressing physical contaminants as reasonably foreseeable adulterants.
Codex CAC/RCP 1-1969 (Global)
General Principles of Food Hygiene. Foundation of global HACCP-based physical hazard management. WTO-referenced baseline standard.
EC Reg. 852/2004 & 178/2002 (EU)
Food Hygiene Regulation and General Food Law. Physical contaminants classified as adulterants under Article 14 — mandatory market withdrawal.
ISO 22000:2018 / FSSC 22000
Integrates HACCP with PRPs. Physical hazard control addressed in Clause 8.5.2 — Hazard Identification and Assessment.
BRC Global Standard v9 · IFS Food v8
Retailer-mandated standards requiring glass registers, foreign body detection equipment, and documented performance verification schedules.
References: Codex Alimentarius Commission (2020) CXC 1-1969 Rev.4 · U.S. FDA 21 CFR Part 117 (FSMA 2021) · ISO 22000:2018 · ISO/TS 22002-1:2009 · EFSA Journal 18(3) 2020 doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2020.6027 · BRC Global Standard Issue 9 (2022) · IFS Food v8 (2023) · EC Reg. 178/2002 & 852/2004
Food Safety · HACCP Reference

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