Physical hazards are often described as extraneous matter or foreign objects and include any physical matter not normally found in food which may cause illness or injury to an individual. Government agencies may initiate regulatory action when they find adulterated foods (or food that are manufactured, packed or held under conditions whereby they may have become contaminated or rendered injuries to health). Thus the discovery of filth in a product may not by itself present an unacceptable health risk, but the conditions of manufacture, packaging or storage which permitted its entry present the unacceptable health risk. A food processor must therefore be aware of product adulteration by physical substances and address their control in its HACCP program.
The main physical hazards of concern are listed below:
*Glass
*Wood
*Stones
*Metal
*Insects
*Insulation
*Bone
*Plastic
*Personal effects
Methods involved in controlling physical hazards include raw material specifications and inspections along with vendor certification and guarantees. Effective pest control and foreign object removal from plant environment are also essential. Preventive maintenance and sanitation programme that maintain plant and equipment in proper order are necessary. Proper shipping, receiving, distribution and storage procedures as well as packaging material handling practices (particularly those involving glass) need to be evaluated for their potential to introduce hazards. Packaging should at least be tamper-evident. Finally, employee education and practices should involve knowledge and prevention of physical hazard introduction.
Physical Hazards
