Physical Hazard :: Glass

DATASHEET
Physical Hazard Series
Glass can present particular difficulties given the nature and prevalence in food operations.
These materials can often be transparent and difficult to detect when present in food.
Glass is a major contributor to injury when consumed in the product. It can result in claims
and on occasion litigation.

These and other factors require glass to be eliminated from food production areas where
possible. Where this is not practicable control must be exercised over these materials to
ensure the risk of contamination is reduced to an acceptable level.

Sources of Glass Contamination: Bottles, jars, light fixtures, utensils and gauge covers.

Effect on consumers: Cuts, bleeding, may require surgery to find or remove.

Controls:

If glass cannot be eliminated fully from the facility, then some controls could include:

Policy & Procedure

• Clearly define a policy and procedure. This should include a register of items and
their auditing and breakage procedure so that employees understand what steps
to take in case of a breakage.

Inspection
• Inspect raw materials and food ingredients for contaminants.

Specific Processing Areas

• Any products that need to be packed into glass jars/bottles could be packed in
separate processing area to other products.

Non-glass Storage Containers

• Try and purchase ingredients in non-glass containers. If this is not possible, glass
containers can be opened away from the processing area and decanted into non-
breakable containers prior to entering the processing area.

Protect equipment
• Items such as light bulbs should have a protective cover to effectively contain any
potential broken glass such as plastic shields or implement the use of shatterproof
bulbs. Thermometers should also have plastic covers.

Maintenance
• Replace any lights during non-production hours when there is no exposed product
or if it does have to be done during production hours, all product and packaging
materials should be covered or moved to a sufficient distance from the fixture
being repaired.
Physical Hazard :: Glass

Recall of product due to glass found

What When Why

Nestle, variety of products such as pizza 2016 Concerns that the products could contain small bits
and lean cuisine meals of glass after several consumer reports.
Green Cuisine recalled 18.5-ton 2017 Consumer complaints of hard silica and glass
of Trader Joes chicken/turkey deli salads fragments.
Aldi cashew nuts 2017 Consumers reported finding glass fragments in cans
of the nuts.
Stella Artois beer 2018 It may have contained small particles of glass.

Sainsbury’s Beetroot 2018 Precautionary measure because the product may

have contained small pieces of glass.
Monster Energy Beverages (Canada) 2019 Recalled due risk of glass fragments.
2019

FDA Compliance Policy Guide 555.425 Foods, Adulteration Involving Hard or Sharp Foreign Objects
The FDA Health Hazard Evaluation Board found that foreign objects that are less than 7 mm, maximum dimension, rarely cause
trauma or serious injury except in special risk groups such as infants, surgery patients and the elderly.

Regulatory Action Guidance :: If the product contains a hard or sharp foreign object that measures 7mm to 25mm in length.

SUMMARY TABLE
Sources • Bottles, jars, light fixtures, utensils and gauge covers.

Effects • Cuts, bleeding, surgery may be required in some cases

Controls • Inspection
• Maintenance
• Non-glass storage containers
Published Article • Are you doing all you can to keep glass out of your products?
https://www.foodengineeringmag.com/articles/95037-are-you-doing-all-you-can-to-keep-glass-out-
of-your-products

References
1. Food Quality Management System Consultancy. 2019. Control of Glass and Corrective Actions when Glass is broken inside Food Industry - Food Quality Management System Consultancy. [ONLINE] Available
at: https://fqmsc.blogspot.com/2017/03/control-of-glass-and-corrective-actions.html. [Accessed 11 July 2019]
2. Safefodo360 Whitepaper Available https://safefood360.com/resources/Glass-Plastic-Control.pdf [Accessed 11 July 2019]
3. Physical Hazards | UNL Food. 2019. Physical Hazards | UNL Food. [ONLINE] Available at: https://food.unl.edu/physical-hazards. [Accessed 11 July 2019]
4. Food Safety News. 2019. Stella Artois brand beer recalled for possible glass particles | Food Safety News. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2018/04/stella-artois-brand-beer-recalled-
for-possible-glass-particles/. [Accessed 11 July 2019]
5. Food Safety News. 2019. 18.5 tons of Trader Joe's chicken, turkey salads recalled | Food Safety News. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2017/11/18-5-tons-of-trader-joes-chicken-
turkey-salads-recalled/#more-145922. [Accessed 11 July 2019]
6. Food Safety News. 2019. Cashews recalled from Aldi stores because of glass fragments | Food Safety News. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2017/06/cashews-recalled-from-aldi-
stores-because-of-glass-fragments/. [Accessed 11 July 2019]
7. WebMD. 2019. Nestle Recalls Food Products Over Glass Concerns. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/news/20160311/nestle-food-recall. [Accessed 11 July 2019]
8. foodmanufacture.co.uk. 2019. Glass contamination fears trigger food recall. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.foodmanufacture.co.uk/Article/2018/04/Glass-contamination-fears-trigger-food-recall.
[Accessed 11 July 2019]
9. Food Safety News. 2019. Monster Energy recalls beverages because of risk from glass fragments | Food Safety News. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2019/03/monster-energy-
recalls-beverages-because-of-risk-from-glass-fragments/. [Accessed 11 July 2019]
10. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. 2020. CPG Sec. 555.425 Foods, Adulteration Involving hard or Sharp Foreign Objects | FDA. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.fda.gov/regulatory-information/search-
fda-guidance-documents/cpg-sec-555425-foods-adulteration-involving-hard-or-sharp-foreign-objects. [Accessed 04 February 2020]

SAFEFOOD 360 team@safefood360.com

Disclaimer: This datasheet is not legal advice and should be considered educational in nature. You may implement this advice at your own
risk