Extraneous materials

present in foods
 Presence of unwanted “foreign” (i.e., not characteristically present) or
“extraneous” (i.e., coming from without) material in food can constitute
health and/or quality concerns.
 Depending on the size and shape of the object, it may cause choking,
injury in the mouth, or other health effects, in which case it is deemed a
“Physical Food Safety Hazard” in both USDA HACCP1 and FDA PCHF2
regulations as well as GFSI standards.
 3,4 In all of the Regulations and Standards, there are documented policies,
procedures, and handling requirements for the control of foreign materials
plus the use of detection and removal equipment to find, reduce, or
eliminate the risk of foreign-body contamination.
 Sources of Extraneous Materials

Raw Materials
Contaminants from raw materials such as soil or
harvesting and storage equipment.
Processing
Contaminants from processing line equipment,
such as metal fragments or bone particles from
animal products.
Human Interaction
Contaminants from individuals involved in food
handling, such as hair or jewellery.
Environment
Contaminants from the environment, such as
dust or pollution.
Types of Extraneous Materials

 Physical
 Visible materials such as plastic, glass, or metal fragments that can cause harm
if ingested.
 Chemical
 Potentially toxic substances such as cleaning agents or pesticides.
 Biological
 Organic materials like insect parts or bacteria that can cause illness or disease.
 Quality Defects
 Issues with food quality, such as foreign matter, spoilage, or off-color
appearances.
Health Risks of Extraneous Materials

 Negative Health Effects

 Physical harm from ingesting foreign materials can result in choking, dental
damage or other injuries.
 Food Spoilage and Illness
 Toxic or infectious extraneous materials can cause severe illness, including
vomiting and diarrhoea.
 Loss of Consumer Trust
 Consumers expect and deserve high-quality, safe food products;
presence of extraneous materials negatively impacts trust in the food
industry.
Detection Methods

 Visual inspection
 Manually inspecting food during processing and packaging for the
presence of extraneous materials.
 Metal detection
 Using specialized equipment to identify and remove metallic
contaminants in food.
 X-ray scanning
 Non-invasive technique that can detect a variety of foreign objects,
including non-metallic contaminants.
Prevention

 Employee Training and Education

 Training and educating employees on the
importance of personal hygiene and good
manufacturing practices.
 Quality Control
 Implementation of strict product quality
control checks and setting specific quality
standards for the manufacturing process.
Causes of Extraneous Materials in
Food

 Contamination
 Foreign objects can accidentally contaminate food during processing,
packaging, or transportation.
 Processing errors
 Mistakes during manufacturing or packaging can result in the presence of
unwanted materials.
 Natural occurrences
 Sometimes, extraneous materials may be naturally present in certain
ingredients, such as bones in fish.
Potential Health Risks

 Choking hazards
 Physical contaminants can cause choking or injury if consumed
unknowingly.
 Foodborne illnesses
 Biological contaminants can lead to food poisoning or infections with
symptoms ranging from mild to severe.
 Toxicity
 Chemical contaminants can have harmful effects on human health, such
as organ damage or allergic reactions.
Regulatory Standards and Guidelines

 Food safety regulations

 Governments enforce strict standards to ensure the safety and quality of
food products.
 Industry guidelines
 Food industry organizations provide additional guidance to prevent
extraneous materials in food.