What is physical contamination in food and how to prevent it

Having to manage contamination in food can be any food related businesses the worst nightmare. Lawsuits, facilities suspension and supply backlog are only the major penalties for failing to manage a food contamination event.

However, it can be easily avoided with the proper measures, when it comes to your capabilities as a business owner. Before we get into the whole talk of physical contamination and ways to prevent it, you need to know the types of contamination you need to look out for.

Along with that, we’ll be looking at the technologies and best practices ensuring safe food hygiene standards. Food regulations are strictly maintained all across the UK and other countries in the west. If you’re looking to get facts on contamination in food and how to prevent it then we’ve got you covered.

Table of Contents

1. What is physical contamination in food and
how to prevent it?

Having to manage contamination in food can be any food related businesses the worst nightmare.
Lawsuits, facilities suspension and supply backlog are only the major penalties for failing to
manage a food contamination event.
However, it can be easily avoided with the proper measures, when it comes to your capabilities
as a business owner. Before we get into the whole talk of physical contamination and ways to
prevent it, you need to know the types of contamination you need to look out for.
Along with that, we’ll be looking at the technologies and best practices ensuring safe food
hygiene standards. Food regulations are strictly maintained all across the UK and other countries
in the west. If you’re looking to get facts on contamination in food and how to prevent it then
we’ve got you covered.
Table of Contents
• What is contamination?
• Types of contamination
o The 4 types of food contaminations are:
o 1. Physical contamination of food
o How to avoid physical contamination in food
o 2. Microbial contamination of food
o How to avoid microbial contamination in food

2. o 3. Chemical contamination of food
o How to avoid chemical contamination in food
o 4. Allergenic Contamination of Food
o How to avoid allergenic contamination in food
• Tools to detect physical contamination of food
o Magnetic separators
o Metal detectors
o X-ray machines
• How to prevent physical contamination
o 1. Routine audits
o 2. Employee safety and compliance programs
o 3. Detailed reports
• Ending Notes
o Read more on our blog
What is contamination?
The term contamination has been thrown around in so many contexts it’s hard to fathom actually
how broad it actually is. Scientific labs consider anything more than a spec as contamination and
industrial production facilities are no different. However, food safety regulations are strictly
enforced, so it demands active measures for food related businesses.
With regard to food, any element that decreases the nutritional value of food and increases risk
of causing adverse effects to consumers is considered a contaminant. When food comes into
proximity or in contact with such elements the food is a contamination event. Based on the
source and type of these elements’ contamination is classified into many types. Physical
contamination is only one of the types that we will discuss.
Types of contamination
When it comes to food item contamination there can be a lot of misconceptions. To efficiently
manage a contamination scenario, you and your employees need to be aware of the types of
contamination there are. This can help in early identification of contaminants and active
prevention of possible contamination.
The 4 types of food contaminations are:
• Physical contamination of food
• Microbial contamination of food
• Chemical contamination of food
• Allergenic contamination of food
All types of food are at risk of contamination with any of these types of compounds. Hence, food
handlers have a both moral and legal responsibility to ensure that food items are safe and
hygienic for consumption.

3. Food contamination can lead to terrible predicaments that no one wants to be dealing with. The
consequences of consuming contaminated food can range from mild sickness all the way to
death.
It’s critical that you understand what the four types of contamination are, so you can prevent the
potential harm contaminated food can cause.
1. Physical contamination of food
Physical contamination refers to contamination by a foreign object. It can occur at any stage
from collection, preparation and delivery. Apart from the typical contamination hazards physical
contamination has the added consequence of causing serious harm to consumers, i.e. broken
teeth or choking.
Typical physical contaminants found in food include jewellery, plastic, bones, stones, hair, pest
remains, and fabrics. Along with that, problems with the food premises or equipment, such as
flaking paint or loose screws can be a source of physical contamination. Physical contaminants
may even carry harmful pathogens or toxic compounds, posing an even greater threat by cross-
contamination in food.
How to avoid physical contamination in food
The first step in managing physical contaminants of food is to ensure a safety culture across the
entire food processing chain. Food producers must take necessary actions to ensure a production
facility with minimum contamination risk.
Taking proactive actions can reduce contamination risks and limit the number of contamination
cases significantly, compared to preventive actions with complete negligence of safety culture.
The most common measures are as follows,
• Immediately replace damaged equipment.
• Check for and report any faults with equipment and safety mechanisms.
• Maintain a thorough pest control system in place.
• Implement and follow dress code principles, i.e. removing jewellery, wearing a hairnet.
2. Microbial contamination of food
Microbial contamination means contamination by microorganisms, such as bacteria, fungi, viruses, and other
pathogens. Because microbes are all around us, there’s literally no way we can control microbes from being
anywhere. However, there are certain types of microbes that need to be specifically dealt with to keep food
fresh and safe.
How to avoid microbial contamination in food
A good example is undercooking chicken can give rise to campylobacter, a type of bacteria. So
you need to make sure chicken is cooked at the right temperature for the recommended amount
of time. Similarly, Salmonella an animal gut microbe can transfer onto farm and dairy products.
Other ways of avoiding microbial contamination include,
• Storing and preparing high-risk raw foods near instant food items.
• Many types of fish are host to microbes that are toxic to humans.
• Maintaining impeccable personal hygiene
• Taking time off from work when you are ill.
• Always wash raw fruits and vegetables.
• Pest control

4. 3. Chemical contamination of food
As the name suggests, chemical contamination occurs when food comes in contact with any kind
of non-food grade chemical substance. A bunch of chemicals are used regularly in the kitchen for
cleaning and disinfection. So it’s not a surprise for food items to come in contact with these
items.
For instance, contamination may occur from a food preparation station that still has chemical
residue on it. Another way is if someone sprays cleaning chemicals near uncovered food.
Food can also be contaminated even before it reaches the kitchen. For example, fertilisers and
pesticides are complex chemical compounds that are used in the cultivation of many food crops.
These compounds would have been sprayed near farm products when growing and may even end
up on the hands of kitchen staff.
Most of these compounds are either toxic or carcinogenic so avoiding contamination from
chemicals is a serious matter.
How to avoid chemical contamination in food
• Store chemicals away from food storage and processing areas
• Follow the company protocols when using chemical compounds.
• Ensure all food items are covered during cleaning and maintenance.
• Only engage with approved suppliers who can guarantee the safety of their products.
• Minimise and control the chemical products used in the cleaning.
4. Allergenic Contamination of Food
Allergenic contamination occurs when allergenic food items come into contact with other food.
Take for example, if the same knife is used to cut gluten-free bread after normal bread, or pasta
is stored in a peanut jar without washing.
There are 14 food items that are considered to be common allergens. They represent the majority
of food allergies in people. The list includes everyday items like gluten, peanuts, eggs, mustard,
soy, and fish.
For someone allergic to a certain type of food, being exposed to even a tiny amount can cause a
fatal reaction. Hence, it’s crucial that you prevent allergenic contamination and be vigilant about
it.
How to avoid allergenic contamination in food
• Only engage with approved suppliers who take allergenic contamination seriously.
• Separate preparation areas, equipment, utensils, and cloths for normal and known allergenic
food items.
• Separate allergenic products from other food products in storage.
• Clean and disinfect your kitchen thoroughly after preparing food that contains one of the
fourteen allergens.
Tools to detect physical contamination of food
Since this blog is mainly focused on physical contamination we will feature some technologies to
prevent it accurately. Many technologies are readily available that detect physical contamination
to ensure quality control in industrial facilities. The ideal solution depends on the scale of your
operations. Three of the most widely used tools available on the market today are:

5. Magnetic separators
Available with tons of variety in design and functionality, modern-day plate, bar, trap, grate, and
suspended magnets are capable of finding and removing fine, high-purity metal contaminants
during food processing.
Metal detectors
These systems are usually used in identifying metallic foreign bodies in food during the
processing stage. This ensures no unwanted materials can reach your customers.
X-ray machines
Traditionally a part of the medical field, FDA-compliant X-ray inspection systems are available.
These machines are specially designed to safely and effectively find physical contaminants.
These advanced machines can literally “see” and make metal and non-metal debris like glass,
plastic and stones visible.
A thorough survey and review of your facility and safety protocols will help you choose which
detection system (or systems) is best suited to your operation.
How to prevent physical contamination
In a contamination event, instead of grinding your operations to a standstill implementing the
preventive measures could save your company’s production time and expenses. Integrating a
detection system in your production line or working with a third-party inspection company can
help you detect physical contamination in your food product with ease. However, there are other
ways to reduce the chances of a physical contaminant ending up there in the production process
in the first place.
1. Routine audits
Audits are indispensable for quality and hygiene control as regulations become tighter. Relying
on a trusted third-party service to thoroughly inspect your facility will help you locate gaps in
your systems. Auditors are highly trained professionals who are fast, efficient and skilled at
finding possible issues that could cause contamination, especially the ones you didn’t even know
you had.
2. Employee safety and compliance programs
Your staff is one of your greatest assets, period. However, if employees aren’t trained to
maintain industry standards they can quickly become your biggest liability. Which is why
educating your staff is essential.
By training your employees on crucial safety and compliance strategies, you’re arming them
with the knowledge needed to help prevent any type of contaminants from entering your
production line. Establishing an in-house safety and compliance program can seem costly and
time-consuming. However, if you choose to invest in this, your personnel will be your first —
and foremost — line of defence.
3. Detailed reports
Comprehensive reporting is a crucial part of today’s heavily mechanised and regulated industry.
These include standard quality assurance reports or an auditor’s post-inspection assessment.

6. Data-driven reports offer a quantitative snapshot of your plant’s conditions. Supporting
evaluation can also provide a qualitative viewpoint. Put together, this information allows for
complete documentation of your facilities operational conditions. Inconsistencies in these reports
lead to problems being detected, giving you the chance to avoid possible contamination events.
Ending Notes
Food contamination entails serious consequences for both consumers and food businesses. It can
cause severe harm to consumer health and safety and can tarnish the reputation of any brand in
the field.
Although some contaminations are more serious than others they can still have similar
consequences in the court of law. UK food safety regulations are very strict and to not adhere to
them completely is a gamble you don’t want to take up.
Putting the profit margin aside, maintaining food quality is an ethical choice that you as a
business owner need to recognise. This way you can protect both your business and your
customers interests.
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