Physical Hazards: HACCP hazard table overview

Introduction to physical hazards

We have several HACCP hazard tables. Below you will see the HACCP hazard table we have made concerning the subject: Physical hazards. Because this table is very extensive, we recommend using the download below to view the table properly.

Table: Physical hazards, possible foreign bodies

Component	Food product	Origin	Characteristics	Severity	Control	Prevention
Glass	All food products have the chance of glass contamination. However, agricultural/horticultural products and food or beverages packaged in glass have more contamination incidents.	Introduced with raw materials (agricultural and horticultural products). Introduced during the process (packaging materials, mercury-containing thermometers).	Glass particles are often strong and sharp.	Average to high. Particles of glass smaller than 2 mm do not form any health problems since they have the characteristics of sand. Particles of glass between 2mm and 2 cm do create injuries. In general, the risk of consuming particles is bigger than 2 cm is small because they are easily detectable by the consumer before consumption. On the other side, this does not count for individuals with a visual handicap or psychiatric and psychogeriatric patients.	Visual inspection of glass-based packaging materials and sanitation with water or air pressure system. Lastly, search for the presence of glass particles with X-ray equipment.	Keep glass out of production areas.
Metal	Contamination with metal particles can occur in all types of food products.	Materials (fishing hook, syringe, metal wires), staff (staples, equipment, jewelry), process (screws, nuts, sieves).	Metal particles are often big and stiff. In most occasions, components break apart from the equipment or are present in the form of metal wires.	Medium, on exceptional occasions, high. Particles of metal smaller than 6 mm do not form any health dangers. This doesn’t count for infants, children, and psychiatric and psychogeriatric patients. In most occasions, injuries are caused by metal particles bigger than 12,5 mm.	Metal sieves in the process and metal detection at the end of the process.	Periodic preventive maintenance of machinery and equipment but, of course, also personal hygiene.
Wood	Contamination with wooden particles can occur in all types of food products.	Materials (Crates, pallets etc.), staff (wooden equipment, brooms etc.).	Wood particles usually are not firm but create splinters in almost all cases.	Low. Most cases of wood consumption are without injuries.	Preventive measurements can only control the presence of wood.	Do not use wood in production areas and minimize the usage of wooden crates and pallets as much as possible.
Plastic	Contamination with plastic particles can occur in all types of food products.	Process (Crates, packaging material, garbage bags, equipment with handles etc.), staff (fake nails, biro).	Plastic particles might be stiff and sharp (splinters of crates) or flexible (plastic bags, packaging materials).	Medium to high. Particles smaller than 4 mm do not usually form any danger. This does not count for infants, children, psychiatric and psychogeriatric patients. In general, flexible plastic does not form injuries but might cause suffocation in the above-mentioned groups.	Locate detection equipment for plastics at the end of the process.	Visual control of equipment, crates and packaging material but also personal hygiene.
Stones	Pests or parts of pests cause injuries because of their stiff and sharp characteristics. In addition, these particles create disgust against that product apart from that might even induce microbial contamination.
Familiar-product-particles	Naturally, pips, the bark of nuts, bones and bone splinters able to form dental damage and suffocation. However, on the other side, the consumer is aware of the presence of these components and therefore, the frequency of injuries by these materials is relatively low.
Pests	Pests or parts of pests cause injuries because of their stiff and sharp characteristics. These particles create disgust against that product and might even cause microbial contamination.