The Food Industry's Most-Common Foreign-Body Contaminant And How To Prevent It

By Melissa Lind, contributing writer

Despite numerous types of inspection systems and advances in detection technology, metal is still the most-common risk for contamination in the food industry.

Within a food-making facility, there are many possibilities for contamination. However, no one foreign body is as common as metal. Food in the raw ingredient state may be subjected to cutting, grinding, and mixing by manual or mechanical processes. As food is processed, often using machinery, metal may be introduced to mid-stage products through metal shedding, components, or through employee behavior. At the final packaging stage, food is subject to the same risks.

No matter what type of food is being produced, it is a virtual guarantee that it may be susceptible to metal contamination. Meat, produce, and prepared products are all made using metal equipment and every type of food is subject to employee contamination.

The Food Safety and Modernization Act (FSMA), signed into law in 2011, requires the food industry switch from response to prevention of food-safety events. Some food manufacturers and processors are more focused on the final product, leaving out in-facility contamination events. While preventing contaminated food from leaving the facility is of utmost importance, preventing contamination within your company’s systems can be just as important. Below are several steps to maximize your efforts in avoiding metal contamination.

Identify Hazards
In order to prevent metal contamination, identification of the most-likely hazards is a must. Points in processing lines that are most likely to introduce metal contaminants need to be identified. Additionally, the types of contaminants that are likely to occur need to be determined.

In-Process Inspection
Waiting to inspect for contamination until the final product is produced can be costly to your company’s bottom line as well as its productivity. The process of stopping the line, tracking down the source, and quarantining everything beyond that point may cause the loss of an entire lot or batch. Once the likely contaminants and their sources have been identified, in-process inspection can help avoid contaminants entering the production line and continuing to the final product.

Training
Teaching employees about metal contamination is one of the most critical elements of preventing it. Workers on production lines need to be able to identify when something is malfunctioning and how to avoid contamination. Thorough training on equipment operation, cleaning, and maintenance are essential. Additionally, an iron-clad policy regarding personal effects—jewelry, pens, nametags, and other loose, metallic items — can help avoid employee introduced contamination.