What is Physical Contamination in Food?

Physical food contamination occurs when a foreign object ends up in food product at some point during production. The most common examples include metal, glass, plastic, rubber, wood, stone and bone. These contaminants can occur naturally or as a result of the highly mechanized food production process. 

Each type of food contamination—biological, chemical or physical—requires a different response. According to the FDA, physical contaminants come in two categories: hard/sharp physical hazards and choking hazards. Either are dangerous if left undetected. 

X-ray inspection can help producers locate physical contaminants in finished product. With leading technology that can detect even small fragments, FlexXray is the #1 trusted company to ensure that food product is free from physical contamination.

Where do physical contaminants come from? The short answer: anywhere. 

Metal can enter food product through the farming process or different stages of processing. Blades, nuts and bolts, or broken equipment all pose a threat.

Glass containers are another risk; even broken overhead lights have presented issues in the past. 

When facilities use hard plastic tools (paddles, buckets, sieves, etc.), that plastic can wear down, break and end up in finished product.

Rubber seals and O-rings, typically used to prevent leakage, can break into fragments and contaminate product. 

Contamination from wood—whether pallets used for transportation or utensils used for manufacturing—is yet another risk.

Typically naturally occurring, stones and rocks can enter food product early in the supply chain. 

Specifically threatening in the meat and poultry industries, bone is far too often found in finished “boneless” product.

Food producers can respond to physical contamination by detecting the contaminants, removing them from finished product and tracing the issue down to its source. X-ray inspection is the most accurate and effective method for addressing physical contamination in food. Being able to identify and eliminate physical contaminants is essential in keeping end users of your food product—and in turn, your profits—safe.