The source and prevention of foreign matters in food

Foreign bodies in food

For food, substances that are not required for processing or should be contained in accordance with product standards can be referred to as foreign substances.

Foreign bodies are divided into endogenous and exogenous

——For example, the substances contained in the raw materials and accessories of the product, but the product requires to be excluded, are called endogenous foreign substances, such as bones in meat and vegetable roots in vegetables;

——Substances that are not originally part of the raw and auxiliary materials of the product but mixed into the product are called exogenous foreign bodies, such as metal, glass, hair, weeds, flying insects, chemical pollution, etc.

Endogenous foreign bodies and exogenous foreign bodies are relative, not absolute.

Hazards of foreign bodies in food

Hazard 1: There are potential safety hazards, such as metal foreign objects, broken glass, wood, stones, bones of appropriate size, which may damage the customer's teeth, scratch or trap the customer's mouth and throat; foreign objects containing chemicals, or chemicals directly Contaminated food may bring discomfort or even poisoning to the human body.

Hazard 2: There are hidden health risks. Hair, flying insects, and other unclean foreign objects are mixed into the product, which will cause microbial contamination.

Hazard 3: There are hidden dangers in quality, even if there are no hidden dangers of safety and health above (there is no hidden danger, foreign matter is mixed before heating, and sterilized by heating), any foreign matter mixed in will bring unpleasant feeling to consumers and make consumption feel inappropriate and dissatisfied.

Source and prevention of foreign bodies in food

One of the sources: production and management personnel (including visitors)

Hair - the correct wearing of work clothes and hats

Attachments on nails and nail gaps - cut nails frequently and wash hands thoroughly

Fingers are injured, peeled, attached, and gloves are broken - staff quality training

Jewelry and other items brought into the workshop intentionally or unintentionally - staff quality training

Thread and wool of work clothes and exposed casual clothes - staff quality training

Coughing droplets and even phlegm - staff quality training

Flying insects attached to the body - staff quality training

Eating and drinking in the workshop, smoking or eating, drinking or smoking before entering the workshop

Intentional or unintentional misuse of chemicals, etc... - training and supervision

Source 2: Machinery, tools, containers

Damage - selection, material and replacement time of equipment (appliances, containers)

Small parts - good operating practices, equipment inspection habits

Leakage - selection, material

Easy to fall off parts - selection, material, equipment inspection habits

Inappropriate use - training and supervision

The third source: raw materials, auxiliary materials, internal and external packaging materials

The raw material itself contains - requires the supplier to control, select/screen before use

The packaging surface of the above materials is attached - the outer packaging shall not enter the processing area

Debris attached to the outer packaging box - the inner and outer packaging should be placed separately, the inner and outer packaging should be carried out in different areas, and the inner and outer packaging personnel should not be on duty

Inner packaging debris, broken, carrying foreign objects - check before use, require the supplier to control

Source Four: Methods

Processing method - Is there any congenital defect in the process, foreign matter cannot be picked out or easily mixed with foreign matter?

Handling method - means of transport, personnel, passage and passage environment, accident occurs

Marking method - whether it can be effectively distinguished to prevent mixing, whether the marking supplies are easy to be mixed into the product...

Cleaning methods such as guards - thorough cleaning? Residual detergent? Debris from sanitary tools such as brush bristles?

Disinfection method - residual disinfectant? Deformed by heat?

Chemical Control Methods - Inappropriate Control Misapplied?

Source Five: Environment

Some items in the processing environment may be the source of foreign objects - maintenance and inspection of facilities (ceilings, floors, walls, brackets, lighting/ventilation and exhaust/cooling/water supply and drainage, etc.)

Unsuitable environment causes - temperature, humidity, air quality

Sanitary conditions - thorough cleaning? Residual detergent? Debris from sanitary tools such as brush bristles? Residual disinfectant? Deformed by heat?

Insect and rat control - measures to eliminate and prevent flies and rats

Summarize

Preventing the mixing of foreign matter requires the combination of hardware and management, fully considering various factors and the comprehensive effect of various factors, and focusing on prevention, in order to minimize the possibility of mixing - focusing on reducing sources, and checking (manual selection). ), detection (metal detector, X-ray machine, etc.) as a supplement.