{"id":75970,"date":"2024-08-28T09:30:00","date_gmt":"2024-08-28T08:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.highspeedtraining.co.uk\/hub\/?p=75970"},"modified":"2024-08-28T16:39:02","modified_gmt":"2024-08-28T15:39:02","slug":"physical-hazards-in-food","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.highspeedtraining.co.uk\/hub\/physical-hazards-in-food\/","title":{"rendered":"Physical Hazards in Food"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Everyone working in the food and drink industry, particularly those that handle and prepare food, must recognise the risks that physical food safety hazards pose to consumers. Physical hazards are common when food products are being manufactured, cooked or baked. As a food handler, you need to recognise where physical hazards might come from and how to prevent them from entering food. In this article, we\u2019ll look at what physical hazards in food are, give some examples of physical hazards in food and help you to understand why managing them is so important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What are Physical Hazards in Food?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Physical hazards in food are a type of contaminant, also known as extraneous matter, that can make food unsafe and unsuitable for consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Physical hazards are any type of foreign object found in food that shouldn\u2019t be there and they can cause serious harm or injury, such as choking, cuts to the mouth and throat or broken teeth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alongside physical hazards in food, the other types of hazard that make food unsafe to eat are chemical hazards and microbiological hazards (which cause food poisoning<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n

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Examples of Physical Hazards in Food<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Physical hazards in food fall into six categories known as the \u20186 Ps\u2019. These six categories are the most common sources of physical contamination in the food industry: people, packaging, product, pests, premises and plant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Examples of physical hazards in food under the 6 Ps categories are as follows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. People – <\/strong>for example, hair, fingernails, plasters and bandages, jewellery, disposable gloves and hairnets.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Packaging – <\/strong>for example, shards of glass, wood splinters, plastic bags, ceramic fragments or bits of textiles.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Product – <\/strong>for example, soil and mud on vegetables, stones from harvesting, fishbones, chicken bones, fruit pips, eggshells and nut shells.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Pests –<\/strong> for example, <\/strong>insects, rodents, droppings, feathers, claws and fur.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Premises – <\/strong>for example, <\/strong>any item used on the food production premises, such as cooking utensils, food thermometers, staples, noticeboard pins and pens.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  6. Plant – <\/strong>for example, anything part of the machinery used for food manufacture, such as nuts and bolts, light bulbs, batteries, wire and flakes of paint.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
    \"Expert<\/div>

    Want to Learn More?<\/h3><\/div><\/div>

    If you work in the food and drink industry, whether you manufacture, cook, bake or serve, then having knowledge of food safety procedures is essential. Take a look at our full range of Food Hygiene Courses<\/a> and find the one that\u2019s right for you.<\/p><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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    How to Prevent Physical Hazards in Food<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Preventing physical hazards in food shouldn\u2019t be difficult if you always follow the correct food handling and food hygiene procedures<\/a>. Often, preventing physical hazards just means paying more attention to the equipment you\u2019re using, your personal hygiene and the cleanliness of the workplace. Just simple awareness can make a big difference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    To prevent physical hazards in food, you should:<\/p>\n\n\n\n