Control of foreign bodies from cleaning equipment and utensils

This blog post provides information on the selection and maintenance of food industry cleaning tools and utensils, with a focus on minimizing the risk of product contamination by foreign bodies.

What is a foreign body?

A foreign body refers to any object that is not intentionally present in the food and could compromise its safety or quality. These can include obvious items like insects, stones, glass, or plastics, as well as materials that are naturally associated with the food, such as bits of stalk, shell, or feather.

Why are they a problem?

When a foreign body complaint is made, it's crucial to determine whether it makes the food unsafe or affects its quality. If so, the manufacturer may breach EU Regulation No. 178/2002 and face legal actions or product recalls. Global food safety schemes like GFSI also emphasize the importance of controlling foreign bodies.

This blog post provides insights into selecting and maintaining cleaning tools and utensils to minimize the risk of foreign body contamination.

Challenges:

Cleaning equipment used in food production is typically made from materials like plastics, metals, rubbers, silicones, and thermoplastic elastomers. While these materials are commonly used, they can pose challenges when it comes to preventing foreign body contamination.

Controlling foreign bodies in food manufacturing often relies on in-line metal detectors, which are effective for detecting metal fragments. However, non-metallic foreign bodies, such as low-density plastics, remain a challenge even with X-ray systems.

This means that the primary control of foreign bodies from cleaning equipment and utensils revolves around their proper selection, use, and maintenance. Visual inspection of the food product, either manually or using an automated system, can also be employed.

What do GFSI Standards say?

BRC:

• Hazard analysis and control, 2.7.2 – The HACCP team must identify hazards that need to be prevented, eliminated, or reduced to acceptable levels, including the presence or production of foreign bodies.
• Maintenance, 4.7 – An effective maintenance program should be in place to prevent contamination.
• Maintenance, 4.7.2 – Equipment at risk of contaminating products due to damage should be inspected at regular intervals, with results documented and appropriate action taken.

FSSC 22000:

• Cleaning and sanitizing agents and tools, 11.2 – Tools and equipment should be hygienically designed and maintained to avoid extraneous matter.

IFS:

• Foreign material risk mitigation 4.12 – Products must be protected against physical contamination, especially from equipment and utensils.

Guidance available

Guideline 8 from the European Hygienic Engineering Design Group (EHEDG) emphasizes the prevention of foreign particulate contamination in food industry equipment. This applies to all equipment in contact with food, particularly those used for cleaning. EHEDG recommends that equipment should be resistant to cracking, corrosion, and other forms of wear, and free of fastenings that might come loose and contaminate the product.

Figure 1: Badly designed replaceable blade squeegee.

Figure 2: Damage caused by a screwdriver.

Figure 3: Metal screw connecting two parts of the squeegee.

Figures 4-6: Site-made equipment using nuts and bolts or tape to secure or repair equipment. Increased risk of foreign body contamination.

Figures 7-8: Poorly maintained equipment leading to increased foreign body risk from food debris, pests, and bristles.

Reducing the Risk of Foreign Bodies from Cleaning Equipment and Utensils:

General Guidance

Choose cleaning equipment and utensils that:

• Are made of high-quality, durable materials suitable for your production environment.
• Have a contrasting color to the food product for easier detection of foreign bodies.
• Are free of fastenings and mechanically stable.

Avoid using equipment that:

• Is made of wood or foamed plastic.
• Is painted or coated.
• Is damaged or worn out.
• Is poorly constructed or repaired.

Always:

• Clean and inspect equipment before use.
• Conduct regular inspections, repairs, and replacements as part of a preventive maintenance program.
• Store equipment appropriately to reduce damage and cross-contamination risks.

Control of Brush Bristles as Foreign Bodies

Brushware is one of the most common sources of foreign bodies in the food industry. Bristles can snap, break, or become dislodged and enter the food product. Despite efforts to improve brush design, the risk of contamination remains.

Most bristles are made of plastic, such as polyester, polypropylene, or nylon. Even high-quality brushes can lose bristles when used on equipment where they get trapped. This increases the risk of contamination over time.

Metal Detectable Plastic Bristled Brushware

Brushes with metal detectable plastic bristles are available but have limitations. Studies show that these bristles are less detectable in the presence of food and packaging, weaker, and harder to clean than standard bristles. Their use may actually increase the risk of contamination due to reduced strength and elasticity.

Bristle Fixation Methods

Drilled and Stapled Brushware

The key to reducing bristle loss is choosing a brush with secure bristle fixation. Traditional drilled and stapled brushes use metal staples to hold bristles in place. However, poor construction can lead to loose or damaged bristles, increasing the risk of contamination.

Resin-set, Drilled and Stapled Brushware

Some brushes use adhesives (resins) in addition to metal staples to secure bristles. While this improves initial security, investigations show that not all bristles are fully secured, especially those in the center of the bundle. Over time, repeated use can cause bristles to loosen, increasing the risk of contamination.

Investigations have shown that not all bristles are secured by the resin, especially those in the center of the bundle. As bristles are pulled out during use, remaining bristles become looser, increasing the risk of contamination. Additionally, the resin itself can break off and become a foreign body.

Fully-Molded Brushware

Fully-molded bristle retention technology eliminates the use of metal and resin, significantly reducing the risk of foreign bodies. Each bristle is individually fixed by heat within a unit, which is then molded into the brush head. This ensures consistent fixation strength, regardless of the position of the bristle or whether others have been removed.

References:

1. BRC (2018). Global Standard Food Safety, Issue 8. August 2018.
2. International Standards Organisation. (2009). ISO/TS 22002-1:2009. Prerequisite programmes on food safety, part 1: food manufacturing (last reviewed in 2020).
3. International Featured Standard. (2020). IFS Food 7.
4. EHEDG (2018). Hygienic equipment design criteria. Guideline Document No.8.
5. EHEDG (2005) Materials of construction for equipment in contact with food. Guideline Document No.32.
6. Smith, D. L. (2nd edition 2021). Metal detectable plastics use in cleaning tools and utensils - does it reduce foreign body risk? Vikan White Paper.
7. Anderson, W., and Armstrong-Gore, J., (2017). Detectable products and materials. BST White Paper.
8. Smith, D.L. (2017). The hygienic design of food industry brushware - the good, the bad and the ugly. Journal of Hygienic Engineering and Design.