Foreign body contamination can be a real pain, leading to recalls, wasted product and potential danger to consumers. Here are some ways to help prevent or mitigate incidents, or deal with them when they happen.

Any fan of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Holmes knows that this detective has a keen mind on science, which helps him infer many mysteries. According to Doyle's partner Dr. John Watson in the first Sherlock Holmes book "Scarlet Study", he knows human anatomy, chemistry and even some botany.

But Holmes also benefited from tools such as magnifying glasses and microscopes, as pointed out in a 2012 report in Smithsonian Magazine, "Holmes and Reasoning Tools."

Having the right tools is also the key to the detection of foreign objects in food and beverages. However, as Robert Rogers, senior consultant for food safety and regulations at METTLER TOLEDO, pointed out, metal detectors, X-rays, etc. are only part of the successful plan.

"The first challenge is to completely eliminate the risk," he said. "Preventing pollution is your best line of defense. The last line of defense is detection."

According to Sedgewick's "U.S. Recall Index 2021 1st Edition", foreign bodies are the third leading cause of recalls by the Food and Drug Administration in the first quarter of 2021. Despite the Bronze ranking, these recalls have a greater impact on the unit than the reasons for ranking first. More than 1 million, that is, 44.8% of all affected units are caused by foreign matter contamination.

Rogers, together with FlexXray's Food Safety and Quality Manager Taylor Lewis, and Vice President of Operations Kye Luker, provided us with some tips on how to make your object detection to the level of Holmesian.

First of all, Rogers said, if there is a way to eliminate risks at all levels-then do it. If glass is a problem, eliminate as much glass as possible from your processing environment.

"If you can't eliminate it," he said, "then you must prevent it or somehow prevent it from entering the product."

In the example of glass pollution, implementing a glass and brittle plastic plan, you often check and evaluate glass in the processing environment that cannot be eliminated. If you find something damaged, you can assess the risk of it entering the product stream.

Preventive measures may include covering exposed product areas or implementing a good maintenance plan for equipment such as grinders.

Treat metal detectors, magnets, X-ray machines, etc. as notification devices rather than elimination devices. Although vital, they are a backup of all the strategies you have adopted.

"We are just monitoring the system, really," said Rogers, whose company manufactures and sells this type of equipment. "Of course I cannot prevent contamination by simply installing a detector. This is your last chance to determine whether all previous actions to solve the problem succeeded or failed."

Rogers suggested to treat it as a value proposition. When you place the inspection equipment at the end of the process, everything you did to the product before that will add value and cost. In short, if something is detected at the end of the process and you have to throw the product away, then you are throwing it away when it is most valuable in the manufacturing process.

"You must have thrown away the packaging," he said. "You are definitely wasting the time and energy spent manufacturing products and materials. And if you plan to perform some kind of re-inspection process in the hope of saving the product, then you will invest more money in it."

This is why it is important to prevent and eliminate pollution as much as possible.

Rogers said: "This will also have a positive impact on other business initiatives such as waste, sustainability and efficiency efforts, all of which will affect the bottom line."

If a foreign matter incident occurs in your facility, please work with your operations team to stop the production line and take a snapshot of the process in time. Use flow charts to collect data, such as the current number and quantity of products in each device.

Lewis said that even if a piece of equipment is not directly involved in the incident, if it is part of the entire process, it needs to be stopped and inspected.

"The real help of this for investigations is that it allows you to understand where you are, and you can always go back to the exact moment when the system failed and where everything was," he said.

The idea is that based on the time it takes you to complete the investigation and make a retention or release decision, you always have data that can help you determine the underlying cause.

"It can help you make a hold/release decision because you don't look back and say,'Well, I know there is a certain amount of weight in my system, but I don't know where they are,'" Lewis said. "It helps to set up your initial stand at the front end."

It also helps the backend because you can compare the data with batch records to determine if the problem occurred outside of the initial failure. In addition, stopping the production line within a short period of time gives you the opportunity to decide how to continue.

"You can start to decide whether you can rework the product, put it in the finished packaging, or how do you want to deal with it?" Lewis said.

Lewis said that getting as much data as possible from your snapshot will help your investigation, so make sure it is complete and reliable. Foreign body investigation is too important for the bottom line to solve poor quality data or unresolved issues.

Ask yourself questions like: "What is my internal rework capability?" or "Am I confident in this decision?"

"If you don't have confidence in making a decision, then when you go to bed at night or think about it a week, two weeks, or three months later, you really won't have confidence in it," Lewis said.

Whenever you are dealing with an incident and a product is shelved with foreign materials, you should feel relaxed contacting different department managers or people working on different shifts to get their opinions and suggestions.

For example, another food safety manager in your company may use similar equipment or produce the same product as you. Lewis said that they can be a great resource, allowing ideas to fly everywhere. They may even have encountered the same type of incident and make suggestions on how to proceed.

"Don't be afraid to share failures with colleagues in your company, even if they are in different factories," he said.

Each manufacturing process differs depending on the product you produce, but ensuring that the correct amount of product is isolated can help save money and avoid the transportation of contaminated items.

For example, Luker said, if you use a 10,000-pound ribbon blender to make sausages, it may not be enough to keep only the products made since the last known good metal detector scan.

"It's all good," he said, "but do you make sure that the entire batch is put on hold just in case something upstream triggers it? Your metal detector may find some smaller pieces."

Luker says it’s important to be prepared the first time because it’s more of a headache to return later and pull the product out of the distribution center than to spend the extra time in your facility.

"It's about food safety, making sure you have everything under control, and you don't want to withdraw something from distribution later and add unnecessary costs to the potential processing that might handle this incident," Luke said.

If it is used in your workflow, please feel free to know where it is. Or at least where it should be. Don't wait for regular hygiene events to assess the location of all items.

"Some factories have activities every week, while others have daily activities," Luke said. "You don't want to know that something is missing after 16 hours or even 4 or 5 days."

The stronger your sense of responsibility for tools, parts, or other loose objects, the more you will be protected from contamination.

Luker says that while this may make your finance team happy, buying plastic or rubber tools and parts can make it more difficult to detect when contamination occurs. Some detectors may pick up these items, but you'd better pay extra.

For example, pay more for rulon O-rings instead of rubber O-rings.

"By using rulon, the chance of seeing it under X-ray inspection is greatly improved," said Luke, whose company uses X-ray machines to find items in product batches. "Just because one is 5 cents and the other is $1, it can actually help you avoid wasting 10,000 pounds of product in the 95-cent price difference."

Sterilex helps food processors control biofilms and save money.

Biofilm is the main focus of the food industry. Its invisibility, and therefore the lack of easy detection on food and non-food contact surfaces, often leaves food processors uncertain about its existence—especially when unexpected microbiological problems hit the operation. Addressing microbial positivity can be one of the most expensive events affecting plants. These "full participation" activities not only require tremendous effort, but also very costly. Here are four ways biofilms affect operations and your bottom line:

Any time a product is shelved or recalled from the market, it will directly affect operational efficiency, because these products are not shipped out as planned. In addition, when the product must be preserved, refrigeration incurs related costs. Biofilms contain pathogenic foodborne pathogens such as Listeria and E. coli, which can cause cross-contamination risks in the final product. Therefore, biofilm control is a key part of reducing recalls.

Any time a microbe is found to be positive, labor—extra staff and overtime—and chemicals must be spent to correct the problem. This will lead to a downstream chain reaction, and sanitation tasks may not be completed elsewhere before production should begin, which may further increase the risk of biofilm accumulation and cross-contamination.

Biofilms can damage equipment in two different ways: microbiologically affected corrosion (especially on soft metals) and attempting to chemically remove them with oxidants. Microbiologically affected corrosion (MIC) is corrosion that is affected by the presence or activity (or both) of microorganisms in the biofilm on the surface of the corroded material. Attempting to treat biofilms with high doses of oxidizing chemicals (such as bleach, ozone, or peroxide) can severely damage the surrounding surfaces.

Biofilm is an insulator that can exponentially reduce heat transfer efficiency through copper and aluminum. Heat transfer equipment must work harder to remove the same amount of heat from the manufacturing process. If the operating time is too long, this manifests itself in higher utility bills and shorter equipment life.

Consider how cost-effective it is to use appropriate sanitation chemicals that have been proven to prevent microbial positives than repairing microbial positives. Sterilex is a leading expert in the field of biofilm control and has helped thousands of food facilities solve difficult biofilm problems. Contact Sterilex now for a free biofilm consultation to help determine what to look for and how to treat stubborn biofilm problems that you may not even know.

The Nestlé Quality Assurance Center provides useful tips on finding the right partner.

As a food company, you have invested a lot of time and thought in supplier selection and production practices to ensure that you provide consumers with safe products. The same effort should be made when selecting contract laboratories. They should be not only suppliers, but also trusted partners in your company's food safety.

Here are some useful tips on how to choose the perfect laboratory partner for your business:

A basic requirement for most companies looking for a laboratory is ISO 17025 certification. Since most contract laboratories are ISO 17025 certified, they are easy to check. Doesn't it look simple?

Well, think again, because it's not as simple as it seems at first glance. Laboratories may be accredited; however, you need to research more deeply because many methods are only accredited for specific methods. Their entire portfolio is probably not recognized.

The important certification that everyone is looking for is the ISO certification, but you should go beyond it. Know what quality management systems they have. Another check is to see if they have participated in the proficiency test program.

As we all know, food and ingredients can have many complications. One challenge to be aware of is not only to ensure that the method is certified, as described above, but that the method has been validated for your product.

Any laboratory you are considering should have an open policy, and you, customers, or potential customers are welcome to visit and tour the facility or be audited.

You should pay attention to whether the technicians who analyze your samples have received training and experience in the method and matrix. If there are any problems, there should be a technical expert staff to troubleshoot and ensure that you get accurate results.

No one wants to be discovered in a crisis, but it did happen. Although you do your best to prevent it from happening, if it does happen, you need to be prepared. In addition, an integral part of your preparation is the reliability of your laboratory partners during a crisis.

This seems to be another basic requirement, but it cannot be assumed or ignored. Before you start cooperating in any capacity, please understand their policies surrounding your information. Whether it is your samples and product information (including results) or your personal contact information and business information.

The laboratory you choose should process your samples urgently and start processing them as soon as they receive them. You should expect to be able to return the results to you in a timely manner to meet your business needs. The turnaround time should be notified to you in advance and the quoted date should be adhered to. Cost is obviously an important criterion, but it should never be the only criterion. Analysis testing is not a commodity.

There are many laboratories trying to serve everyone, and you need a partner who has expertise and specializes in food and beverages.

Your laboratory should adapt to new products and regulatory changes in testing and labeling requirements. Regular evaluations of new methods and instruments should be scheduled to ensure the most efficient and effective processing of your samples.

In general, the above tips all lead to trust. Using these tips as a guide for contract laboratories will guide you to find a food safety partner you can trust to verify that your products are safe.

For 30 years, NQAC Dublin has been supporting trusted brands around the world. If you need a trusted laboratory partner to support your business, we welcome this opportunity. Let us know how we can help, find our services and contact us at NQACDublin.com.

FoodChain ID provides three unique food safety technology solutions to reduce risks.

Preventing food safety issues requires prioritizing potential ingredient and supply chain hazards, as well as sufficient staff time to review and respond to vulnerabilities.

At FoodChain ID, we use our unique risk assessment technology, combined with employee food safety experts and our well-known service support, to save our customers time and reduce their food safety risks. Our unique technologies include:

Food Fraud Database — detects and reduces economically motivated adulteration worldwide, has more than 13,500 global records, and supports the vulnerability assessment required by GFSI.

HorizonScan™ — daily global supply chain monitoring and analysis of ingredient risks covering more than 600 commodities and more than 180 countries of origin.

Dynamic Risk Assessment-Sentry-Customized and automated daily risk scores to identify and prioritize the company's own food safety risks. The company dashboard is continuously updated with HorizonScan alerts.

FoodChain ID Food Safety Solutions Technical Director, Dr. Karen Everstine said: “FoodChain ID is a unique service provider in the food industry because we provide cutting-edge supply chain risk assessment tools for food safety hazards and vulnerabilities, in addition to a series of certifications and audits. Service." Everstine is an integral part of the development of the food fraud database and continues to serve as a technical lead and product manager. She has extensive food protection experience in research and applications in government, academic and non-profit organizations.

HorizonScan 2021 data shows that microbiological hazards, pesticide residues and undeclared allergens accounted for most of the reported hazards. Supply chain food safety risks will evolve and change over time based on regulatory priorities, manufacturing practices, consumer priorities, and other factors.

In the first three quarters of 2021, seafood, meat, dairy products, honey and herbs/spices occupy a prominent position in the fraud report of the food fraud database. There are also numerous reports of fraud in botanicals, supplements and alcoholic beverages. Recent pressures on the food ingredient supply chain have increased the vulnerability of fraud.

Supply chain pressure stems from increased consumer demand for specific products, as well as supply disruptions and transportation challenges. The shortage of raw materials prompts suppliers and source countries to make adjustments, and may increase reliance on new suppliers and/or middlemen. As the supply chain continues to be affected by the COVID pandemic, food safety professionals should pay special attention to incoming materials from new sources.

FoodChain ID can provide technology, personnel experts and service support to reduce food safety risks. FoodChain ID provides consulting services for subscribers of the food fraud database to establish ingredient groups and customize dashboards based on the company's ingredients. Our mission is to maintain the safety, compliance and transparency of the food supply chain, serving more than 30,000 customers in more than 100 countries.

Emport LLC can help answer this question.

Quality assurance professionals are expected to become experts on dozens of food safety topics, including allergen management. Although others may create recipes, purchase ingredients, or design packaging and marketing, it can be said that the QA team has the greatest responsibility: to ensure the safety and health of customers.

Between FSMA and FALCPA, manufacturers need to play an extremely active role in assessing the risks of common food allergens. And for good reason; more than 25% of Americans are affected by food allergies and intolerances.

Since allergens are just one of the many hazards that the QA team must monitor, it is not surprising that many companies are not sure how to best handle their own allergen management plans. Although the requirements for some facilities may be obvious, in most cases, facilities require extensive research and evaluation to come up with strategies. A good allergen management plan will include smart facility design, thoughtful processes for raw material storage and handling, validated cleaning procedures, and on-site and third-party laboratory allergen testing. In addition, there are of course employee training, supplier screening, record keeping, etc. This is a lot!

This is why it is so important for the QA team to have people around them who get it and people who care about it. At Emport LLC, we consider ourselves to be partners, not suppliers. We understand: Since 2011, our team has been helping manufacturers who are gluten-free and allergen-free. And, we care: we are here to provide customers with anything they might need to ensure that their food is free of gluten and accidental allergens.

At Emport LLC, we provide fast on-site test kits such as GlutenTox, AlerTox and AllerSnap, as well as training, advice and troubleshooting for on-site gluten and allergen testing. We want to ensure that our customers use the right kits for the right items at the right time and in the right way. Anything less is a dangerous waste of money.

In addition, Emport LLC proudly carries a variety of supplementary materials that can be incorporated into a powerful allergen management plan: proficiency tests, reference standards, laboratory consumables, etc. We are also very happy to use our ten years of experience to serve our customers. Whether it’s a question for a third-party laboratory, a food safety consultant, or a food safety certification program-if we don’t know the answer, we know someone knows, and we will introduce it.

If you are reading this article and are not sure about any element of your allergen control plan, please call 412-447-1888 or visit emportllc.com. We would love to chat. After all, this is one way we live our motto: safer food, happier people.