Metal Inclusion/Contamination

Hazards and Controls Guidance : Metal Inclusion/Contamination

I found a website that states some of the limits for metal contamination, especially for fish and fisheries products. Since our Chicken and Crabmeat Quiche deal with fisheries product such as crabmeat, the limits should be applicable to the HACCP table.

Website: http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~comm/haccp4t.html


This source is from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration: Center for Food Safety & Applied Nutrition (FDA/CFSAN), hence it is reliable in assessing the metal contamination in a food product such as our own Chicken and Crabmeat Quiche.


Control Strategy Example 1 - Metal Detection or Separation

Critical Limit: No metal fragments in finished product.
(Note: FDA's Health Hazard Evaluation Board has supported regulatory action against product with metal fragments of 0.3" [7 mm] to 1.0" [25mm] in length. See also FDA Compliance Policy Guide #555.425.)

How Will It Be Monitored?
How: Use a metal detection device such as installing a metal detection in the food production plant OR use a magnet/screens for separating metal fragments from a product stream, where feasible (e.g. dry/ liquid ingredients/ before baking)

Frequency: Subject all product to the control. Check that device is operating or is in place at start of each production day.

Who: Monitoring is performed by the equipment itself. A check should be made at least once per day to ensure that the device is operating or is in place. This may be performed by the equipment operator, a production supervisor, a member of the quality control staff, a member of the maintenance or engineering staff, or any other person who has an understanding of the operation of the equipment.

Control Strategy Example 2 - Equipment Checks

Critical Limit: No broken or missing metal parts from equipment at the CCPs for "Metal Inclusion"

How Will It Be Monitored?
How: Visually check the equipments used regularly for any broken/ missing parts.
E.g. Check saws for missing teeth OR check that all parts are secure on blending machines OR check for missing links in metal belts.

Frequency: Check before starting operations each day and every four hours during operation; AND
check at the end of operations each day; AND check whenever there is an equipment malfunction that could increase the likelihood that metal could be introduced into the food.

Who: Monitoring may be performed by the equipment operator, a production supervisor, a member of the quality control staff, a member of the maintenance or engineering staff, or any other person who has a thorough understanding of the proper condition of the equipment.