Preventing Foreign Objects

Why you need it

Staples, plastic film, chipped equipment and personal items can all end up in food. A customer who finds one may be hurt, and will certainly lose trust in your business.

Your food safety management system needs to control physical hazards as well as bacteria and allergens, and recording each incident helps stop it happening again.

What it’s for

Four steps to keep physical contamination out of food: removing packaging carefully, checking utensils and equipment for damage, protecting exposed food, and acting on suspected contamination. It belongs at prep benches and wherever deliveries are unpacked.

How to use it

1. Fix it where deliveries are unpacked and above the main prep benches.
2. Open packs away from exposed food and collect ties, film and staples as you go.
3. Check utensils and equipment for chips, cracks and loose parts before use, and report any damage.
4. Keep unnecessary glass, personal items and loose objects away from exposed food.
5. If something gets into food, discard the affected food, tell the supervisor and record the cause.