three hazards(physical,chemical, microbiological) can all be addressedduring
the designphase. Goodsanitarydesignwill go a longwayin preventingthese
hazards fromoccurringjust fromthe physicalfacility construction materials or
the set-upof the building.Surfacesand construction of floors,walls, ceilings,
and equipment are all important in helping to prevent thesethreehazardsfrom
contaminating the products.
7.2.1 Physicalhazards
Physicalhazards are such things as chippedbuilding materials, dirt from
overhead beams, glassfrombrokenlightfixtures or frombroken windows,
chipped paintfromoverhead painted surfaces, rust fromsupports madefrom
uncovered mildsteel,piecesof insulation,ceilingtiles, thingsthat fall out of
employees'pockets or jewelry(such as watches, rings) that is not removed
before enteringthe process areas,and any otherphysicalitemone can thinkof.
Consumers, at one timeor anotherhavefoundall of theseand morein food
products. Mostphysical contamination comes fromemployees who are not
followinggoodmanufacturingpractices. This typeof contamination also comes
from poor planning when the facility is designed and built. Physical
contamination (hazards)in food products gives litigious lawyersreason to
smile. Physical contaminates are veryoften considered to be the result of
negligence,in its legalsense.
7.2.2 Chemicalhazards
Chemicalhazardscan be as simple as the detergentusedto cleanthe equipment
if not rinsedand drainedoff the foodcontact surfaces, or out of a tankthat has
undergonecleaningin place(CIP)and thennot beendrainedand rinsed.Other
potentialchemical hazardsare the sanitizersif theyare accidentally addedto a
product in process or left in tanksor kettles. Pesticides, fungicides and fertilizers
are classifiedas chemical hazards if left on the productor theyget mixedwith
the product.
The mostrecent additionsto the chemical hazardgroupare allergens,which
along withmycotoxins are considereda natural chemical hazard.Allergens can
originateas a by-productof a process,be a residueon foodcontact surface, be in
ingredients,and be an inadvertentcontaminatefrombeingunableto adequately
clean equipmentbetweenrunsof a productcontainingan allergenand one that
doesnot. A new hot topic is the designof equipmentto allowadequate cleaning
of any allergen residuebeforerunning non-allergenicproducts.
Lubricants are considered as chemical hazards as well as poly(tetra-
fluoroethene) (PTFE,e.g. Teflon)sprays. Anyother chemical itemthat is used
for cleaning, lubricating,sanitizing,testing,etc., that is not declaredon the label
can be consideredas a chemical hazard.
126 Handbookof hygiene controlin the foodindustry