Physical contamination

Physical contamination is when objects such as stones, throns, small animal bones, wood,
clothes, insect, insulation, plastic, bullets or BB shots, needles, human and animal hair, dirt,
glass, metal, fingernails, bandages, toothpicks, and jewelry are found in food. Finding these
objects in food may cause a psychological trauma or a physical illness or injuri to the person.
Poor ventilation, poorly maintained facilities, and the use of broken or worn out utensils and
equipment can also contribute to physical contamination. Improperly cleaned vents can blow
debris onto food. Leaking overhead pipes can drop moisture, metal, paint, or dirt into food.
Unguarded light fixtures can break, and glass can fall into the food. Artificial nailsand nail polish
can come off in food. Gems from bracelets, earrings, and rings can fall into food. Foreign
material contamination resulting from employee sabotage is difficult to monitor. Unscrupulous
employess have placed a wide variety of foreign objects in containers in the past. Because of
terrorist threats and quality control, food service personnel, from the farm to the table, must be
diligent in their monitoring.
Physical materials in food may cause cuts, bleeding, infection, choking, broken teeth,
trauma (especially psychological), and in some instances surgery to remove the object. Much of
the physical material may come from broken dishes machinery, packaging, improper processing,
nonsharp can openers, pallets, and employee carelessness.
According to the FDA of all the thousands of complaints of foreign objects in food 25
percent were related to foreign materials about 6 percent resulted in illness or injury, with glass,
metal, and plastic being the most common foreign objects found.
Food handlers at all steps of food handling processes must be trained. The equipment and
environment should always be clean. There should be strict policies and procedures concerning
the use of hair restraints and wearing of jewelry, artificial nails, and nail polish. Ongoing
monitoring is essential immediate corrective action must be taken . (check food code 2001, u.s
public health service, and FDA for a more detailed list)
Sick employess
Sick employers are also a concern in food borne illness. Table 13.4 present guidelines that
should be used in deciding wheater to allow sick personnel to work in direct contact with food
(preparation of service)

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There are many different types of and uses thermometers. In the production area, ther mometers
are used in ovens, combination steamers cook chill equipment deep fat fryers and broilers.
Thermometers are also necessary in refrigerators, freezers, dry storage areas and the general
work and services areas.

Thermomters

A number of different types of thermometers can be used to measure temperature on

equipment recording thermometers, bulb thermometers, and remote reading thermometers.
Recording thermometers are mounted on the outside of refrigerators and freezers and
continuously record the internal temperature. Recording thermometers are also used with cook
chill equipment. Bulb thermometers are the most common type to use when there is no built in
thermometers in the door of the refrigerator and freezer,. A bulb thermometer should be placed
in the warmest area of the unit. (check the local public health rules and regulations). Remote
reading thermometers are placed outside of refrigerators and freezers and may be monitored in a
central control engineering area. these show the temperature within the refrigerator of freezer.
When manual thermometers are used, the temperature of refrigerators and freezers should
be recorded at least twice daily. It should be checked in the morning and in the evening.
A number of other thermometers can be used to test the temperature of food. The most
common is called a bimetal probe or dial instan read with a dial that can be used to measure.

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Table 13.4 sick employess

Disease or illness

Food preparation and

service

Duration of resriction

Aids

Allowed to work in
direct customer
contact
Yes

Yes

Diarrhea

No

No

Strep throat

No

No

Hepatitis

No

No

No restriction for food

service personnel
Until symptoms
disapper
Until 24 hours afer
effective treatment is
started
Until 7 days after
onset of jaundice

Laceration,
noninfected
Laceration, infected

Yes

Yes

No

No

Respiratory tract
infection

No/yes

No/yes

Conjunctivitis *pink
eye*

No

No

Restricted from food

preparation until
infection is healed
If temperature 1000f, a
mask should be worn
Until eye is cleare

Temperatures that range from 00F to 2200F. this type of probe is made up of two metals in a strip
with different expansion coefficients that move a pointer on dial display. This type of
thermometer is destroyed if it is dropped, bent, or abused. It is small and may be easily lost or
stolen. It is also somewhat difficult to read. The dial instant thermometer is inexpensive, has a
high loss rate , but is easy to use. To ensure that the readings are accurate, the probe should
tasted against the temperature of a known substance (such as boiling water at 2120f or slushy mix
of ice water mixed with a small amount of salt to get a 320F reading)

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Cable varies depending on the probe type because each probe is priced separately.
Accuracy is plus or minus 10f. this type of thermometer is also the most economical In the long

A number of thermocouple thermometers are commercially available. A handheld digital

thermometer features an easy to read digital display that is available in either celcius or
fahrenheit . this handheld unit records time, temperature, and location and has alarms that can be
activated for high or low temperature variances. It runs on nine volts and can be used for 2000
hours of operation. Nine different probes are available for the measurement of insertion of
immersion temperatures surface temperatures, ambient air, coolers, and other air temperatures
(as well as a bare tip probe for general purpose temperature measurement). All four probes can
be used to measure up to 5000F and have a 24 inch silicon jacketed Kevlar reinforced cable.

run. Recalibration is needed when it is dropped or bent. It produces the fastest response time and
highest range accuracy combination and can be used to measure both hot and cold food. This
thermometer is made of two conductors ofdissimilar metals. As temperatures change, multi
voltage differences change.
Another type of thermometer is a probe with a digital display. It is made of two
conductors embedded in an electrolytic material with varying resistance as the temperature at the
juncture changes. The response time is slower than with the thermocouple probe. It is easily
overheated and distorted, but it has a high level of accuracy over a limited range. The sensors

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