Observations on patterns in foreign material investigations

Foreign material in foods (glass, plastic, metal, etc.) is the biggest single source of customer complaints received by many food manufacturers, retailers and enforcement authorities. This paper, presented in two parts, contains a comprehensive review of different types of foreign matter reported in food and drink and referred to CCFRA for examination during the past 20 years. In addition, it provides information on 2347 incidents of foreign matter contamination reported as part of a Food Standards Agency funded project on Breakdowns in Food Safety.