Chemical & Physical Product Contamination Controls
Aligned with FSSC 22000 Requirements
Requirement Overview
FSSC 22000 requires food businesses to establish and maintain controls that prevent the contamination of food products by chemical and physical hazards. These controls must be risk-based, validated, and part of the site’s overall food safety management system. The goal is to protect product integrity, ensure consumer safety, and comply with regulatory and customer expectations.
Controls must be appropriate to the facility’s processes and product risks and must be reviewed and verified as part of operational PRPs (Prerequisite Programs) and hazard analysis procedures.
Key Compliance Objectives
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✓ Identify all potential sources of physical and chemical contamination
✓ Apply robust contamination prevention strategies across all areas of the site
✓ Validate, monitor, and verify the effectiveness of control measures
✓ Maintain detailed documentation for traceability, internal review, and audit readiness
Step-by-Step Compliance Implementation
1.Identify Contamination Risks
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Hazards to Consider:
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• Cleaning agents, lubricants, pest control substances
• Glass, metal, plastic, wood, or debris from equipment or packaging
• Contaminants introduced via raw materials or damaged infrastructure
Evidence to Maintain:
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• Site-specific hazard and risk assessments
• Integration of physical and chemical hazard analysis in the HACCP plan
• Equipment and infrastructure inspection logs
- • Cleaning agents, lubricants, pest control substances • Glass, metal, plastic, wood, or debris from equipment or packaging • Contaminants introduced via raw materials or damaged infrastructure
- • Site-specific hazard and risk assessments • Integration of physical and chemical hazard analysis in the HACCP plan • Equipment and infrastructure inspection logs
2. Implement Control Measures
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Control Measures May Include:
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• Segregated storage of chemicals and cleaning tools
• Use of food-safe materials and lubricants
• Preventive maintenance programs for equipment and building fabric
• Installation of physical controls (e.g., mesh screens, filters, covers)
• Foreign material detection systems (e.g., magnets, sieves, metal detectors, X-ray)
Evidence to Maintain:
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• Documented SOPs for cleaning and chemical handling
• Maintenance and calibration logs
• Validation records for detection or barrier systems
- • Segregated storage of chemicals and cleaning tools • Use of food-safe materials and lubricants • Preventive maintenance programs for equipment and building fabric • Installation of physical controls (e.g., mesh screens, filters, covers) • Foreign material detection systems (e.g., magnets, sieves, metal detectors, X-ray)
- • Documented SOPs for cleaning and chemical handling • Maintenance and calibration logs • Validation records for detection or barrier systems
3. Manage Chemical Controls
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Specific Requirements Include:
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• Approved chemical list with Safety Data Sheets (SDS)
• Designated and labeled chemical storage areas
• Controlled access and handling by trained personnel
• Verification of correct chemical concentrations when used in operations
Evidence to Maintain:
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• Chemical inventory and SDS documentation
• Usage logs and dilution verification forms
• Training records for chemical handlers
- • Approved chemical list with Safety Data Sheets (SDS) • Designated and labeled chemical storage areas • Controlled access and handling by trained personnel • Verification of correct chemical concentrations when used in operations
- • Chemical inventory and SDS documentation • Usage logs and dilution verification forms • Training records for chemical handlers
4. Monitor and Verify Control Effectiveness
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Verification Techniques:
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• Routine inspections of production and storage areas
• Validation and periodic testing of detection devices
• Internal audits of chemical storage and handling practices
• Investigation of any foreign material incidents
Evidence to Maintain:
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• CCP/PRP monitoring logs
• Internal audit and inspection reports
• Corrective action records following contamination events
- • Routine inspections of production and storage areas • Validation and periodic testing of detection devices • Internal audits of chemical storage and handling practices • Investigation of any foreign material incidents
- • CCP/PRP monitoring logs • Internal audit and inspection reports • Corrective action records following contamination events
Common Audit Findings & Recommended Fixes
| Audit Finding | Recommended Action |
|---|---|
| Unlabeled or improperly stored chemicals | Implement clear chemical storage protocols and label all containers |
| Broken or unclean infrastructure | Include facility maintenance in regular inspections and audits |
| Missing checks for detection systems | Establish and document routine verification of detection effectiveness |
| No foreign body risk assessment | Incorporate physical hazard analysis in the site’s HACCP plan |