Which of the following is a source of physical hazards?

• A. Water
• B. Noise
• C. Electronic timer
• D. Packaging materials

Answer: (D)

Physical hazards are foreign objects that could contaminate food and cause harm. Packaging materials are a source because pieces can break off, shed, or become dislodged into the product during production, packaging, or handling. A fragment from plastic film, a shard from glass in packaging, or a metal piece from damaged components can end up in the food and pose choking or injury risks. That’s why controls focus on packaging integrity, supplier quality, and detection methods (like metal detectors or visual checks) to prevent these contaminants from reaching the consumer.

Water isn’t a discrete object entering the food as a foreign body, noise affects workers rather than the product, and an electronic timer is equipment that doesn’t normally become part of the food as a contaminant. Packaging materials, however, can become actual contaminants if they degrade or shed into the product.