A foreign object (FO) is an undesirable physical object present in a product. Foreign objects (FOs), glass fragments, glass particles and other contamination found in products are a serious issue at any point in the supply chain – especially for foods, beverages, liquor, cosmetics and pharmaceutical products.
Here at BEAM we have a dedicated microscopy and analyst team who are able to identify many different types of FOs (as small as 80 nanometers, or present at parts per billion concentrations) and contamination, using our extensive expertise, techniques and suite of state-of-the-art equipment. It is of vital importance to identify the source of the FO or contamination through analysis and resolve root causes to prevent recurrence. We can help whether the FO has been introduced during manufacturing, processing or filling of the product or potentially by the customer after purchase. We provide analysis on a whole range of foreign materials and contamination studies, including glass, plastics, metals and both manufactured and naturally occurring minerals.
Types of foreign objects, contamination and glass analyzed
- Particulate, foreign materials and delamination in pharmaceuticals and drug products
- FOs or contamination found inside wine or liquor products whether it is believed the FO is glass or something else
- Cosmetics, perfumes and fragrances
- Glass or glass-like foreign bodies found within foods, drinks, beers and spirits products
- Glass fragments, stray and unknown materials
- Sanitary ware and nappies
- Contamination found or believed to be in product during transportation or at client
These projects are complex and our experience within these analyses, skilled knowledge and range of analytical capabilities have identified the source of FO, glass particles and fragments – enabling leading brands, retailers and manufacturers to take informed decisions
Challenge
FOs or contamination found by the final end-use in food, beverages or non-food products are a serious issue. FOs and/or contamination can include glass, metal, plastic, or other non-organic or organic solid objects. The stage at which the FO/contamination has been introduced may not be easy to determine. Such an incident can undermine a company’s image and reputation and needs to be addressed quickly. Most of these problems are found within the manufacturing QC process and at BEAM we work towards a close relationship with the company to solve the problem and potentially prevent the problem occurring again.
Solution
Our investigation laboratory specializes in the investigative analysis of small samples, usually fragments, layers or particulates. The analysis of a sample may assist in identifying the origin of that FO/contamination. We employ a range of methodologies and instruments to perform analysis including:
- Optical microscopy – visual features of foreign objects, with capacity to produce digital microscopy photographs.
- Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometry (SEM-EDS) – fast and non-destructive means of determining the elemental composition and identification of foreign objects, deposits or contaminants.
- Raman- and Fourier Transform Infra-red Spectroscopy (FTIR) – used to identify plastics and organic contaminants etc. This instrument also includes an extensive spectral library which assists with identification of the fragments and unknowns.
- Density measurements (sink-float method) are an excellent way of distinguishing the origins of glass fragments as this is an extremely sensitive method.
Further analysis may be useful, for some samples, utilizing the following techniques:
- Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES) is an elemental analysis technique, which complements SEM-EDX. It has the capability to determine minute quantities of elements in various samples. It is possible to get a spectral ‘fingerprint’ to assist in the identification of materials.
- Gas chromatography applies if the contamination is in a liquid and not a solid.
Classical chemical analysis entails a wide range of ‘wet chemical analysis’ techniques, known for hundreds of years. These techniques often help to elucidate the composition of materials.