CPG Sec. 555.425 Foods, Adulteration Involving 
hard or Sharp Foreign Objects 
BACKGROUND: 
Hard or sharp foreign objects in food may cause traumatic injury including laceration and 
perforation of tissues of the mouth, tongue, throat, stomach and intestine as well as damage to 
the teeth and gums. From 1972 through 1997, the FDA Health Hazard Evaluation Board 
evaluated approximately 190 cases of hard or sharp foreign objects in food. These include cases 
of both injury and non-injury reported to FDA. The Board found that foreign objects that are less 
than 7 mm, maximum dimension, rarely cause trauma or serious injury except in special risk 
groups such as infants, surgery patients, and the elderly. The scientific and clinical literature 
supports this conclusion. 
Hard or sharp natural components of a food ( e.g. bones in seafood, shell in nut products) are 
unlikely to cause injury because of awareness on the part of the consumer that the component is 
a natural and intrinsic component of a particular product. The exception occurs when the 
food="s" label represents that the hard or sharp component has been removed from the food, e.g., 
pitted olives. The presence of the naturally occurring hard or sharp object in those situations 
(e.g., pit fragments in pitted olives) is unexpected and may cause injury. FDA has established 
Defect Action Levels for many of these types of unavoidable defects in other Compliance Policy 
Guides and therefore they are not subject to the guidance in this document. 
REGULATORY ACTION GUIDANCE: 
The following represent the criteria for direct reference seizure *requests to the Office of Human 
and Animal Food Operations (OHAFO) in consultation with the Office of Enforcement and 
Import Operations (OEIO) and CFSAN, and direct reference import detention to the appropriate 
Field Offices within the Human and Animal Food Program*. 
a.  The product contains a hard or sharp foreign object that measures 7 mm to 25 mm, in 
length. 
and 
b.  The product is ready-to-eat, or according to instructions or other guidance or 
requirements, it requires only minimal preparation steps, e.g., heating, that would not 
eliminate, invalidate, or neutralize the hazard prior to consumption. 
Samples found to contain foreign objects that meet criteria a. and b., above should be considered 
adulterated within the meaning of 21 U.S.C. 342(a)(1). 
The following represent the criteria for recommending legal action to CFSAN Office of 
*Compliance, Division of Enforcement* (HFS-605).  c.  The product contains a hard or sharp foreign object that measures 7 mm to 25 mm in 
length, and the product requires additional preparation or processing that may have an 
effect on the presence of the foreign objects in the finished food. For example, additional 
sifting of a product may or may not remove foreign objects, depending on the 
measurements of the objects and the mesh aperture of the sifter. In these situations, the 
preparation or processing of the food must be described in the recommendation submitted 
by the appropriate *office within the Human and Animal Food Program*. 
or 
d.  The product contains a hard or sharp foreign object less than 7 mm in length and if a 
special-risk group, as defined in the background section, is among the intended 
consumers of the product. 
or 
e.  The product contains a hard or sharp foreign object over 25 mm in length. 
A sample found to contain a foreign object that meets criterion c., d., or e., above should be 
considered adulterated within the meaning of 21 U.S.C. 342(a)(1) if a health hazard is 
established by CFSAN review. The CFSAN health hazard review in this case will consider 
various factors including the intended use of the product, subsequent processing steps, official 
guidance and requirements concerning unavoidable natural defects, and other mitigating factors 
that could eliminate, invalidate or neutralize the hazard prior to consumption of the food product. 
REMARKS: 
If CFSAN review finds no health hazard associated with a sample containing a hard or sharp 
foreign object that meets criterion c., or d., above, the sample should be considered adulterated 
within the meaning of *21 U.S.C. 342(a)(3)* if a CFSAN review finds the article unfit for food. 
The CFSAN review in this case will consider various factors including subsequent processing 
steps, extent of contamination, and intended use of the product. 
CPG 515.350 addresses imbedded objects in confectionary, which may cause such foods to be 
adulterated within the meaning of 21 U.S.C. 342(d)(1). 
SPECIMEN CHARGES: 
The following charges are appropriate for a product that satisfies criteria a. and b. for direct 
reference seizure: 
Article (was adulterated when introduced into and while in interstate commerce)(is adulterated 
while held for sale after shipment in interstate commerce), within the meaning of 21 U.S.C. 342 
(a)(1), in that it bears or contains a deleterious substance which may render the food injurious to 
health.  Article is subject to refusal of admission pursuant to Section 801(a)(3) in that the article appears 
to bear or contain a deleterious substance which may render it injurious to health. 
*Material between asterisks is new or revised* 
Issued: 3/23/1999 
Revised: 5/2005