Extraneous matter is any material present in a product lot that does not belong there, including plant debris, soil, insects, stones or packaging fragments, and its control is a fundamental food safety and quality requirement in all commodity trade.
In trade practice
Specifications set maximum limits for extraneous matter, often expressed as a percentage by weight or as a count per kilogram of sample, and may distinguish between categories such as extraneous vegetable matter, mineral matter and animal-derived material. Control relies on a sequence of cleaning, sieving, optical sorting and manual inspection belt checks at the processing stage. At incoming inspection, buyers draw samples and examine them visually and, where required, by sieving or washing. A frequent gap is failing to specify the sample size and inspection method, which makes enforcement of the limit inconsistent between suppliers.
In a specification
A specification states the maximum permitted level of extraneous matter by category, the sample weight to be inspected and the inspection method, referencing applicable Codex or EU food hygiene requirements where relevant.