Food poisoning is one
of the most prevalent illnesses today. Food-borne illness and its
business-destroying cousin, a food-borne illness outbreak, are caused by food
contamination. It's important to understand what the potential hazards are when
it comes to food, especially if you are preparing or serving food for someone
else. When you know how food can become contaminated, you can take steps to
prevent it.
Most of the food
contamination falls into one of three categories: biological, physical or
chemical contamination. In many cases, a single hazard can introduce more than
one type of contamination to food.
Biological
Contamination
Biological contamination occurs when
food becomes contaminated by living organisms or the substances they produce.
This includes biological matter produced by humans, rodents, insects and
microorganisms. Biological contamination is the leading cause of food-borne illness and food poisoning,
and a common cause of food spoilage and food waste. There are six types of
microorganisms that can cause food-borne illness: bacteria, viruses, parasites,
protozoa, fungi and prions.
Physical Contamination
Physical contamination occurs when a
physical object enters food at some stage of the production or preparation
process. Physical objects in food can be a choking hazard and often introduce
biological contaminants as well. Even if the object is not likely to injure
your customer, finding an object in their food can be very distressing for a
customer. Common examples of physical contaminants in food businesses include: hair,
fingernails, bandages, jewelers, broken glass, staples, plastic wrap/packaging,
dirt from unwashed fruit and vegetables, pests/pest droppings/rodent hair.
Chemical
Contamination
Chemical contamination
occurs when food comes into contact with or produces toxic chemicals, which can
lead to chemical food poisoning. Chemical contaminants fall into one of two
categories: natural and artificial. Common chemical contaminants include:
cleaning products (e.g. detergent, sanitizer), pesticides/herbicides, toxic
chemicals in metals and plastic, preservatives, naturally occurring toxins.
Naturally occurring toxins are toxic compounds that are produced by living
organisms, some of which are staples of the human diet (e.g. shellfish,
potatoes, and fish). These toxins are not harmful to the organisms themselves
but can be harmful to us if we eat them.
Cross-Contamination
Cross-contamination is
the accidental transfer of contaminants from one surface or substance
to another, usually as a result of improper handling
procedures. In a food setting, the term refers to the transfer of
contaminants from a surface, object or person to
food. Cross-contamination usually refers to biological contamination
but can also be physical or chemical.
Indeed, this food contaminations can be prevented by through well education and training. Food Handlers of Texas provides online training, continuing
education, and resources to thousands of food workers as part of our mission to
reduce food-borne illness and other food safety risks in Texas.
