L4 Food Related Contaminants

4.
10 Food Related Contaminants/ Hazards

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.Food-borne illness and its business-destroying cousin, a food-borne
illness outbreak, are caused by food contamination. Food contamination refers to when something gets into
food that shouldn't be there, thereby making the food unsafe to eat. While there are many food safety
hazards that can cause food contamination, most fall 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.
10.1 Technological Hazard
Technological hazards refer to hazards that stem from

technological or industrial conditions. This includes accidents, dangerous
procedures, infrastructure deficiencies, and specific human activities that
can cause death, injury, disease, or other health impacts, as well as
jeopardize property, livelihood, and services, provoke social or economic
disorder, and cause environmental damage.
Examples of technological hazards include industrial pollution, nuclear radiation, toxic wastes, dam
failures, transport accidents, factory explosions, fires, and chemical spills. Technological hazards can also
result directly from the consequences of an event related to natural hazards, as in the case of the
explosions of two nuclear reactors with the associated hazards of radioactivity in Fukushima, Japan,
following a tsunami that accompanied an earthquake.
Examples of technological Hazards
1. Industrial pollution 2. Toxic wastes 3. Dam failures

4. Transport accidents
1. Factory explosions 6. Fires 8. Chemical spills
Technological hazards include hazardous materials incidents and nuclear power plant failures.
Usually, little or no warning precedes incidents involving technological hazards. In many cases, victims may
not know they have been affected until many years later.Hazards originating from technological or industrial
accidents, dangerous procedures, infrastructure failures or specific human activities that may cause the
loss of life or injury, property damage, social and economic disruption.
10.2 Biological Contaminants/Hazards
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.
Most Food-borne Illnesses are caused by Bacteria or Viruses, with the most Common being:
1. Norovirus
2. Listeria
3. Salmonella
4. E. coli
5. Campylobacter
Food-borne illness occurs when disease-causing microorganisms, also called pathogens, get into
food and multiply to unsafe levels before being eaten. This can happen remarkably quickly; in conditions
ideal for bacterial growth, one single-cell bacteria can become two million in just seven hours.
A. Bacteria and other pathogens thrive in foods that are:
1. Moist
2. High in protein or starch
3. Neutral in acidity
Foods that meet these criteria are called potentially hazardous or high-risk foods. All high-risk
foods are teeming with pathogens and other bacteria; it is your responsibility to stop bacteria from
multiplying to unsafe levels and, where possible, to destroy them via the cooking process.
Microorganisms that can Contaminate Food and cause Food-borne Illness
a. living, single-celled organisms, the most common

b. Carried thru food, water, soil humans, or insects
c. Can reproduce rapidly under favorable conditions.
d. Some are thermophilic; others are thermophobic
e. Spore forming
f. Can cause spoilage or illness
g. Can cause illness through toxins which cannot be destroyed thru cooking
h. Examples includes: (salmonella, shigella, listeria monocytogenes,stayphyloccocusaureus)
B. Viruses
a. Rely on host to reproduce
b. Not complete cells
c. Do not reproduce in food
d. May survive freezing and cooking
e. Transmission may be from person to person, people to food, people to food-contact
surfaces
f. Examples includes: (hepatitis A virus, Norwalk virus, Rotavirus)
1. Parasites
a. Rely on a host to survive
b. Grow naturally in animal – pigs, cats, rodents, fish and can be transmitted to humans
c. Often small and microscopic, but larger than bacteria
d. Hazard to food and water
e. Example includes ( Trichenella spirals, Anissakis simplex, Giardia duodenalis, Toxoplasma gondii
2. Fungi–Range in size from microscopic, single-celled organisms to large, multicellular organism. It also
found in air, soil, plants, water and same food examples are aspergillus,candidaalbicans
10.3 Chemical Contaminants/hazard

A chemical hazard is a type of occupational hazard caused by exposure to chemicals in the
workplace. Exposure to chemicals in the workplace can cause acute or long-term detrimental health
effects. These hazards can cause physical and/or health risks.
Some commonly used workplace chemical hazards include:

1. Caustic substances
2. Cleaning products such as toilet cleaners, disinfectants, mildew
remover and chlorine bleach. Glues
3. Heavy metals, including mercury, lead, cadmium, and aluminum.
10.4 Physical Contaminants/Hazard
Physical hazards include slips, trips, falls, and

exposure to loud noises, working from heights,
vibrations, and unguarded machinery.
Ergonomic Hazards. Every occupation places certain
strains on a worker's body. Ergonomic hazards occur as
a result of physical factors that can harm the
musculoskeletal system.
Example:
1. Hair
2. Dirt
3. Metal staples, bandage
4. Broken glass
10.5 Allergens
An allergen is a usually harmless substance capable of triggering a response that starts in the
immune system and results in an allergic reaction In addition to pollen, other common allergens include
dust mites, animal dander, mold, medications, insect venoms and various foods. Allergens are typically
naturally-occurring proteins in foods or derivatives of them that cause abnormal immune responses.
Examples:
1. Milk and dairy products
2. Eggs and egg products
3. Fish shellfish
4. Wheat
5. Soy and soy products
6. Peanuts
7. Tree nuts
Symptoms of an Allergic ReactionInclude:
1. Itching in and around the mouth, face,or scalp

2. Tightening in the throat
3. Wheezing or shortness of breath
4. Hives
5. Swelling of the face, eyes, hands, or feet
6. Gastrointestinal symptoms
7. Loss of consciousness and death due toanaphalytic shock
10.6 Naturally occurring Toxins
The commonly eaten foods listed here may contain natural toxins and consumers are protected by
maximum limits for them in the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code You can also limit your
exposure to natural toxins. Food contains natural chemicals, including carbohydrates, sugars, proteins and
vitamins. But some foods contain potentially harmful natural toxins. Sometimes a toxin is present as a
naturally occurring pesticide to ward off insect attack or to protect the plant from spoilage when damaged
by weather.
Natural toxins in food

1. Alcohol
2. Cassava and bamboo shoots
3. Fish: Escolar and oil fish
4. Fish: naturally occurring mercury
5. Fish: Ciguatera food poisoning
6. Fish: Scombroid (histamine) fish poisoning
7. Fruit seeds and pits
4.11 FATTOM
FAT TOMis a mnemonic device used in the food

service industry to describe the six favorable conditions required for the growth of foodborne
pathogens.Although bacteria are good at adapting to their environments, certain conditions promote
bacterial growth more than others. These conditions include food type, acidity, time, temperature, oxygen,
and moisture.Understanding the optimal conditions for bacterial growth can potentially help you reduce
your risk for bacterial infections and food poisoning.
F – Food
Microorganisms need a constant source of nutrients to survive, especially protein. Moist, protein-rich food
(raw meat or seafood, cooked rice or pasta, eggs, and dairy products) are potentially hazardous and are
considered high-risk foods.
A – Acidity
The degree of acidity or alkalinity (base) of a substance is
measured by its pH.pH is measured on a scale from 0 to 14.0. An
environment with a pH of 7.0 is exactly neutral. Foods with a pH
below 7.0 are acidic; a pH above 7.0 is alkaline.
Bacteria grow best in an environment that is slightly acidic or
neutral (pH level of 4.6-7.5) and they flourish in a pH range
between 6.6 and 7.5.
T – Time
When low acid and high protein available foods are left out too long at room temperature can cause
bacteria to grow to dangerous levels that can cause illness.
Food should not remain in the temperature danger zone (40°F – 140°F) for more than 2 hours, and either
is cooled or heated. If the temperature is above 90°F, food should not be left out more than 1 hour.
T – Temperature
Bacteria grow best at a temperature range of 40°F to 140°F – which is referred to as the “temperature
danger zone”.
Important rules of food safety are to not leave food at room temperature for too long and store foods at the
correct temperature.
O – Oxygen
Almost all foodborne pathogens are aerobic, that is, requiring oxygen to survive and grow.
A few microorganisms grow only in anaerobic conditions (in the absence of oxygen). Botulism, a rare type
of foodborne illness, is caused by a specific type of bacteria called clostridium botulism that grows only in
anaerobic conditions.
M – Moisture
Water is essential for the growth of microorganisms. Perishability of a food is related to the moisture
content, and the water activity level.
Moisture content is the amount of water in food expressed as a percentage. Water activity (aw) is the
amount of water available for use and is measured on a scale of 0 to 1.0.
References
R1 - Ang, M.J. &Balanon, H.A. (2010).Food safety and sanitation. Quezon City: C & E Publishing,
Inc.
R2 - Perdigon, G.P., Claudio, V.S. & Chavez, L.DL. (2006).Food,water, and environmental
sanitation and safety for the hospitality industry and Institutions. Manila: Merriam & Webster
Bookstore, Inc.
R3-McSwane, D., Rue, N. & Linton, R. (2003).Essentials of food safety & sanitation. New Jersey:
Pearson Education South Asia PTE LTD.
R4 - Alvarez, H.U., cabuhal, G.M.M.(2010).Food safety, sanitation and hygiene. Manila
:Mindshapers Co., Inc.
R5 – Rodolfa, B.B. Jr (2012). Hotel rooms division: Management and Control system.Manila:Purely
Books Trading & Publishing Corp
R6 – Lago, E.M., Jerusalem, L.B. (2011).Rooms division management and control system. Manila:
Mindshapers Co. Inc.
R7 – Maranan, J.M., Maranan, M., Nazareno-Caluza, C. (2018).Risk management for tourism and
hospitality management. Manila: Mindshapers Co. Inc.
R8 – Mendoza, E.H and Garcia,L.S.P (2019). Enterprise risk management. Intramuros Manila:
Unlimited Books Library Services and Publishing Inc.
R9 – Parker, E. (2017). Food safety and quality. New York: Larsen and Keller Education.
R10 – 3g Elearning (2017).Disaster readiness and risk reduction. UAE: 3G Elearning FZ LLC

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4.

10 Food Related Contaminants/ Hazards

10.1 Technological Hazard

Technological hazards refer to hazards that stem from

Examples of technological Hazards

1. Industrial pollution 2. Toxic wastes 3. Dam failures

10.2 Biological Contaminants/Hazards

Microorganisms that can Contaminate Food and cause Food-borne Illness

a. living, single-celled organisms, the most common

10.3 Chemical Contaminants/hazard

Some commonly used workplace chemical hazards include:

10.4 Physical Contaminants/Hazard

Physical hazards include slips, trips, falls, and

1. Itching in and around the mouth, face,or scalp

10.6 Naturally occurring Toxins

Natural toxins in food

FAT TOMis a mnemonic device used in the food

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