Foodborne pathogens can cause severe diarrhoea or debilitating infections including meningitis . Chemical contamination can lead to acute poisoning or long-term diseases, such as cancer. Foodborne diseases may lead to long-lasting disability and death.
What are 3 causes of food contamination?
- biological hazards (microorganisms) including bacteria, fungi, yeasts, mould and viruses.
- chemical hazards. including cleaning chemicals or foods with naturally occurring toxins, such as green potatoes.
- physical hazards.
What are the effects of eating contaminated foods?
- abdominal cramps.
- diarrhea.
- vomiting.
- loss of appetite.
- mild fever.
- weakness.
- nausea.
- headaches.
What are the 5 causes of food contamination?
- Raw or undercooked meat and poultry.
- Raw or lightly cooked eggs.
- Unpasteurized milk, cheese, or other dairy products.
- Seafood and raw shellfish.
- Fruits and vegetables.
- Raw flour.
- Sprouts, such as alfalfa and mung bean.
Which disease is caused by contaminated food?
In the US, norovirus is the most common cause of illness from contaminated food or water—but food isn’t the only way people can get norovirus. It also spreads easily from person-to-person. Symptoms usually start within 1 or 2 days of eating the contaminated food, but may begin in as few as 12 hours.
What are major causes of food contamination?
Infectious organisms — including bacteria, viruses and parasites — or their toxins are the most common causes of food poisoning. Infectious organisms or their toxins can contaminate food at any point of processing or production. Contamination can also occur at home if food is incorrectly handled or cooked.
How can we prevent food contamination?
- Wash your hands. ...
- Wash worktops, knives and utensils. ...
- Wash dishcloths. ...
- Use separate chopping boards. ...
- Keep raw meat separate. ...
- Store raw meat on the bottom shelf. ...
- Cook food thoroughly. ...
- Keep your fridge below 5C.
What are the causes of contamination?
- poor waste management.
- poor construction, industrial or agricultural practices.
- illegal dumping or unsafe storage of harmful products.
What are the ways food can be contaminated?
How does the food get contaminated (become unsafe)? Food can be contaminated when a person who is preparing the food has not washed his/her hands. Fruit, vegetables, dairy products, meat and other food items can come into contact with soil, water, human/animal waste that contains illness-causing germs .
What is the cause of food safety issues?
The factors involved in the potential threat caused by foods are inappropriate agricultural practices , poor hygiene at any stage of the food chain, lack of preventive controls during processing and preparation of the food, incorrect use of the chemical materials, contaminated raw materials, food and water and ...
What are the 7 food borne illnesses?
However, the CDC estimates that about 90% of all foodborne illness in this country is caused by the following seven (7) pathogens: Norovirus, Salmonella, Clostridium perfrigens, Campylobacter, Listeria, E. coli 0157:H7 and Toxoplasma.
What are the 4 types of food contaminant?
This article has broken down the four main types of food contamination: chemical, microbial, physical, and allergenic . It has also highlighted a number of different scenarios that could cause the contamination of a food product and numerous ways of preventing it from occurring.
How do you know if food is contaminated?
- feeling sick (nausea)
- vomiting.
- diarrhoea, which may contain blood or mucus.
- stomach cramps and abdominal pain.
- a lack of energy and weakness.
- loss of appetite.
- a high temperature (fever)
- aching muscles.
Are bacteria in food always harmful?
Bacteria, viruses and parasites are the sources of many food poisoning cases, usually due to improper food handling. Some bacteria, in small amounts, are not harmful to most healthy adults because the human body is equipped to fight them off.
What are the 10 food contamination sources?
Major contamination sources are water, air, dust, equipment, sewage, insects, rodents, and employees . Contamination of raw materials can also occur from the soil, sewage, live animals, external surface, and the internal organs of meat animals.
What are the effects of contamination?
Some pesticides have the potential to harm humans, wildlife, and native plants if they are exposed to high enough levels for a long enough period of time. Depending on the chemical and concentrations, possible health effects include cancer, reproductive or nervous-system disorders, and acute toxicity .
