Knowra Food contamination Food contamination Food contamination is the presence of harmful biological, chemical, or physical agents in food. It can occur during production, processing, storage, or preparation.
Cross-contamination : The transfer of harmful microorganisms or substances from one food, surface, or object to another. Contaminants often spread between raw and ready-to-eat foods through shared hands, tools, or surfaces.
Hazard analysis and critical control points : A food-safety system that identifies hazards and controls them at critical stages of production. HACCP targets contamination risks before unsafe food reaches consumers.
2011 Germany E. coli outbreak : A 2011 outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli linked to contaminated fenugreek sprouts in Germany and other countries. The outbreak shows how contaminated seeds can spread pathogens through sprout production.
Food adulteration : The deliberate or fraudulent addition, substitution, or removal of substances in food. Adulteration can introduce contaminants intentionally, unlike accidental contamination.
Foodborne pathogen : A bacterium, virus, parasite, or other biological agent capable of causing illness through contaminated food. Pathogens are the biological agents behind many contamination events.
Food microbiology : The study of microorganisms associated with food, including their effects on safety, quality, and production. This field identifies biological contaminants and examines their behavior in food.
2008 China milk scandal : A Chinese food-safety scandal in which melamine was added to milk and dairy products to falsify protein measurements. It illustrates deliberate chemical adulteration and the danger of flawed screening.
Food allergy : An immune response to a normally harmless food protein. Allergens can make food dangerous, but they are not contaminants in the usual safety sense.
Biofilm : A community of microorganisms embedded in a self-produced matrix attached to a surface. Biofilms can shelter persistent microbes on food-processing equipment.
Food safety testing : Laboratory and field methods used to detect hazards or verify food-safety controls. Testing can reveal contaminants that inspection alone cannot detect.
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