Food Hazards

Food Safety Hazards are physical, chemical and biological substance in food or condition of food with the potential to cause adverse health effects. There are majorly four types of hazards.

• Physical Hazards

• Chemical Hazards

• Biological Hazards

• Allergens

Physical Hazards

Any foreign object (inanimate ) found in the food or a naturally occurring object (metal, hard plastic) that poses a hazard is called physical contamination or hazard.

COMMON PHYSICAL HAZARDS

Glass, chipped pieces from equipment, stapler pins, blades, Plastic, Lint and threads, Band aids, Hair, Finger nails, jewellery pieces.

Chemical Hazards

Naturally occurring and process induced chemical substances that can cause a food borne illness are called chemical contaminant/ hazard.

Natural chemical contaminants include

• Biological toxins

• Mycotoxins (Aflatoxin, ochratoxin etc.)

Process induced chemical contaminants include

• Toxin metals in the processing setup or supply chain

• Pesticides, Colorants

• Equipment lubricants

• Chemical food additives and preservatives

• Packaging Material - Migration of residue from Packaging material to food etc

Biological Hazard

Biological hazards are organisms are substances produced by organisms, that poses a threat to human health. Biological hazard cause

• Food borne infection

• Food borne intoxications

Food borne infection

This result when a person consumes food containing pathogens, which grow in the human intestine and cause discomfort or disease. Typical symptoms of a food borne infections do not appear immediately.

Food borne intoxications

This result when a person consumes food containing toxins in it, that cause discomfort or disease. Typical symptoms of a food borne infections appear quickly.

Conditions favoring the growth of microorganisms (FATTOM)

• Food - Food borne microbes draw nutrients from it

• Acidity - Food borne microbes grow well between the pH range of most foods

• Temperature - Food borne microbes grow well between the temperature range of 5 to 60° C most commonly known as DANGER ZONE.

• Time - Need sufficient time to grow when exposed to danger zone

• Oxygen - Microbes need Oxygen in free or combined state to favor their growth

• Moisture - Microbes require moisture to grow and is measured in form of Water Activity (Aw)

Allergens

Allergens is normally any harmless substance that cause an immediate allergic reaction in a susceptible person. It is potentially serious immune response to eating or otherwise coming into contact with certain food or food additives.

Food allergy occurs when the immune system

• Identifies a particular food protein as dangerous and creates antibodies against it

• Next time the individual eats the food, immune system tries to protect the body against the danger by releasing massive amount of chemicals including histamine.

• Histamine is a powerful chemical that cause a reaction in the respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract, skin or cardiovascular system.

The following foods and ingredients are known to cause hypersensitivity and should always be declared by food businesses

1. Cereals containing gluten i.e. wheat, rye, barley, oats etc.

2. crustaceans and products

3. Fish and fish products

4. Egg and egg products

5. Soybeans and these products

6. Milk and milk products

7. Peanuts and nut products

8. Sulphite in concentration of 10mg/kg or more

Source - fssai training manual

With Regards

Rajarajan A

M.Tech - Food Technology