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Basics in relation to certain hazards:

Food Safety Hazard means biological, chemical or physical agent in food, or condition of food, with the potential to cause an adverse health effect. There are majorly four types of hazards –

Physical Hazards:

Any foreign object (inanimate) found in the food or a naturally occurring object (metal, hard plastic), that can cause a food borne illness is called a ‘Physical Hazard’.

Common Physical Hazards include:

– Glass
– Chipped pieces from equipment
– Metal shavings from cans and foils
– Stapler pins
– Blades
– Plastic or chipped pieces of disposables
– Lint and threads
– Band- aids
– Hair
– Finger nails
– Jewellery pieces
– Insects and other pests

Chemical Hazards:

Naturally occurring and process- induced chemical substances that can cause a food borne illness are called a ‘Chemical Hazard’.

Natural Chemical Contaminants include:

– Mycotoxins

Process Induced Chemical Contaminants include:

– Toxic metals in the processing set up or supply chain
– Pesticides, Colorants
– Cleansing products and sanitizers
– Equipment lubricants
– Chemical Food Additives, Preservatives
– Packaging materials-migration of residues from packaging material to oil.
– Adulteration with other oils or mineral oil

Biological Hazards:

Biological hazards are organisms, or substances produced by organisms, that pose a threat to human health. They are a major concern in food processing because they cause most food borne illness outbreaks.

Major biological hazards include –

– Bacteria ex: Salmonella spp., Enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Clostridium botulinum,
– Yeast & Mold ex: Candida, Aspergillus sp, Helicosporium

Biological Hazards cause the following –

1. Food Borne Infections–This occurs when a person consumes food containing pathogens; which grow in the human intestine and cause discomfort or disease. Typical symptoms of a ‘food borne infection’ do not appear immediately.
2. Food Borne Intoxications – This occurs when a person consumes food containing toxins in it; that cause discomfort or disease. Typical symptoms of a ‘food borne Intoxication’ appear quickly. Food Borne toxin are mediated infections, that result when a person consumes food containing toxins produced by the pathogens in it; which grow in the human intestine and produce toxins that cause discomfort or disease.

Physical-Biological Hazard:

These are the hazards coming from biological creatures like flies, worms, cockroaches’ weevils, caterpillars and so on, whether in live or dead form.

Conditions favouring growth of Microorganisms

Easy to remember: “FAT TOM”

Food – Food borne Microorganisms draw nutrients from Potentially hazardous foods

Acidity – Food borne Microorganisms grow well between the pH range of most foods

Temperature – Microorganisms grow well between the temperature range of 5⁰C – 60⁰C, most commonly known as the ‘Danger Zone’

Time – Microorganisms need sufficient time to grow; when exposed to the ‘Danger Zone’

Oxygen – Microorganisms require oxygen in free or combined state; to favor their growth

Moisture – Microorganisms require moisture to grow and is measured in the form of ‘Water Activity (Aw)’

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