Food Contamination
![Food Contamination](/getmedia/3310c1c6-891b-42f8-aaa0-f6b52a4602b3/child-microscope.jpg?w=2000&h=1335&ext=.jpg&width=1360&resizemode=force)
Contamination is the presence of any harmful or objectionable substance in food.
Examples of cross contamination
- Bacterial contamination of food
- Direct - Raw meats touching ready-to-eat products
- Indirect - Using a knife to cut raw meat and then using the same knife to cut a ready-to-eat product
- Airborne contamination – sneezing over food
Where bacteria originate | Type of bacteria |
Animal | E. coli |
Poultry & Eggs | Salmonella & Campylobacter |
Vegetables | Clostridium perfringens |
Shellfish | Viruses |
Milk | TB |
Water | E. coli |
Hands | Staphylococcus aureus |
Preventative measures against cross contamination
- Store raw food and cooked food separately
- Keep raw meat on the bottom shelf of the fridge
- Use different chopping boards and knives for raw and cooked/ready-to-eat foods
- Always cover foods that are stored in the fridge