food contamination
Unsafe meal hazard
Food contamination is the presence of harmful substances in food—bacteria, viruses, chemicals, or foreign objects that make it unsafe to eat.
Contamination can occur at any stage from farm to table: during growing, processing, storage, or preparation.
The outbreak was traced to food contamination at a single processing plant.
Cross-contamination happens when pathogens spread from one food to another, typically from raw meat to ready-to-eat items.
- listeriaFoodborne bacterial infection
- raw chickenUnprepared bird meat
- pesticidesChemicals destroying harmful organisms
- moldForm-giving container
- salmonellaFoodborne bacterial illness
toxins · E. coli · fungi · bacteria · heavy metals · acrylamide · botulism · norovirus · wash your hands · melamine · parasites · glass shards · protozoa · insects · foodborne illness · viruses · allergens · undercooked
- Nuclear Falloutfallout, radioactive dust, fallout zone, fallout shelter, radiation sickness
- hazardsfire hazard, fire hazards, toxin, tripping hazard, choking hazard
- health crisespandemic, epidemic, outbreak, health emergency, public health emergency
- eco-thrillerseco-terrorism, ecoterrorism, oil spill, toxic waste, environmental activism
- fecal-oral diseasescholera, typhoid, norovirus, rotavirus, shigellosis
food contaminationfood safety
Illness prevention through handling
food purity · safe food · food hygiene · sanitary conditions · pathogen-free
food contaminationdecontamination
Removing dangerous substances
food sanitation · pasteurization · food hygiene · sanitization · disinfection