Contamination and Foodborne Illness

This module is specific to Basic Food Safety Awareness and should be read carefully before continuing.

• Biological contamination includes bacteria, viruses, parasites, moulds, and toxins that can make people sick.
• Common foodborne illness symptoms include vomiting, diarrhoea, stomach pain, fever, and dehydration.
• Cross-contamination happens when hazards move from raw food, dirty hands, equipment, cloths, or surfaces to safe food.
• Chemical contamination can come from cleaning chemicals, pesticides, lubricants, or incorrectly stored chemicals.
• Physical contamination can include glass, metal, plastic, hair, stones, packaging pieces, or broken equipment parts.
• Allergen contamination can happen when allergenic ingredients accidentally contact food meant to be allergen-free.
• High-risk foods often include cooked meat, poultry, seafood, dairy products, cooked rice, eggs, and ready-to-eat foods.
• Food left too long at unsafe temperatures can allow bacteria to multiply quickly.
• Good storage, separation, cleaning, and temperature control reduce the risk of contamination.
• Food handlers should report unsafe food, damaged packaging, pest signs, or equipment failure immediately.