FOOD CONTAMINATION

Food contamination refers to the presence in food of harmful chemicals and microorganisms which can cause consumer illness. This article addresses the chemical contamination of foods, as opposed to microbiological contamination, which can be found under foodborne illness.

Causes

Harmful bacteria are the most common cause of food poisoning, but there are many other causes, including the following:

·         Bacteria and Viruses

·         Molds, Toxins, and Contaminants

·         Parasites

·         Allergen

Causes of food poisoning 

Food can become contaminated at any stage during its production, processing or cooking.

For example, it can become contaminated by

not cooking food thoroughly (particularly meat)

·         not correctly storing food that needs to be chilled at below 5C

·         keeping cooked food unrefrigerated for a long period

·         eating food that has been touched by someone who is ill or has been in contact with someone with diarrhoea and vomiting

·         cross-contamination (where harmful bacteria are spread between food, surfaces and equipment)

 Long-Term Effects

Most of them with food poisoning will recover without any lasting effects from their illness. For some, however, the effects can be devastating and even deadly. 

Serious long-term effects associated with several common types of food poisoning include:

·         Kidney failure

·          Chronic arthritis

·         Brain and nerve damage

·         Death

Who's at Risk

Certain groups of people are more susceptible to foodborne illness. This means that they are more likely to get sick from contaminated food and, if they do get sick, the effects are much more serious. These groups include:

·         Pregnant women

·         Older adults

·         Persons with chronic illnesses

Common pathogens found in food

·         Salmonella

·         Campylobacter

·          Staphylococcus aureus

·          Clostridium perfringens