What is a Hazard?

What is a Hazard? „ A biological, chemical or

physical agent that is
reasonably likely to cause
B.K.Kolita Kamal Jinadasa, illness or injury in the absence
Research Officer, of its control.
Post Harvest Technology Division,
NARA,
Colombo-15, Sri Lanka.

„ In HACCP, “hazards” refer to conditions or

contaminants in foods that can cause illness or
injury. It does not refer to undesirable Types of Hazards:
conditions or contaminants such as;
„ Insects. Not Hazards „ Biological
„ Hair. These present „ Bacteria, viruses and parasites.
„ Filth. problems with
quality &/or
„ Spoilage/decomposition. „ Chemical
aesthetics not
„ Economic fraud. „ Natural toxins and chemical contaminants.
safety.
„ Violations of regulatory
food standards not directly related to safety. „ Physical
„ Glass, stone, metal etc.

Overview of bacterial Hazards: Overview of bacterial Hazards:

„ Bacteria can be beneficial, even essential. „ Indigenous:

„ Naturally occurring pathogens.
„ Some bacteria are pathogenic & cause „ In the aquatic environment i.e. water, plants,
that concerns food processors and public fish, soil, etc.
health officials.
 Overview of bacterial Hazards: Overview of bacterial Hazards:
„ Non indigenous: „ Cause illnesses in human either by
„ Not naturally occurring in the aquatic „ Intoxication vs. Infection.
environment.
„ Intoxication
„ From guts of humans and other warm- „ Performed toxins in the fish or fish products.
blooded animals.

„ Infection
„ Introduced by pollution with raw sewage
„ Live bacteria.

Overview of bacterial Hazards:

Overview of Viral Hazards:
„ Indigenous: Naturally occurring pathogens.
„ Toxin producing: Clostridium botulinum. „ Food borne viruses:
„ Infectious: „ Hepatitis A & E
„ Vibrio Cholera, V. parahaemolyticus, other Vibrio, A. „ Norwalk virus
hydrophila, P. shigelloides, L. monocytogenes
„ Rotavirus
„ Non indigenous: Not naturally occurring „ Snow mountain agent
pathogen.
„ Calcivirus
„ Toxin producing: Staphylococcus aureus.
„ Astrovirus
„ Infectious:
„ Salmonella spp., Shigella spp., Escherichia coli, Yersinia
„ Do not cause spoilage.
enterocolitica „ Cause illness by infection.

Overview of Viral Hazards: Overview of Parasitic Hazards:

„ Contamination of aquatic: „ Widespread in nature.
„ Environment with fecal matter from healthy &
risk carriers (humans). Filter feeding shellfish „ Most occur in low and insignificant levels.
are especially a problem because they
concentrate the virus.
„ Some protozoan and worms are significant
seafood hazards.
„ No harvesting in contaminated areas and
sufficient cooking.
 Overview of Parasitic Hazards:
„ Protozoans: Single-celled animals. Overview of Parasitic Hazards:
„ Giardia lamblia.
„ Entamoeba histolytica. 9 Prevention;
„ Cryptosporidium parvum. „ Avoid presence in raw materials
„ Worms: roundworm, tapeworm and flukes.
„ Roundworms (Nematodes)- Anisakis simplex, „ Freezing.
Psedoterranova dicipiens.
„ Tapeworms (Cestodes)- Diphyllobotghrium latum.
„ Cooking.
„ Flukes (Trematodes)- Chlonorchis, Heterophyes,
Paragonimus.

Overview of Chemical Hazards: Overview of Chemical Hazards:

9 Naturally occurring toxins,
„ Naturally occurring toxins.
„ Marine biotoxins.
„ Tetrodotoxin.
„ Chemicals. „ Ciguatera toxin.
„ Intentionally added. „ PSP,DSP.NSP,ASP.

„ Unintentionally added.
„ Scombroid toxin (histamine).

„ Mycotoxins (e.g. Aflatoxin).

Overview of Chemical Hazards: Overview of Chemical Hazards:

„ Chemical intentionally added;
„ Food additives.
„ Aquaculture drugs.
„ Unapproved- illegal use.
„ Approved – improper use.
„ Chemical unintentionally added,
„ cleaning and maintenance chemicals.
„ Lubricants
„ Paints
„ Cleaning detergents
„ Sanitizers
9 Unapproved – illegal use.
9 Approved - improper use.
 Overview of Physical Hazards:
„ Cause mainly physical injury-
„ Cuts/tears in parts of alimentary tracts e.g. mouth,
„ Extraneous materials such are;
throats, stomach, broken teeth, bleeding, choking.
„ May not be a hazards unless it is big enough to
cause injury.
„ Rarely cause infection unless it carries harmful
microorganisms or secondary infection arising
from physical injury.
Overview of Physical Hazards:
„ Stones, wooden splinters, glass, plastic found
in substandard, dirty raw material.
„ Metal fragments from ill maintained
production equipment such as cutting blades,
knives.
„ Glass fragments from broken packaging
material 9glass bottles), light fixtures.

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