B.

CROSS CONTAMINATION AND SOURCES

CONTAMINATION

Contamination is the presence of a constituent, impurity, or some other

undesirable element that spoils, corrupts, infects, makes unfit, or makes inferior a

material, physical body, natural environment, workplace and other places.

FOOD CONTAMINATION

A commonly used term. However, only a few people are aware of the exact

reasons for food contamination and its effects on your health. When food items are not

handled or cooked safely, the disease causing organisms such as bacteria, parasites,

and viruses result in food contamination.

TYPES OF FOOD CONTAMINATION

1. Biological contamination

-Contamination of food items by other living organisms is known as

biological contamination.

2. Chemical contamination

-These contaminants can lead to food poisoning

3. Physical contamination

- When harmful objects contaminate the food it leads to physical

contamination
 4. Cross-contamination

-Cross contamination takes places when pathogens are transported from

any object that you use in the kitchen.

CROSS CONTAMINATION

Cross-contamination is defined as the transfer of bacteria or other

microorganisms from one substance to another. Cross-contamination is also defined as

the transfer of bacteria or other microorganisms from one substance to another. It can

happen during any stage of food production.

Many people assume that foodborne illness is mostly caused by eating at

restaurants, but there are many ways in which cross-contamination can occur, including

 PRIMARY FOOD PRODUCTION — from plants and animals on farms

 DURING HARVEST OR SLAUGHTER

 SECONDARY FOOD PRODUCTION — including food processing and

manufacturing

 TRANSPORTATION OF FOOD

 STORAGE OF FOOD

 DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD — grocery stores, farmer’s markets, and more

 FOOD PREPARATION AND SERVING — at home, restaurants, and

other foodservice operations.

TYPES OF CROSS CONTAMINATION

1. FOOD-TO-FOOD

 Adding contaminated foods to non-contaminated foods results in food-to-

food cross-contamination. This allows harmful bacteria to spread and

populate.

 Raw, undercooked, or improperly washed food can harbor large amounts

of bacteria, such as Salmonella, Clostridium perfringens, Campylobacter,

Staphylococcus aureus, E. coli, and Listeria monocytogenes — all of

which can harm your health if consumed.

 Foods that pose the highest risk of bacterial contamination include leafy

greens, bean sprouts, leftover rice, unpasteurized milk, soft cheeses, and

deli meats, as well as raw eggs, poultry, meat, and seafood.

 leftovers kept in the fridge too long can result in bacterial overgrowth.

Therefore, eat leftovers within 3–4 days and cook them to proper

temperatures. If you plan to mix leftovers with other foods, the new meal

should not be stored again as leftovers.

2. EQUIPMENT-TO-FOOD

 Equipment-to-food is one of the most common yet unrecognized types of

cross-contamination.

 Bacteria can survive for long periods on surfaces like countertops,

utensils, cutting boards, storage containers, and food manufacturing

equipment. When equipment is not washed properly or unknowingly

 contaminated with bacteria, it can transfer large volumes of harmful

bacteria to food. This can happen at any point during food production —

both at home and in food manufacturing

 Improper food preservation techniques can lead to cross-contamination.

3. PEOPLE-TO-FOOD

 Humans can easily transfer bacteria from their bodies or clothes to food

during many steps of food preparation.

 For example, a person may cough into their hand or touch raw poultry and

continue to prepare a meal without washing their hands in between.

RISKS OF CROSS CONTAMINATION

 The side effects of cross-contamination can be mild to severe.

 Minor side effects include upset stomach, loss of appetite, headache, nausea, and

diarrhea. Usually, these side effects present within 24 hours, although they can

appear weeks after exposure, making it difficult to determine the specific cause

 In cases involving vomiting or diarrhea, it’s important to rehydrate properly — for

example with a sports beverage — to restore hydration, blood sugar, and electrolyte

levels

 Severe side effects include diarrhea for more than 3 days, bloody stools, fever,

dehydration, organ failure, and even death

 Seek immediate medical attention if your side effects worsen or last longer than 1–2

days, as well as if you’re considered to be in an at-risk population.

WAYS TO AVOID CROSS CONTAMINATION

To lower the chance of getting affected by food poisoning it is very important that

you must be careful about what you are eating, how you are storing, washing and

preparing your food. The most important thing that one should follow is to wash fruits,

vegetables, raw meat, poultry, fish and seafood properly before consumption. Simple

washing with tap water may not be effective enough to remove the harmful germs and

chemicals from the surface of the eatables and consuming it can cause severe food

poison.

There are also other ways to avoid cross-contamination from happening.

Food Purchasing and Storage

 Avoid purchasing food close to its expiration date, unless you intend to eat it right

away.

 Store raw meat in a sealed container or plastic bag on the bottom shelf of the

refrigerator to prevent juices from leaking onto other foods.

 Use separate grocery bags for raw meat and eggs.

 Use refrigerated leftover food within 2–3 days and cook it to proper temperatures.
Food Preparation

 Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds after touching raw

meat, petting an animal, using the washroom, coughing or sneezing, using your

phone, or related instances.

 Wash your utensils, countertops, cutting boards, and other surfaces with soap

and warm water, especially when handling raw meat.

 Use separate cutting boards for meat and vegetables.

 Use clean sponges and dishcloths.

 Cook foods to their proper temperatures by using a food thermometer.

Personal Hygiene

 Thoroughly wash your hands and face when handling food. Coughing, sneezing

or even touching your hair can lead to cross-contamination.

 Using face mask or mouth guard to avoid your saliva and bacteria from going to

you food.

 Avoid wearing accessories when handling and preparing food.

 Avoid handling rood with your bear hands if you have cuts and wounds.

Disposal Of Waste

 Make sure you store and seal garbage correctly to prevent any contamination.

 Clean and sanitize waste bins to prevent infestation risks.

SOURCES :

B. CROSS CONTAMINATION

RESEARCH AND SUMMARIZATION BY :

 BUQUE, Charles Con S.

 DEMATE, Norielle A.

II-AHRM

 Healthline : Bacterial Cross-Contamination: All You Need to Know

Written by : Katey Davidson, MScFN, RD on January 21, 2020

Link:https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/what-is-cross-contamination#how-to-avoid-it

 Kent Healthcare Products : Four Most Common Types of Food Contamination

Written by : KENT RO SYSTEMS

Link: https://www.kent.co.in/blog/four-most-common-types-of-food-contamination/