Food Derived Hazards to Human Health
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A Hazard is something that is potentially harmful - to humans, animals or the environment. There are many different hazards to humans that can arise in food. This section will describe the main ones.
They are:
Foreign Bodies
Foreign body contamination is the main cause of customer complaints & litergation relating to food hazards in the UK & other develooped countries. The foreign bodies may be metal, stone, plastic, hair etc.... Cereals, bread & flour are most commonly affected followed by processed meats, poultry & fish. Deteection systems may be in place. They may consist of metal detectors, X-ray machines or just visual inspection (1).
Pathogenic Organisms & their Toxins
Most overt food borne disease is caused by this category of hazards. Consequently this section will be dealt with in depth, see Foodborne Pathogenic Organisms.
Chemical Hazards
See Chemical Hazards