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.