The three main food safety hazards are:

1. 🦠 Biological Hazards

2. 🧪 Chemical Hazards

3. ⚙️ Physical Hazards

Some modern systems also include a fourth category: Allergenic Hazards, due to the severity of allergic reactions.

1. Biological Hazards

These are living organisms or their products that can contaminate food and cause illness (food poisoning). They are the most common cause of foodborne illness.

• Examples: Pathogens like bacteria (e.g., Salmonella, E. coli), viruses (e.g., Norovirus), parasites (e.g., Giardia), and fungi (e.g., moulds, yeasts).

   

• Source: Contaminated raw materials, poor personal hygiene, cross-contamination between raw and cooked foods, and inadequate cooking or storage temperatures.

   

2. Chemical Hazards

These are harmful substances that can contaminate food, leading to acute poisoning or long-term health issues.

• Examples:

  • Naturally Occurring: Toxins from moulds (mycotoxins), poisonous mushrooms, or marine toxins.

     

  • Added: Pesticides/herbicides, residues of cleaning agents/sanitisers, machine lubricants, and non-food-grade packaging materials.

     

• Source: Improper storage or use of cleaning chemicals, environmental contamination (e.g., heavy metals in water or soil), or failure to follow legal limits for agricultural chemicals or food additives.

   

3. Physical Hazards

These are foreign objects that can be unintentionally introduced into food and cause injury to the consumer, such as choking, cuts, or dental damage.

• Examples: Pieces of glass, metal fragments (from machinery), plastic (from packaging), stones, wood, hair, fingernails, or pest droppings.

   

• Source: Poor equipment maintenance (wear and tear), improper handling/packaging procedures, or inadequate personnel hygiene (e.g., not wearing hairnets or jewellery).