While cooking something nice, it becomes hard to identify the freshness of the food material. We all, indeed, wish to cook with the freshest available ingredients. However, things go out of hand when you find certain meat, vegetables or herbs contaminated.
The Dangers of Food Contamination:
There are several signs that denote that the food item has gone bad. Technically, it is known as contamination. Avoid consuming or cooking with these items, as they can cause serious health problems. These include many symptoms, from allergies and enteric diseases to even death.
Food Contamination Types that You Should be Weary About:
To understand food contamination in detail, you can enrol in a food safety course in Essex. Upon identifying the signs of decay, you can prepare healthy food and reduce the worry of getting ill. The common kinds of food contamination are discussed here below.
- Biological Contamination: It is one of the common types of food decay that happens due to the interference of living organisms. It includes biological matter produced by humans, rodents or insects. Biological contamination is the prime cause of foodborne illnesses and food poisoning.
- Chemical Contamination: When a food item gets in close contact with toxic chemicals, it gets chemically contaminated. This type of contamination falls into two categories: natural and artificial. Naturally originated chemical toxins are the compounds produced by the food item itself. This may cause allergic reactions in certain people. The food may also not be suitable for consumption if it’s laden with preservatives, pesticides or plastic.
- Cross Contamination: This generally happens due to accidental transmission of contaminants in the food item. Improper handling is the most common cause of this type of contamination. Primarily, cross-contamination refers to biological contamination. However, it can also happen due to physical or chemical causes.
- Physical Contamination: It occurs when a physical object enters a food item during its production or preparation. It often includes biological contaminants. The most common examples of these contaminants include hair, fingernails and smaller chips of waste, like paper and plastic. You can prevent contamination by following the proper safety measures.
These are some common causes of contamination in raw and cooked food items. You should identify them to ensure the safe consumption of food. You can enrol in a food safety course in Essex provided by MJ Training East LTD to know in depth about different types of food contamination. To learn more, you can visit our website today.