Food Contamination
Contamination is the presence of any harmful or objectionable substance in food.
Examples of cross contamination
- Bacterial contamination of food
- Direct - Raw meats touching ready-to-eat products
- Indirect - Using a knife to cut raw meat and then using the same knife to cut a ready-to-eat product
- Airborne contamination – sneezing over food
| Where bacteria originate | Type of bacteria |
| Animal | E. coli |
| Poultry & Eggs | Salmonella & Campylobacter |
| Vegetables | Clostridium perfringens |
| Shellfish | Viruses |
| Milk | TB |
| Water | E. coli |
| Hands | Staphylococcus aureus |
Preventative measures against cross contamination
- Store raw food and cooked food separately
- Keep raw meat on the bottom shelf of the fridge
- Use different chopping boards and knives for raw and cooked/ready-to-eat foods
- Always cover foods that are stored in the fridge
