WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW ABOUT FOOD CONTAMINATION?
We are taking up a crucial discussion about the importance of understanding food contamination. However to fully comprehend the significance of this knowledge, it is essential to be aware of the different types of food contamination, and the effects of contaminated food on humans.
TYPES OF FOOD CONTAMINATION
Let us begin by elaborating on the different types of food contamination.
Food contamination is of three major types, namely:
- Chemical
- Physical
- Biological
Chemical Contamination occurs when the food is come in a contact with a chemical that is toxic for humans.
When a food item is exposed to a foreign object during the manufacturing process, it becomes physically contaminated.
Biological contamination includes bacterial, viral, and parasitic contamination. This form of contamination is the most common cause of food poisoning.
DIFFERENT FOOD CONTAMINANTS
Now that we have described various forms of food contamination, let’s analyze the effects of food contamination on humans.
Food pathogens can have adverse effects on humans. Foodborne illnesses are infectious, and bacteria, viruses, parasites, and chemicals cause them.
Discussed below are the impacts of these contaminants :
Bacteria
Salmonella, E. coli, and Campylobacter are some of the most common bacterial food pathogens. These pathogens affect millions of people every year. They cause fever, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Their effects can also be life-threatening.
Viruses
Norovirus causes nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pains. Hepatitis A can cause long lasting liver disease. Compromised raw produce or raw seafood carry this virus.
Parasites
Parasites can contaminate food in different ways. For some, food transmission is a possibility. Others, Ascaris, or Cryptosporidium can enter the food through water or soil.
Chemicals
Chemical food contaminants are regarded to be the most hazardous to human health. Natural poisons, persistent organic pollutants (POPs), and heavy metals are the three types of chemical toxins. These pollutants can affect the immune system, affect system organs, cause hormonal imbalance, and even cause cancer.
FOOD TESTING: A VITAL SOLUTION
Now that we understand the threat that food contamination poses to us, the importance of understanding food contamination is obvious. And it is equally important to understand ways to combat this issue. And one such way is to set in place comprehensive testing protocols for food items. Food testing procedures can also be used to warn consumers about a product’s shelf life. The shelf-life of a food item refers to how long it has until it should be consumed. Physical, chemical, microbiological, and sensory features are analyzed to determine if the meal contains hazardous bacteria.
Furthermore, a number of factors must be examined in order to accurately screen a food item for diseases. Some of these are Microbiology, to check for mould growth, aerobic bacteria, pathogenic organisms, water activity and pH to detect microbial susceptibility, dioxins, melamine, genetically modified organisms, pesticides and veterinary drug residues. There are also specific tests that detect foodborne microorganisms such as Listeria, Salmonella, Campylobacter, E. coli, yeast and molds, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Lactobacillus .The different methods of testing these parameters are Quality analysis testing, Microbial Safety Analysis, Sensory Evaluation, and Data analysis.
Anacon Laboratories understands how food contaminants can adversely affect public health and provides testing support strictly within the guidelines of India’s Food Safety Act and Food Adulteration Prevention Act.
