The identification of food hazards forms an integral part of reducing the overall liability that your food business may be faced with. It is through this identification that we can ensure that adequate controls are in place to reduce or eliminate the hazards to support a safe food product.
Food safety hazards can be categorised as being microbiological, chemical and physical. At a minimum, the HACCP (hazard analysis critical control point) concept requires the identification and control of food safety hazards.
Microbiological Hazards
Microbiological hazards can include bacteria, yeasts, moulds and viruses. The microbiological hazards of concern are the ones that will cause illness and even death. Some common food industry microbiological hazards are Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, E.Coli, Bacillus cereus, Hepatitis A, Clostridium Botulinum and Campylobacter jejuni.
Chemical Hazards
Chemical hazards can be either naturally occurring toxicants which are formed in the actual food itself or man-made and added (either accidently or on purpose). Aflatoxins and mycotoxins are examples of naturally occurring toxicants. Insecticides, fertilizers, hormones, antibiotics, cleaning chemicals, pesticides, equipment lubricants, preservatives and other food additives can all put your food at risk if not adequately controlled.
Physical Hazards
Physical hazards are a major cause of health and safety problems and commonly occur throughout the food industry. Physical hazards include a variety of materials often referred to as extraneous materials or foreign objects. The source of these objects can come from agricultural, premises, people, products and packaging. Examples can include rocks, sticks, wood, plastic, ties, fingernails, cockroaches, hair, metal screws, struvite, blades and glass. Physical hazards may cause varying degrees of injury from broken teeth to psychological trauma, and in rare cases death.
To find out more information on identifying hazard within your food business, please review our previous blog – Identifying Hazards.
Food safety hazards can be categorised as being microbiological, chemical and physical. At a minimum, the HACCP (hazard analysis critical control point) concept requires the identification and control of food safety hazards.
Microbiological Hazards
Microbiological hazards can include bacteria, yeasts, moulds and viruses. The microbiological hazards of concern are the ones that will cause illness and even death. Some common food industry microbiological hazards are Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, E.Coli, Bacillus cereus, Hepatitis A, Clostridium Botulinum and Campylobacter jejuni.
Chemical Hazards
Chemical hazards can be either naturally occurring toxicants which are formed in the actual food itself or man-made and added (either accidently or on purpose). Aflatoxins and mycotoxins are examples of naturally occurring toxicants. Insecticides, fertilizers, hormones, antibiotics, cleaning chemicals, pesticides, equipment lubricants, preservatives and other food additives can all put your food at risk if not adequately controlled.
Physical Hazards
Physical hazards are a major cause of health and safety problems and commonly occur throughout the food industry. Physical hazards include a variety of materials often referred to as extraneous materials or foreign objects. The source of these objects can come from agricultural, premises, people, products and packaging. Examples can include rocks, sticks, wood, plastic, ties, fingernails, cockroaches, hair, metal screws, struvite, blades and glass. Physical hazards may cause varying degrees of injury from broken teeth to psychological trauma, and in rare cases death.
To find out more information on identifying hazard within your food business, please review our previous blog – Identifying Hazards.
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