Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into the natural environment that causes adverse change.

[1] Pollution can take the form of chemical substances or energy, such as noise, heat or light. Pollutants, the components of pollution, can be either foreign substances/energies or naturally occurring contaminants. Contamination is the presence of a minor and unwanted constituent (contaminant) in material, physical body, natural environment, at a workplace, etc. Cross-Contamination Besides the environmental, storage and processing sources of contamination, food can easily be crosscontaminated. Fruits and vegetables can become contaminated when unsanitary conditions cause them to come into contact with raw meats or other sources of illness-causing organisms. Additionally, meats that do not typically have to be cooked all the way through, like lean beef, may become contaminated when in contact with raw chicken, which must be thoroughly cooked to kill any potential pathogens. When sanitary conditions are followed, the risk of food-borne illness is minimized. Contamination control is the generic term for all activities aiming to control the existence, growth and proliferation of contamination in certain areas. Food contamination refers to the presence in food of harmful chemicals and microorganisms which can cause consumer illness.