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What are the Four Types of Food Contamination?

Ellie Collier August 26, 2019
5 min read

Food contamination can have serious consequences for both consumers and food
businesses alike. It can cause harm to consumer health and safety and can drastically
affect a business’s reputation if somebody is harmed there.

While most people believe there are only three types of contamination, there are in fact
four that you should know about. It’s essential that you are aware of these four types in
order to protect your customers’ health and your business’s reputation.

The Four Types of Contamination

There are four main types of contamination: chemical, microbial, physical, and allergenic.
All food is at risk of contamination from these four types. This is why food handlers
have a legal responsibility to ensure that the food they prepare is free from these
contaminants and safe for the consumer.

Food contamination is dangerous. The consequences of eating contaminated food range

from sickness all the way to death. Because of this, it’s critical that you understand what
the four types of contamination are and how you can prevent them from affecting the
safety of food.

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Chemical Contamination of Food

Chemical contamination happens when a food becomes contaminated by some kind of

chemical substance. Chemicals are used frequently in the kitchen for cleaning and
disinfection, so it’s unsurprising that they can contaminate food. Contamination may
occur from preparing food on a surface that still has chemical residue on it or if someone
sprays cleaning chemicals close to uncovered food.

Additionally, food can become contaminated from chemicals before it even reaches the
kitchen. For example, fertilisers and pesticides may have been sprayed near food when
it was growing.

Anybody who prepares and handles food must make sure that the food they serve is free
from chemical contamination. To ensure this, they should:

Always store chemicals in a separate area to food.

Follow the manufacturers’ instructions when using chemicals.
Keep food covered when cleaning.
Use approved suppliers who can guarantee the safety of the food they provide.

Man using cleaning chemicals to clean the kitchen surfaces

Microbial Contamination of Food

Microbial contamination happens when a food has been contaminated by

microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, mould, fungi, and toxins. This can happen
through various means, for example:

Undercooking chicken can give rise to campylobacter, a type of bacteria.

During the rearing and slaughtering of animals, the salmonella that lives in animal
intestines can transfer onto food products.
Storing and preparing high-risk raw foods close to ready to eat food can lead to
cross-contamination.
Fish and shellfish may eat toxic-producing organisms that are dangerous to
humans if they eat them.

Microbial contamination is the most common reason behind outbreaks of food poisoning.
The best way to prevent this type of contamination is by following strict, high-standard
food hygiene practices. This means:

Having impeccable personal hygiene and taking time off from work when you are ill.
Separating raw and ready-to-eat food at all stages of the food handling process,
 from delivery to serving.
Always washing raw fruit and vegetables.
Controlling pests and ensuring they are not on the premises.

Salmonella bacteria

Physical Contamination of Food

Physical contamination happens when a food has been contaminated by a foreign

object. It can occur at any stage of food delivery and preparation. Physical contamination
can cause serious harm to the consumer, including broken teeth or choking.

Types of physical contaminants that can be found in food include jewellery, hair, plastic,
bones, stones, pest bodies, and cloth. Additionally, if there are problems with the food
premises or equipment, such as flaking paint or loose screws in a piece of equipment,
then these may also enter food. Physical contaminants may even carry harmful bacteria,
posing an even greater risk.

You can prevent physical contamination through:

Replacing any damaged equipment immediately.

Reporting any faults with equipment and premises without delay.
Having a thorough pest control system in place.
Following dress code principles, such as removing jewellery when handling food
and wearing a hairnet.

A food pest on a slice of bread

Allergenic Contamination of Food

Allergenic contamination occurs when a food that causes an allergic reaction comes into
contact with another food. For example, if the same knife used to cut normal bread is
then used to cut gluten-free bread, or if pasta is stored in a tub that used to contain
peanuts.

There are 14 named allergens. These are the foods that account for the majority of food
allergies in people. The list includes things like gluten, peanuts, eggs, mustard, soy, and
fish.

For someone with a food allergy, consuming even a tiny amount of that food is enough to
cause a fatal reaction. As a result, it’s essential that you prevent allergenic contamination
of food in your premises. In order to do this, you must:

Ensure your food comes from approved suppliers who you know will take allergenic
contamination seriously.
Keep preparation areas, equipment, utensils, and cloths that you use for allergenic
foods separate to those you use for other foods.
Separate allergenic products from other food products in your fridges, freezers, and
all other food storage areas.
Thoroughly clean and disinfect your kitchen regularly and especially after preparing
food that contains one of the fourteen allergens.

Tiger prawns served on a plate in a restaurant

All food is at risk of one of the four types of contamination: chemical, microbial, physical,
and allergenic. However, it’s essential that you prevent these contaminants from affecting
the safety of your food. Food poisoning, injury, and allergic reactions are all
consequences of contamination but, by following safe working practices, you can help to
prevent them all.

What to Read Next:

Online Food Hygiene Training

Managing Food Allergies in the Workplace
Food Safety Awareness Quiz
 Allergens and Food Labelling Food Safety Health and Hygiene
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POST AUTHOR Ellie Collier

Ellie Collier is the Content Production Manager at High Speed Training.

As well as all areas of compliance, Ellie has always been passionate
about mental health and has produced a range of materials to help
teachers initiate positive conversations around it. She has featured in
publications like Education Today for her work and produced a Mental
Health Resource Pack for Schools, which was shortlisted for the Teach
Secondary Awards 2019.

Her favourite article is Promoting Effective Communication in Health and

Social Care
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