Pesticide
The use of some pesticides can cause the soil to be affected by the organic phosphates present in it, which affects the foods grown. Although some of these pesticides eliminate parasites that may harm plants, some of the pesticides that are sprayed will seep into the soil, and can It is transmitted through the roots of plants, thus leading to contamination, causing health problems for people who will eat these crops.
Physical pollutants
Physical contaminants can be expressed as those substances that become part of food when mixed with it. Examples of these substances include metal filings, stones, clay, glass, packaging materials, insects, and rodent droppings, as these substances can harm consumers, and they can Flies leave dangerous microbes on food when they touch them, and plant microbes may move into foods when insects and rodents damage the surface of fruit, and they can multiply inside food and contaminate it.
Contamination during food processing
Food may become contaminated during the processing stage to obtain the final product. For example, if contaminated water is used to wash fruits or vegetables, or to wrap or refrigerate foods, it can lead to the spread of contamination to those materials, or germs present on the animal’s skin can be transmitted during the stage. From slaughter to the final meat product, germs may also be transferred from surfaces used in food processing, such as processing lines or storage bins, to those foods.
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The process of transporting food sometimes leads to contamination, and this may be due to pollution due to exhaust from diesel and gasoline vehicles, or cross-contamination in the vehicle used to transport food. Transporting food by ship over long distances may also lead to contamination of food due to the materials used to disinfect the food in it. There are also not many precautions in packaging foods when transported over long distances, making them vulnerable to contamination.
Contamination during the preparation process
Many foods become contaminated during the preparation stage, and this can happen if the worker is sick and does not wash his hands carefully after using the toilet, for example, and then touches the food, which leads to spreading germs in it, and if the cook uses a cutting board, or a knife to cut Raw chicken, then use the same knife or cutting board without washing it to cut tomatoes for salad. Tomatoes can be contaminated with germs coming from the chicken, and contamination can also occur in the refrigerator if the meat gets on food items that will be eaten raw.
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