Unfortunately, many foodborne diseases are caused by biologically contaminated food, and these are not rare cases. You can even find a list of foodborne illness outbreaks in the United States and see how many of them were caused by biohazards.
Biological hazards are hard to detect and pose a considerable challenge for food and beverage manufacturers responsible for their consumers’ health. Hazard control and mitigation require strict food safety measures.
We all need to know more about this, so let’s examine biological hazards in food, their types, sources, and handling methods.
Definition of Biological Hazards in Food
Biological hazards are one of the leading food safety hazards. These are pathogenic organisms like bacteria, viruses, parasites, or fungi that can contaminate food and cause foodborne illness or poisoning when consumed by a person. Biological hazards can contaminate food at any stage of food manufacturing.
Compared to physical hazards visible in food, biohazards are impossible for the human eye to notice. Hence, they require even more attention and a serious approach to their prevention and handling.
What Are the Types of Biological Hazards?
Biological hazards are generally divided into the following groups:
1. Bacteria
Salmonella, Campylobacter, E. coli, or Listeria are common bacteria that can contaminate food. Some are resistant to extreme temperatures and multiply quickly, while others are killed easily and don’t pose any significant harm to people.
2. Parasites
Parasites are mostly invisible organisms that contaminate food. They quickly enter the human body and survive by getting nutrients from their host. Protozoa, helminths, and ectoparasites are the most common types of parasites in food.
3. Viruses
Viruses are infectious agents that can survive in a host’s organism. They are highly resistant and can contaminate food at different supply chain stages, staying highly contagious. Viruses in the food industry are norovirus, hepatitis A, rotavirus, astrovirus, enterovirus, and adenovirus.
4. Fungi
Fungi include yeasts and molds. Some of the most common are Aspergillus sp. and Candida sp. Fungi can survive in different environments, from very acidic to very dry. Although many fungi are used to produce food like cheese, these microorganisms emit toxins and can cause severe intoxications and diseases.
Biological hazards can vary and, in many cases, are difficult or impossible to kill if they enter food. That’s why food manufacturers must prioritize preventing potential contamination.
Where Do Biological Hazards Come From?
Biological hazards can be found in different environments and organisms. For example, parasites can be in the soil or water, as well as in humans and animals. Bacteria live on moist surfaces and can be almost everywhere, including water, air, surfaces, animals, etc. Moist environments also promote fungi growth.
Let’s talk about the possible places where biological hazards are likely to exist.
1. Water and Soil
Beware of contaminated water. Water systems are one of the major ways biological hazards can reach food, as water is used for almost all food manufacturing and cooking processes. It must be adequately inspected and allowed for usage.
Soil can also pose risks as it can contain hazards and contaminate foods growing close to it. That’s why raw materials, like fruits and vegetables, must be washed.
2. People
People are natural habitats for biological hazards. Food handlers can transmit bacteria, viruses, or parasites and contaminate the food.
3. Infected Animals
Animals and pests can be both physical and biological hazards. They can carry bacteria, viruses, or parasites and contaminate food and surfaces through droppings, skin, saliva, etc.
4. Environment
Biological hazards are commonly found on surfaces. Improper cleaning and sanitation can allow bacteria or viruses to survive on food leftovers or moist surfaces.
How Do Biological Hazards Appear in Food?
Cross-Contamination and Environment
Cross-contamination is a widespread reason why biological hazards get into food. Also, the very food, its pH level, time, temperature, oxygen (or its absence), and moisture level can impact the development of bacteria, viruses, and other food hazards.
Improper Food Handling
Food handlers who carry biological hazards must adhere to strict hygiene rules and food handling techniques to prevent food contamination.
Supply Chain and Distribution
Contamination can happen at different supply chain stages, especially in international markets with other food safety practices and norms. Food distributors must also take care of transportation conditions. Just like in food storage or production, they can influence the spread of hazards such as fungi or bacteria.
What Risks Biological Hazards in Food Pose and What Can They Cause?
Biological hazards can cause either minor stomachaches or severe intoxication, leading to hospitalization and even death. Biological hazards can impact a lot of people, including children and pregnant women.
Some of the most common outcomes of biological hazard intoxication can be:
- Fatigue
- Abdominal Pain
- Fever
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- In severe cases, it can even lead to kidney failure or neurological disorders.
If contaminated food is found, it can lead to food recalls, loss of the manufacturer’s reputation, and legal issues. Contamination incidents can also cause changing trends in food consumption.
How To Prevent Biological Hazards From Appearing in Food?
Implement food safety standards into the food manufacturing process. These will include HACCP, GMPs, SOPs, and GAPs. Manage food safety and regulatory compliance, including a food safety plan, regular internal audits and inspections, sanitation procedures, etc.
Spread awareness among workers. First, employees must know about the principles of hygiene, cleaning, and food handling. It will help prevent biological contamination.
- Food handlers must remember to wear clean and neat clothes, smoke, eat or drink outside the facility, wash hands afterward, etc.
- Ill workers can’t work with food during their disease.
- Employees must clean surfaces and then sanitize them.
- Handlers must use separate utensils and surfaces for different types of food, etc.
Incorporate monitoring and tracking strategies:
- Temperature monitoring is an indispensable way to prevent biological hazards. Control chilled, frozen, raw, and cooked food to avoid pathogens from appearing on food.
Certain foods must be prepared and heated to particular temperatures to kill bacteria. Biological pathogens can survive in the temperature range between 40°F and 140°F (5°C and 60°C).
Temperature monitoring can become even more efficient with integrated devices like Bluetooth thermometers.
- Implement a food traceability system software to identify where a hazard can occur.
- Ensure proper storage that guarantees food safety, prevents spoilage (due to inappropriate temperature, humidity, etc.), and prevents cross-contamination.
How Can I Streamline the Monitoring, Analysis, and Control of Biological Hazards?
As a food manufacturer, you must manage the HACCP plan and ensure proper hazard monitoring and preventive actions.
With the help of a software solution that will take over all the hard work and help you eliminate errors, minimize risks, and improve food safety, you can guarantee automated and digitized hazard monitoring, food safety management, and workflow.
FoodReady food safety software enables food and beverage businesses to efficiently write and implement a HACCP plan, conduct hazard and CCP monitoring, oversee risk management procedures, manage emergency response actions, etc.
The software also integrates tools and services, such as barcode scanners, thermometers, and third-party laboratory testing, to efficiently monitor and identify biological food hazards.
FoodReady is a cost-effective solution that helps food and beverage companies prevent food contamination and avoid food recalls. Moreover, you can hire qualified food safety consultants to help with food safety plans, inspections, and other essential procedures.
Conclusion
Biological hazards, including bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites, exist all around us, and they are sometimes invisible and hard to kill. If biological hazards contaminate food, they can cause foodborne illnesses with symptoms like nausea, vomiting, fever, fatigue, etc. In a worst-case scenario, they can lead to death.
That’s why food manufacturers must be cautious to prevent them from getting into the food. If you wonder how to do that, you must implement food safety practices and ensure proper monitoring, preventive, and response measures.
If you still feel perplexed, we recommend using food safety software to facilitate and streamline your efforts. You will minimize biological contamination and ensure your clients consume safe, hazard-free products.
FAQs
To identify a food hazard, food manufacturers must constantly monitor and test their products, consult food safety consultants, stay updated about the latest food safety news, and monitor consumer feedback and complaints about the product.
Viruses and bacteria are the most common to provoke diseases among people.
Pregnant women, children, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems have higher risks of developing foodborne illnesses.