With frequent headlines about food adulteration to cut costs or outbreaks of infections from contaminated ingredients, ensuring food safety and quality has become a critical concern. By purchasing prepared food or raw ingredients from trusted sources, we can minimise our risk of consuming contaminated foods. Additionally, it is important to follow hygienic cooking, eating, and food storage practices at home.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) recently shared an Instagram post discussing different types of food contaminants and how to identify each of them. In the caption, FSSAI wrote, "Clean hands, clean surfaces, safe food! A little care goes a long way in keeping your meals safe!" Such knowledge can help you remain alert and aware before consuming any potentially contaminated food item: Here Are 3 Possible Types of Food Contamination as Shared by FSSAI: 1. Physical Contamination Physical contamination occurs when a physical object enters the food during production or preparation.
It can be intentional, as seen in cases of adulterated food products, or accidental due to a lack of awareness. Physical contaminants include any foreign material like stones, stems, seeds, feathers, sand, nails, dust, dirt, straw, hair, etc. Physical objects in food can be a choking hazard and harm your teeth.
How to detect: FSSAI recommends observing the food item carefully, feeling it with your hands, and checking by washing, sieving, etc. Also Read: Stop Reheating Your Tea.