CHAPTER 5: CHEMICAL HAZARD

Learning Outcomes:
At the end of this lesson, you are expected to:

LO 1: Define chemical hazards.

LO 2: Classify the common hazards in food retail operations.

Acronym
PCBs – Polychlorinated biphenyls
PSP – Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning
DSP – Diarrheic Shellfish Poisoning
ASP – Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning
NSP - Neurotoxic Shellfish Poisoning
GRAS – Generally Recognized as Safe

Asphyxiant - A chemical (gas or vapor) that can cause death or unconsciousness by suffocation.
Aspiration hazard - A liquid or solid chemical that causes severe acute effects if it infiltrates into
the trachea and lower respiratory tract. Possible effects include chemical pneumonia,
pulmonary injury, or death.
Boiling Point - The temperature of a liquid at which its vapor pressure is equal to the gas
pressure over it. With added energy, all of the liquid could become vapor. Boiling occurs when
the liquid's vapor pressure is just higher than the pressure over it.
Chemical hazard - is a type of occupational hazard caused by exposure to chemicals in the
workplace.
Ingestion - Taking a substance into the body through the mouth as food, drink, medicine, or
unknowingly as on contaminated hands, make-up, cigarettes, etc. (e.g., swallowing).
Inhalation - The breathing in of an airborne substance that may be in the form of gas, fumes,
mists, vapors, dusts or aerosols.
Irritants - Chemicals which cause reddening, swelling and pain when it contacts skin, eyes, nose
or respiratory system, but are not likely to cause tissue destruction.
Neurotoxin - A chemical that produces its primary toxic effect on the nervous system.
Toxic- Poisonous. Causes adverse health effects when the body is exposed.
Work Area - A room or defined space in a workplace where hazardous chemicals are used,
produced or stored, and where employees are present.

Performance Standards:
Devise measures to prevent foodborne illnesses and cross-contamination in a food service
facility.
 What Do You Already Know?

Pre-Test

Direction: Answer the questions below.

1. What does risk mean in relation to the products we use every day, and the chemical
ingredients used to make them?
2. How can we test for chemical exposure in everyday products?
3. What are hazardous or dangerous chemicals of concern?

What Do You Need To Know?

All chemicals are poisonous, especially when ingested at toxic levels, with toxicity defined at
many levels depending on the substances dealt with. Chemical hazards are usually classified as
either naturally occurring chemicals or added chemicals.

NATURALLY OCCURRING CHEMICALS

Ciguatoxin

Description: Is an example of a fish-poisoning intoxication from the consumption of tropical fish.

The origin of the toxin is from minute sea creatures called algae. The toxins is heat stable and
cannot be destroyed by cooking. Symptoms include foodborne illness including weakness and
slight paralysis of the mouth, tongue, throat, hands, and feet.
Common Food: Marine Finfish are the most common causes.
Transmission in Food: Is transferred to finfish after their ingestion of toxin-containing algae.
Prevention: The toxin is not destroyed by cooking, therefore, prevention is difficult. Purchasing
seafood from a reputable supplier is the best preventive.

Scombrotoxin

Description: Called histamine poisoning, is caused by eating foods high in a chemical compound
called histamine. Histamine is usually produced by Bacteria when they decompose foods. It is
not destroyed by cooking. Symptoms include dizziness, a burning sensation, facial rash or hives,
and a peppery taste in the mouth.
Common Food: Tuna and mahi-mahi fish. Swiss cheese has also been implicated.
Transmission in Food : Over time, bacteria present in a particular food can break down
Histamine in food and cause the production of Histamine. Temperature abuse also leads to
more Histamine production.
Prevention: Purchase seafood from a reputable supplier. Store seafood below 41°F and do not
accept seafood that has been previously thawed.

Shellfish Toxins
 Description: The most common include paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP), diarrheic shellfish
poisoning (DSP), amnesic shellfish poisoning (ASP), and neurotoxic shellfish poisoning (NSP).
Common Food: Any shellfish may contain toxins.
Transmission in Food: Shellfish are inherent in marine Shellfish
Prevention: Purchase food from a reputable supplier.

Mycotoxins

Foodborne molds can produce chemical compound called Mycotoxins. Mycotoxins have been
linked to cancer. A common foodborne mycotoxin called aflatoxin is produced by the Aspergillus
spp. Mycotoxins are commonly found in dry and / or acidic foods. Common foods containing
Mycotoxins include corn, nuts, and grains. Several Mycotoxins cannot be destroyed even after
the food has been cooked.

ADDED CHEMICALS

Intentionally added chemicals may include food additives, food preservatives, and pesticides.
Use of intended food additives is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration and
Environmental Protection Agency to assure that they are safe.
Chemical hazards can be divided into three general categories: poisonous substances, adverse
food reactions (food allergy, food sensitivity), and nutritional issues.

POISONOUS SUBSTANCES

 Toxic plant material includes solanin in potatoes; hemagglutinins and protease inhibitors in raw
beans and peas; cyanogens in fruit kernels; and phytoalexins in sweet potatoes, celery, and
parsnips.
 Intentional food additives include GRAS (generally recognized as safe) compounds that may
have inadvertently been added in excessive amounts.
 Chemicals created by the process include those created when meat is broiled excessively over
hot charcoal and when fat or oil has been heated excessively or for a long time.
 Agricultural chemicals include pesticides and herbicides.
 Animal antibiotics and other drug residues are also a problem in terms of foodborne illness
hazards.
 Unintentional additives or accidental addition of toxic substances during food handling in the
food service and food production operations can also occur.
 Equipment material, such as copper or lead from pipes or soldering material, can likewise leach
into food and water causing heavy metal poisoning.
 Package material can leach as well.
 Heavy metals and radioactive isotopes from industries can also find their way into food, usually
through water sources.
ADVERSE FOOD REACTIONS

Allergic reactions may be caused by many types of foods, including milk, eggs, fish, seafood
(particularly shrimp), legumes (peanuts), tree nuts, and wheat. Other foods including citrus
 fruits, melons, bananas, tomatoes, corn, barley, rice, and celery, can cause allergic reactions in a
few sensitive individuals. Some allergic reactions are mild (e.g., watery eyes, nasal discharge,
headaches, etc.). Others can be life-threatening anaphylactic shock can occur within minutes
after the food is ingested.

CHEMICAL DETECTION AND MONITORING

Food establishments must know the regulations and get professional help in
detecting/identifying and monitoring chemical hazards. For example, in a pesticides poisoning
incident, some of the factors to know are:
 The amount of the contaminated food eaten
 Which pesticides was used
 How much of the chemical was used
 When the food item was last sprayed
 How the produce was washed, peeled, prepared, or cooked, etc.
In the Philippines, guidelines for the safe use of pest control chemicals are within the jurisdiction
of the Fertilizer and Pesticides Authority. Appropriate permits are needed for such chemicals

Prompt Documentation and Reporting of Chemical Contamination and Poisoning

Monitoring Points for Chemical Hazards
 Point source
 Environmental compartments
 Primary production
 Import/export
 Production and processing
 Wholesale outlets and markets
 Biomonitoring

Criteria for Establishing Priorities

 Severity of potential effects on health
 Levels in individual food and the diet
 Size and susceptibility of the exposed population
 Significance in domestic and international trade
 Nature and cost of management options

Guidelines in Preventing Chemical Hazards in Food Establishments

Fish Toxins
 Buy from reliable sources. Do not buy fish caught from sports fishing or polluted rivers and
lakes.
 Do not accept deliveries of fish and shellfish that have been thawed and refrozen. The common
signs are freezer burns, excessive frost, and dehydrated edible portions.
 Reliable suppliers describe the acceptable fish as fresh or fresh frozen. For fresh fish, the
temperature must not be higher than 5°C upon receipt.
 Store frozen fish promptly. Thawing properly and quickly below 5°C.
 Cook food thoroughly.

Plant Toxins
 Examine for mycotoxins. Purchase products that are visibly free from molds, yeast, or any signs
of deterioration. Grains and nuts should be dry and fresh looking.
 Store foods properly. Observe the right temperature and humidity conditions, and proper
packaging. Avoid prolonged storage.
 Do not eat wild mushrooms or varieties unfamiliar to you. To be certain, buy and serve only
those traditionally used and tested to be fit for consumption.
 Cook thoroughly. Many plant toxins are destroyed by heat.
 Some beans, like Fava beans and red kidney beans, are not safe to eat when undercooked.
 Potatoes that have thick green layer underneath the skin should be rejected. Do not save them.
However, if the layer is thin, it can be peeled off.

How Much Have You Learned?

Self-Check Activity 1

Evaluate.

1. Define toxicity. What are the factors that determine when a substance is toxic and unfit for
human consumption?
2. What are the naturally occurring toxins in some fish? How can they be avoided?
3. Enumerate the common chemical hazards in homes and their sources.

How Do You Apply What You Have Learned?

Show that you have learned something by doing this activity.

Instruction: Click the link https://writingcenter.ashford.edu/writing-case-study-analysis for you

guidance in answering the case study.

CASE STUDY

Four adults became ill after eating tuna-spinach salad at a restaurant in Santa Fe. Their
symptoms included burning sensation in the mouth, metallic taste, facial flushing, nausea,
diarrhea, and headache with an onset of five minutes to two hours. Fish samples were found
positive for histamine levels above 50 ppm- the normal levels is below 10 ppm.

What foodborne hazard may have been associated with this foodborne illness? How could this
have been prevented?