Food Hazards Chart

As a Manager, these are the threats to food safety of which you will need to be aware
©2012 AboveTraining Inc.

Where is it How is the illness What are the When do How long do
Hazard What is it? found? contracted? dangers/symptoms? symptoms appear? symptoms last?
How can it be avoided?

Physical Hazards
Objects that can cause injury, illness, or choking if eaten, due to the size, shape, or hardness of the object
Consuming objects
Being aware of possible
Any sharp or pointed such as bones,
Sharp Naturally or unnaturally Injury, illness, Dependant physical hazards and
object that can cause crustacean shells, Immediately
objects in foods even death on severity preventing them from
injury or illness if eaten fingernails, or
contaminating foods
fragments of
Consuming glass
objects
such as bones;
crustacean shells; Immediately in Being aware of possible
Any hard object that can
Naturally or unnaturally fruit pits; seeds; Injury, illness, most cases, Dependent physical hazards and
Hard objects cause injury or illness if
in foods packaging; even death though it can on severity preventing them from
eaten
fingernails; fragments take longer contaminating foods
of glass, metal, wood, Being aware of possible
Any object that can Consuming objects Dependant
Choking Naturally or unnaturally Injury, illness, physical hazards and
easily lodge in the such as bones, fruit Immediately on severity
hazards in foods even death preventing them from
throat if eaten pits, seeds, or plastic
contaminating foods

Chemical Hazards
Substances with chemical properties that can cause injury or illness when consumed in or with food

NATURALLY OCCURING TOXINS

Harmful toxins that occur naturally in food

Where is it How is the illness What are the When do How long do
Hazard What is it? found? contracted? dangers/symptoms? symptoms appear? symptoms last?
How can it be avoided?

Illnesses range
Toxins that occur Consuming toxic from relatively 6 hours - 2 days
Mushroom Some species of Ordering food through
naturally in some mushrooms, whether mild to quite (6-15 hours 6 to 8 days
toxins mushrooms an approved provider
mushrooms raw or cooked serious--even fatal average)

Fool's Parsley; rhubarb

leaves; seeds and/or
leaves of some fruit Ordering through an
trees, including apples, Illnesses range approved provider;
Toxins that occur
cherries, and apricots; Consuming toxic from relatively 2 weeks - preparing food properly;
Plant toxins naturally in various Varies
vines and leaves of plant material mild to quite 2 years preventing plants that
parts of some plants
tomato and potato serious--even fatal contain these toxins from
plants; raw or contaminating foods
undercooked kidney
beans; etc.
 Food Hazards Chart
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Where is it How is the illness What are the When do How long do
Hazard What is it? found? contracted? dangers/symptoms? symptoms appear? symptoms last?
How can it be avoided?

FISH TOXINS
Toxins commonly contained in fish that can cause serious illness
Some fish, cheeses, and
Toxin that forms when an
other foods that have Eating food
enzyme produced by Scombroid Immediately or 3 hours - Practicing proper time
Scombrotoxin spoiled (most commonly containing high
certain bacteria reacts with poisoning up to 30 several days and temperature control
fish of the family
a chemical commonly levels of
Scombridae, which includes
found in some fish and
mackerels, tunas, and
2 hours
Tropical reef-fish that
Consuming (gastrointestinal
Toxin produced by live in waters where the Ciguatera Ordering food through
Ciguatoxin toxin-contaminated effects) - 6 hours A few days
certain algae algae grow, including poisoning an approved provider
tropical reef-fish (neurological
groupers, barracudas,
effects)

Consuming Various symptoms

Toxin produced
including 20 minutes - Ordering food through
Tetrodotoxin naturally by puffer fish Puffer fish organs toxin-contaminated Immediately
respiratory failure 8 hours an approved provider
as a defense mechanism puffer fish
and death

SHELLFISH TOXINS
Toxins that are passed on to shellfish through toxin-producing algae
Paralytic Shellfish
Poisoning (PSP):
Consuming numbness, tingling,
Toxin produced by some Immediately or Ordering food through
dizziness, headache, 2 days -
Saxitoxin Shellfish toxin-infected gastrointestinal up to several
algae 2 weeks an approved provider
shellfish distress (nausea, hours
vomiting, diarrhea),
paralysis, and death

Neurotoxic Shellfish
Poisoning (NSP):
gastrointestinal
Consuming distress, sensory
Immediately or
Toxin produced by some changes such as Ordering food through
Brevetoxin Shellfish toxin-infected dizziness, headache, up to several 1-3 days
algae an approved provider
shellfish numbness, tingling, hours
and a reversal in
sensing hot and cold
temperatures

Amnesic Shellfish
Poisoning (ASP): Gastrointestinal 48 hours;
neurological effects distress within
Consuming such as memory loss, loss of
Toxin produced by some 24 hours, Ordering food through
Domoic acid Shellfish toxin-infected confusion, and short-term
algae neurological an approved provider
shellfish disorientation; memory can
gastrointestinal symptoms be
distress, seizures, within 48 hours
coma, and death
 Food Hazards Chart
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Where is it How is the illness What are the When do How long do
Hazard What is it? found? contracted? dangers/symptoms? symptoms appear? symptoms last?
How can it be avoided?

Diarrhetic Shellfish
Toxin produced by some Consuming Poisoning (DSP): 30 minutes - Ordering food through
Okadaic acid Shellfish toxin-infected minor A few days
algae a few hours an approved provider
shellfish gastrointestinal
symptoms

ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINANTS
Harmful chemicals that
contaminate food
during the growth and Foods grown in polluted
production of the food's environments or treated
Consuming foods Poisoning or Dependent upon Ordering food through
Environmental ingredients, including with unapproved or
contaminants pesticides, fungicides, that contain cancer exposure and an approved provider
potentially harmful environmental
insecticides, fertilizers, chemicals
antibiotics, growth
hormones, and various
land and water

TOXIC METALS
Metals that can cause illness if consumed

Mercury Not eating too much fish

Regularly eating fish
A toxic metal that is poisoning, skin of varieties that typically
Mercury Fish that contain high
often found in fish disorders, contain high levels of
levels of mercury
impaired senses, mercury

Micronutrient that can

Consuming excessive Liver problems Using proper cookware
Copper become toxic in Cookware
amounts of copper and death
excessive amounts
Dependent upon
exposure and age

Effects vary widely

based on the level
Crystal drinking vessels, Consuming food and duration of
Metal frequently found exposure, but can Using proper cookware
Lead china, ceramics, paint, contaminated with
in food facilities range from
and pewter vessels lead
abdominal pain
and headache to
seizures, coma,
and death
 Food Hazards Chart
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Where is it How is the illness What are the When do How long do
Hazard What is it? found? contracted? dangers/symptoms? symptoms appear? symptoms last?
How can it be avoided?

PRESERVATIVES AND FOOD ADDITIVES

Chemicals intentionally added to food in order to modify the food’s natural shelf-life, flavor, color, nutritional value, or other properties; safe in small doses, unless hypersensitive to them

Consuming an
Preservative added to excessive amount of
Alcoholic beverages, food treated with Ordering food through
food in order to increase
Sulfiting 15-30 an approved provider;
its shelf-life and limit imported seafood, and sulfiting agents, Allergic reaction Within 5
agents minutes checking ingredients on
fungal growth and other processed foods especially if
hypersensitive to food labels
spoilage
them

Methemoglobi-
Consuming an nemia, which
Preservative added to
excessive amount of causes respiratory, Ordering food through
food in order to increase
foods treated with cardiologic, Dependent upon an approved provider;
Nitrates its shelf-life and limit Cured meats
nitrates, especially if circulatory, and exposure and age checking ingredients on
fungal growth and
hypersensitive to neurological food labels
spoilage
them problems, and
possibly cancer

CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE SUPPLIES

Chemicals used for
Cleaning and cleaning or maintenance Ingesting foods Avoiding
In the food service Illness, injury, or Dependent upon
maintenance including cleaners, contaminated with cross-contamination
establishment death exposure and
supplies sanitizers, machine these chemicals
lubricants, paints, etc.
 Food Hazards Chart
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Where is it How is the illness What are the When do How long do
Hazard What is it? found? contracted? dangers/symptoms? symptoms appear? symptoms last?
How can it be avoided?

BIOLOGICAL HAZARDS
Microscopic organisms that cause foodborne illness (aka "foodborne pathogens")

BACTERIA
Tiny, single-celled microorganisms that are almost everywhere around us all the time
Salmonellosis,
A class of bacteria which causes
naturally present in the Consuming foods diarrhea, Properly cooking food
Salmonella intestinal tracts and Poultry contaminated with abdominal cramps, 6 hours - 2 days 4-7 days and avoiding any
feces of animals, salmonella and fever; cross-contamination
particularly poultry salmonella typhi,
which causes

E. coli poisoning,
which includes
A class of bacteria abdominal cramps,
naturally present in the Consuming foods vomiting, and mild Properly cooking food
Escherichia coli
intestinal tracts and Beef, milk, and produce contaminated with fever; severe diarrhea 1-8 days 5-10 days and avoiding any
(e. coli)
feces of animals, E. coli (usually bloody); and cross-contamination
particularly cattle Hemolytic Uremic
Syndrome (HUS), a
kidney defect

Shigellosis, which
Food contaminated with Consuming foods includes diarrhea Properly cooking food
Potent pathogen (containing blood, 1 day -
Shigella shigella-infected human contaminated with 4-7 days and avoiding any
present in human feces mucus, or pus), 1 week
feces shigella stomach cramping,
cross-contamination
and vomiting

Campylobacteriosis,
A strain of bacteria which includes fever,
naturally found in the cramps, diarrhea,
Food contaminated with Consuming foods Properly cooking food
and in severe cases
Campylobacter intestinal tracts of campylobacter-infected contaminated with 2-5 days 2-10 days and avoiding any
urinary tract
animals, especially animal feces campylobacter infections, cross-contamination
poultry meningitis, or
Guillain-Barre

Raw meat and meat 9 hours -

products, soft cheeses, Listeriosis, which 2 days for
Listeria Consuming foods Properly cooking food
deli meats, hot dogs, causes septicemia, gastrointestinal
monocytogenes A bacterial pathogen contaminated with meningitis, and Varies and avoiding any
sausages, deli salads, symptoms; 2-6
listeria miscarriage cross-contamination
and melons, particularly weeks for
cantaloupe invasive disease
 Food Hazards Chart
Page 6 ©2012 AboveTraining Inc.

Where is it How is the illness What are the When do How long do
Hazard What is it? found? contracted? dangers/symptoms? symptoms appear? symptoms last?
How can it be avoided?

BACTERIA CONT.
Tiny, single-celled microorganisms that are almost everywhere around us all the time
Vibrio
A genus of bacteria Properly cooking food
Seafood, especially raw Eating vibrio-infected gastroenteritis or,
Vibrio commonly found in salt 4 hours - 4 days 2-5 days and avoiding any
or undercooked seafood in severe cases,
water cross-contamination
cholera

A species of bacteria Yersiniosis, which 1-2 days on Properly cook food and
Yersinia that is naturally found in Pork and pork products, Eating includes
1-2 days average; up avoid any
enterocolitica the intestinal tract of especially chitterlings yersinia-infected abdominal pain, to 3 weeks cross-contamination
animals, especially pigs fever, and bloody

A pathogen that creates Consuming foods Properly cooking food

Clostridium a harmful toxin in foods Meats, meat products, that contain high Severe abdominal 1 day -
8-22 hours and avoiding any
perfringens not held at safe and gravies amounts of pain and diarrhea 2 weeks cross-contamination
temperatures Clostridium

Botulism, which
Foods that provide a includes nausea,
low-oxygen vomiting, weakness,
Bacteria commonly environment, such as Consuming foods double vision,
Discarding bulging or
Clostridium
botulinum
found in water and soil damaged or improperly infected with difficulty in speaking 12 hours - 3 days Varies dented canned food;
that produces packaged foods (often botulism neurotoxins and swallowing, and, properly cooking food
indicated by bulging if left untreated,
death

A type of bacteria,
existing in 30-50% of Egg, tuna, chicken, Nausea, vomiting Properly caring for
Staphylococcus Consuming foods
aureus (staph) human noses, that macaroni salads, and or retching, and 1-6 hours 1-2 days wounds; practicing
infected with staph
produces a deli meats abdominal cramps proper hygiene
heat-resistant toxin

Vomiting illness,
including nausea
30 minutes -
A class of bacteria Eating foods and vomiting;
6 hours for
Bacillus capable of surviving Cooked meat products, diarrheal illness, Ordering food through
contaminated with vomiting illness; 1-2 days
cereus harsh conditions and vegetables, and milk including watery an approved provider
Bacillus cereus 6-15 hours for
commonly found in the diarrhea,
diarrheal illness
soil abdominal pain,
and nausea
 Food Hazards Chart
Page 7 ©2012 AboveTraining Inc.

Where is it How is the illness What are the When do How long do
Hazard What is it? found? contracted? dangers/symptoms? symptoms appear? symptoms last?
How can it be avoided?

VIRUSES
Microscopic structures containing genetic material that replicate inside the cells of a living host organism

A virus that travels from Fatigue, fever, 2 weeks -

Food contaminated with Eating food Practicing proper
Hepatitis A person to person, nausea, abdominal 2 months 2 weeks -
HAV-infected human contaminated with hygiene habits like
(HAV ) usually using food or pain, diarrhea, and (1 month 3 months
feces HAV washing hands and
water as a vector jaundice average)

A highly-contagious Food contaminated with Eating food Nausea, Practicing proper

Norovirus Norovirus-infected contaminated with abdominal pain, 12 hours - 12 hours - hygiene habits like
virus 2 days 3 days
human feces Norovirus vomiting, and washing hands and

Food contaminated with Eating food Nausea, abdominal Practicing proper

A highly-contagious pain, vomiting,
Rotavirus Rotavirus-infected contaminated with 2 days 3-8 days hygiene habits like
virus severe diarrhea, and,
human feces Rotavirus if left untreated,
washing hands and

PARASITES
Organisms that have adapted to living inside a host body, and can cause illness; they often spread through food or water
Anisakiasis, Until the
A type of roundworm, including nausea worms are
commonly known as the Eating and abdominal pain, removed,
Anisakis Raw or undercooked A few hours - Ordering food through
herring worm, that Anisakis-infected and in some cases, either
simplex seafood coughing up worms;
more than a surgically or an approved provider
enters human hosts foods week
surgery may be naturally;
through the required to remove usually
the worms resolves

Giardiasis which
Unfiltered, untreated water
includes gradual,
from wells, streams, and
sustained weight
Microscopic parasite other sources; seafood
Drinking or ingesting loss, diarrhea, Avoiding untreated
Giardia harvested from
that is transmitted via cramps, and greasy, 1-2 weeks 2-6 weeks
contaminated water; or Giardia-infected water; practicing proper
the fecal-oral route fruits or vegetables that floating stool; with
children, Giardiasis
were washed in
can stunt growth
contaminated water
and physical
Cryptosporidiosis (or
A parasite similar to crypto), which
Ingesting 3-4 days on
Cryptosporidium Giardia that is often Water contaminated includes watery Avoiding untreated
found in water
cryptosporidium- 2-10 days average; up
(crypto) with fecal matter diarrhea, dehydration, water; practicing proper
contaminated with fecal infected water nausea, vomiting, to 2 weeks
fever, and weight loss

Parasite transmitted to Up to several

Toxoplasmosis,
Cats, rodents, and Eating food infected weeks, Avoiding contamination
Toxoplasma humans through food, which causes flu-like
depending
often due to undercooked meat and with Toxoplasma symptoms, or, in 1 week - 1 by animals and pests;
gondii severe cases, eye
upon the
contamination by cats or meat products gondii health of the properly cooking food
rodents damage and death infected
 Food Hazards Chart
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Where is it How is the illness What are the When do How long do
Hazard What is it? found? contracted? dangers/symptoms? symptoms appear? symptoms last?
How can it be avoided?

FUNGI
Organisms that often play a role in spoiling foods (though some varieties are edible)
Nausea and
vomiting; allergic
Types of fungi that often
Cured meats like ham, Consuming food reactions in those Dependent upon amount Practicing proper time
cause spoilage; some
Molds salami, and bacon; jams contaminated with who are allergic; eaten, presence of and temperature control;
varieties also create
and jellies mold If allergic mycotoxins can mycotoxins, allergies, and discarding moldy food
harmful mycotoxins
cause much more
severe symptoms

Types of fungi often Nausea and

Carbohydrate-rich items Dependent upon amount Practicing proper time
used in the creation of Consuming foods vomiting; allergic
Yeasts that are completely or eaten, allergies, and other and temperature control;
foods, but that can also with high levels of reactions in those
partially liquid factors discarding spoiled food
cause spoilage who are allergic

FOOD ALLERGENS
Biological trait that causes immune systems to react negatively with certain proteins in food

Various symptoms
A variety of foods, ranging from
especially milk, eggs, mildly annoying to
Biological trait that Consuming allergenic Immediately or Knowing common
Food
fish and shellfish, wheat, fatal, including
causes immune systems foods when up to a few allergenic foods and
soy and soy products, Varies
allergens to react negatively with hypersensitive to swelling and
peanuts, and tree nuts hours avoiding cross-contact
certain proteins in food them irritation, difficulty
like almonds, pecans, breathy, itchy
and walnuts sensation, or hives

SOURCES
www.biosignlabs.com
www.cdc.gov
www.doh.wa.gov
www.drcordas.com
www. fda.gov
www.whoi.edu