Food Quality and Food Safety | Class 12 Home Science Notes

BASIC CONCEPTS

Food safety is defined as the assurance that food is acceptable for human consumption according to its intended use. To understand food safety comprehensively, it is essential to grasp related concepts such as toxicity and hazard. Toxicity refers to the inherent capacity of a substance to cause harm or injury under any condition. Hazard, on the other hand, is the probability or risk that harm will occur when a substance is used improperly or in excessive quantities. Hazards in food can be physical, chemical, or biological. Physical hazards include foreign materials not normally found in food, such as wood pieces, stones, pest parts, or hair, which can cause injury or illness. Chemical hazards encompass harmful substances intentionally or unintentionally added to food, including pesticides, toxic metals, preservatives, and food colorants. Biological hazards are living organisms like bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi that can contaminate food and cause food-borne illnesses. Food-borne diseases caused by microbes are categorized into infections (caused by live pathogens multiplying in the body) and intoxications (caused by toxins produced by bacteria in food). Understanding these hazards is fundamental to ensuring food safety.

📊 Diagram: Fig. 6.1 shows examples of physical hazards such as wood pieces, stones, hair, and pest parts found in food. Fig. 6.2 illustrates chemical hazards including pesticides, preservatives, and toxic metals. Fig. 6.3 depicts visible biological hazards like insects and pests on food, while Fig. 6.4 shows invisible microbiological hazards such as bacteria and viruses.

🔗 Connection: Leads to detailed discussion on food-borne illnesses and contamination.