Food Contaminants

1 DEFINITION Food contaminants are harmful chemicals and microorganisms found in food which have the potential to cause illness in consumers. In developing countries there is significant exposure of the general population to pesticide residues in food. Also mycotoxins and other naturally occuring toxins present acute and chronic health hazards and are a worldwide problem.

2 SOURCES 2.1 pesticides and weedkillers 2.2 antibiotics 2.3 fungicides on seed grain 2.4 industry 2.5 radioactive fallout