Ch 4: Types of Contamination

1. Food Contamination: Definition & Facts

In this lesson, we will learn about food contamination. We'll define food contamination, including how that definition may be changing and also look as examples of food contamination.

2. Food Contamination: Symptoms & Effects

This lesson will teach you about the three major types of food contaminants and the wide variety of signs, symptoms, and effects they may have on the human body in the short and long-term.

3. Cross-Contamination of Food

In this lesson, we will learn about cross contamination, including why it is important to not use the same cutting board to cut chicken and then cut other food and why we need to frequently wash our hands while cooking.

4. How to Prevent Cross-Contamination

Cross-contamination can lead to foodborne illness. In this lesson, we'll look at the various ways to prevent cross-contamination and the spread of bacteria and germs between foods.

5. Diseases Caused by Contaminated Food

Discover the variety of diseases caused by contaminated food and the pathogens that cause the diseases. Explore bacterial diseases, viral diseases, parasite diseases, prion diseases.

6. Types of Food Contamination

Food contamination involves the presence of toxic substances or microorganisms in food, making it not suitable for consumption. Explore the types of food contamination, and discover examples of physical, chemical, and biological contaminants.

7. Biological Contamination

What do terrorists, your favorite dog, and tasty food have to do with one another? They're all possible sources of biological contamination. Find out more about this topic in this lesson.

8. Biological Contamination of Food

Learn about the biological contamination of food, which is contamination by microorganisms. Discover some of the diseases caused by bacterial and viral contamination, as well as illnesses resulting from parasitic protozoans and worms.

9. Benzene Exposure: Symptoms & Health Effects

Are you worried about benzene exposure? If you are, then this lesson will teach you about the signs and symptoms to look out for in the near and long term as a result of high levels of benzene exposure.

10. What is Benzene Found In?

This lesson will briefly define and describe a chemical compound known as benzene. Then, you will learn about the many industrial and home-based substances that contain this toxic chemical.

11. Benzene & Cancer

Benzene is a chemical that has been linked to cancer in human and animal studies. This lesson teaches you what this cancer is, what happens in this type of cancer, and how benzene is linked to it.

12. The Benzene Case: Industrial Union v American Petroleum

The Supreme Court ruled on the benzene case in 1980; this case focused on setting regulations for potential carcinogens and was between the American Petroleum Institute and the Industrial Union Department. This lesson summarizes the results of that case.

13. Breast Milk Contamination

Breast milk has long been understood to be the best way to nourish an infant. When the mother cannot provide breast milk, donor milk is used. It is important to know that the milk is safe for the baby and does not contain contaminants.

14. What is Chemical Contamination?

Chemical can contaminate our home, our food, our work, and the environment in general, all of which can pose a danger to our health. This lesson shows you examples of various ways chemicals can contaminate these places.

15. Chemical Contamination in Food

We can't live without food, but whether manmade, natural, or from within the food itself, chemical contaminants in our food are almost unavoidable. This lesson goes over some examples of these contaminants.

16. Chemical Contaminants in Water

Have you ever wondered what the major causes of the chemical contamination of our precious water supply are? Or, perhaps you've wondered what important chemical contaminants are? This lesson outlines both.

17. Chemical Decontamination

Chemical decontamination comes in a variety of forms, depending on both the chemical in question and the area we are trying to remove the chemical from. This lesson will look at the goals of decontamination and summarize different methods of common chemical decontamination.

18. Arsenic Contamination in Water & Soil

It's toxic. It's a poison. You can't even sense it. It's arsenic. It can be found in the soil and in the water. Find out why that matters to you and how it can affect you.

19. What is Aflatoxin?

Have you ever heard of aflatoxin? It's not a commonly known toxin, but it is a very deadly one. It can affect humans, horses, and every other mammal on the planet. This lesson describes what aflatoxin is, where it's found, and how it can be spotted and prevented.

20. Aflatoxin Poisoning: Symptoms, Treatment & Effects

Discover the symptoms, treatments, and effects of aflatoxin poisoning. Learn about the fungus responsible and how humans become infected by it. Finally, explore the relationship between aflatoxin poisoning and both liver and lung cancer.

21. Aflatoxin Testing & Exposure

Aflatoxins can be really dangerous. Because of the threat they pose to human health, it's important you know how people may be exposed to these toxins and how we test for their presence.

22. Physical Contaminants in Food

Physical contaminants in food are substances or foreign objects that enter the food during the processing or preparation of food. Learn more about physical contaminants and discover examples of physical contaminants in food.

23. What Causes Physical Contamination of Food?

In this lesson we will learn how physical contamination of food occurs, including by natural, accidental, and intentional means. We will look at examples of physical contamination in each category.

24. Physical Contaminants in Water

Water is our most precious resource. Without it, we cannot live for long. Yet we are constantly contaminating it! This lesson gives you some examples of how we physically contaminate our water.

25. Air Contaminants Criteria

Sometimes when we breathe in contaminated or dirty air it can wreak havoc on our body. Continue reading to learn what these contaminants are, why they are so bad for our health, and how they are regulated.

26. Air Contamination Types

Every time you take a breath you may be inhaling something really harmful, even if you're indoors and nowhere near some power plant. Find out how that's the case in this lesson!

27. Asbestos Contamination

There may be something in your home that can cause a lot of lung damage and a rare kind of cancer. Do you know what this is? Find out asbestos and how it may harm your health.

28. Acute vs. Chronic Toxicity

Toxicity can be acute or chronic. Review the definition of a toxin, and gain a better understanding of the characteristics of both acute and chronic toxicity in the human body.

29. What is Cross-Contamination? - Definition, Examples & Facts

Cross-contamination is the transfer of harmful bacteria or contaminants from one object or organism to another. Understand the definition of cross-contamination, learn facts regarding cross-contamination of objects and surfaces, and find examples.

30. Cross Contanimation: Causes & Types

This lesson briefly defines cross-contamination before going over the major causes of cross-contamination as well as some of the major types of cross-contaminants we need to be worried about.