Level 2 Food Safety in Catering Food Safety Hazards part 1 | Page 10

10

Food Safety Hazards Micro-organisms
(Micro - small or tiny) (Organism - a living thing.) There are different types of micro-organism associated with food borne illnesses

Bacteria - single-celled microorganisms and the most common cause of food poisoning.

Viruses - even smaller than
bacteria, carried on food and in water.

Parasites - that live on other
organisms

It may be possible to see some parasites - e.g. roundworm, flatworms or flukes that affect foods of animal origin. You cannot see bacteria and viruses, nor can you smell or taste them. You can fit thousands on a pin head!!