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What they are, where they come from, and how to keep them under control
Food safety isn’t just about avoiding fines or passing audits, it’s about protecting people. And one of the biggest risks in any food facility comes from biological hazards: bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi that can contaminate food and make people seriously ill.
These hazards can show up in raw ingredients, spread through cross-contamination, or survive poor handling and processing. That’s why a strong food safety system starts with understanding the risks, and building practical controls into every step of production.
Biological hazards include any harmful microorganism that can end up in food. Here's a quick breakdown of the most common types:
These are the usual suspects. Bacteria like Salmonella, E. coli, Listeria, and Campylobacter can multiply quickly when food isn’t stored or handled properly.
Norovirus and Hepatitis A are two of the most common foodborne viruses. They’re highly contagious and can spread through contaminated water, food, or even a single unwashed hand.
Parasites like Toxoplasma and Giardia are often found in raw or undercooked meat, seafood, and produce. They can survive for a long time and cause serious illness if consumed.
Molds and yeasts can spoil food and sometimes produce mycotoxins, which are dangerous if ingested. Moldy food isn’t just unappetizing, it can be a real hazard.
Understanding the source is the first step to controlling the risk. Here’s where biological hazards most often enter the production environment:
Raw ingredients, especially animal-based products like meat, eggs, and dairy
Cross-contamination, shared surfaces, tools, and employee hands that transfer bacteria from one step to another
Undercooked or improperly processed foods, where pathogens survive and make it to the final product
Poor temperature control, letting food sit in the “danger zone” (typically 40°F to 140°F) where bacteria multiply quickly
In busy environments, these points of risk can add up quickly, especially when checks and documentation are inconsistent.
Controlling biological hazards doesn’t mean adding more paperwork. It means building smart, repeatable systems that support the work your team is already doing.
Here’s what that looks like in real terms:
Handwashing. Clean uniforms. Controlled access to high-risk zones. The basics still matter, especially when they’re done consistently.
Use color-coded equipment, separate raw and cooked zones, and clean between runs. Even small lapses can lead to big problems.
From receiving to storage to shipping, make sure temperature checks are part of the routine, and that they’re documented, not just done.
Make sure your kill steps are effective and verified. That includes checking internal temps, verifying pasteurization parameters, and monitoring hold times.
Contamination doesn’t always start in your plant. Regular supplier audits and spec verifications are key to keeping biological hazards out of your facility.
Training is more than a one-time slide deck. Make food safety part of onboarding, reinforce it during shifts, and revisit it regularly. The stronger your team’s habits, the fewer gaps you’ll see.
Biological hazards are part of the reality of food manufacturing, but they don’t have to be part of your product.
With the right checks in place, the right training, and the right systems to track it all, your team can prevent problems before they reach the customer.
Certdox helps FSQA teams stay on top of hazards with connected logs, corrective action tracking, training records, and temperature monitoring, all in one place.
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