Definition: The presence in food of harmful, unpalatable, or otherwise objectionable foreign substances, e.g. chemicals, microorganisms or diluents, before, during, or after processing or storage.
coordinate with specific food item; contamination by dirt, dust, chemicals & toxic substances, organisms; contamination by microbes: consider FOOD MICROBIOLOGY + specific microbe + specific food item /microbiol; contamination by parasites: consider FOOD
ExamplesFood Contamination, Radioactive; Food Microbiology; Food Parasitology