Before you can prevent foodborne illnesses, you must know what conditions in your operation lead to them. You must recognize the hazards that can make food unsafe. You also need to understand the common factors that cause foodborne illnesses.

Potential Hazards to Food Safety: Unsafe food usually results from contamination, which is the presence of harmful substances in food. Some hazards are introduced in food by humans or the environment. Others occur naturally. These hazards are divided into the following four categories.