2.2. Contamination - chemical contamination

Some ways that food can be chemically contaminated and cause sickness is by:

• pesticides
• cleaning agents.

Pesticide contamination

Pesticide contamination can result from:

1. residues on fruit and vegetables (not properly washed)
2. incorrect use of pesticides and rodent poisons


• fly sprays in the kitchen or dining area
• rodent poison used near food, or where it can be reached by people


3. storing pesticides and rodent poisons incorrectly


• stored near food
• incorrectly labelled.

Cleaning and sanitising agents

Any of these can result in cleaners or sanitisers being swallowed:

• incorrect use of cleaners: wrong dilution
• not sufficiently rinsed
• wrong chemical used for a task
• incorrect storage of cleaners: stored with foods
• wrongly labelled or no label
• stored in old food containers.

Terrible mistakes have resulted in both children and adults being badly poisoned by thinking the chemical was a food.

Have a look around the storage cupboard below by moving your mouse over the image.

	Correct storage methods