contaminatierisico

Contaminatierisico is the term used to describe the probability that a given medium or system becomes contaminated by unwanted substances or organisms, with potential consequences for health, safety, or product quality. It covers biological, chemical, and physical contaminants and is relevant across sectors such as food safety, water and environmental management, healthcare, and manufacturing.

Biological contaminants include bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi; chemical contaminants include pesticides, heavy metals, solvents and disinfection residues; physical contaminants include glass, metal fragments, or other particulates. Contamination can occur at any stage of the supply chain, through raw materials, processing, handling, storage, or distribution, and may spread by contact, ingestion, inhalation, or cross-contamination.

Risk assessment follows a structured approach: hazard identification, exposure assessment, and risk characterization. It is supported by frameworks such as HACCP and ISO 22000 for food safety, and by general risk management standards like ISO 31000. In healthcare and pharmaceuticals, contamination risk also relates to sterile processing and aseptic techniques.

Control measures focus on prevention and detection: good hygiene practices, sanitation programs, supplier verification, process controls, environmental monitoring, and robust traceability. When contamination is detected, corrective actions, containment, recalls, and corrective action plans are implemented. Documentation and transparency are essential for accountability and regulatory compliance.

Measurement and monitoring use sampling plans and indicators such as microbial counts (CFU), chemical residue levels, and exceedance rates to assess risk and verify controls. Risk communication and continuous improvement are integral to reducing contamination risk over time.