Contamination is the unwanted presence of a substance, microorganism, or other material in a place, product, or environment where it may affect safety, quality, or suitability.
Contamination can be biological, chemical, or physical. Examples include bacteria on a medical instrument, a chemical migrating from food packaging into food, or a foreign object entering a pharmaceutical product.
Contamination does not automatically mean that an infection, illness, or other harm will occur. The consequences depend on what the contaminant is, how much is present, whether exposure occurs, and the circumstances involved.
QUICK FACT
Contamination is not the same as infection. A person can be exposed to a microorganism without becoming infected.
COMMONLY CONFUSED WITH
- Infection: occurs when an infectious agent enters a host and establishes itself or multiplies in the body.
- Colonization: the presence and multiplication of microorganisms on or in a host without necessarily causing tissue damage or symptoms.
- Pollution: the introduction or presence of harmful substances or forms of energy in the environment.
SEE ALSO
- Infection
- Cross-contamination
- Disinfection
- Sterile
- Food Safety
- Exposure
