What term describes physical contaminants such as wood, glass, or bandages that contaminate food?

• A. Physical Contaminants
• B. Chemical Contaminants
• C. Biological Contaminants
• D. Allergens

Answer: (A)

Physical contaminants are solid foreign objects that end up in food, like wood, glass, or bandages. These items are tangible hazards you can see or feel, and they pose a direct safety risk to someone who eats the food. The other options refer to different kinds of hazards: chemical contaminants are substances such as cleaners or pesticides left in food, biological contaminants are living organisms like bacteria or viruses, and allergens are proteins that can trigger allergic reactions. Since the items described are physical objects in the food, the correct term is physical contaminants.