Contaminated food is defined as which of the following?

• A. Food that contains harmful bacteria
• B. Food that is clean and safe to eat
• C. Food that has been frozen
• D. Food that is cooked properly

Answer: (A)

Contaminated food means it contains harmful agents that can cause illness. In HACCP terms, contamination includes biological hazards like harmful bacteria, as well as chemicals or physical objects that should not be in food. Among the options, food that contains harmful bacteria best fits this definition, because it shows a biological hazard present. The other statements describe food that is clean, safe, frozen, or cooked properly—conditions that do not themselves define contamination, though cooking or freezing can reduce or control hazards. So the correct description is food that contains harmful bacteria.