Which of the following is a potential source of poisonous contamination of food?

• A. Fresh water.
• B. Salt.
• C. Poisonous metals.
• D. Sugar.

Answer: (C)

Poisonous metals are a classic source of contamination in food safety because metals like lead, mercury, and cadmium can migrate into food from equipment, containers, pipes, or coatings. They can leach into food especially if the container or utensil is damaged, corrosive foods are used, or heating occurs, and even small amounts can cause serious health problems over time. This makes metals a well-recognized hazardous source of contamination in HACCP thinking.

Fresh water can carry contaminants, but it isn’t inherently a poisonous contaminant in typical processing unless it’s polluted; salt and sugar are generally pure ingredients, with contamination being less of a routine hazard than metal leaching.