Breakdown contamination is contamination that occurs when equipment, infrastructure or a controlled process fails and food is exposed to a biological, chemical or physical hazard. In a restaurant or food facility, a breakdown may involve refrigeration failure, damaged equipment, leaking lubricants, broken glass or plastic, condensate, pest entry or loss of a sanitation barrier.
Examples of contamination during a breakdown
- Refrigeration failure: food may be exposed to unsafe temperatures or contaminated meltwater during a cooler or freezer breakdown.
- Equipment damage: fragments from a broken utensil, gasket, guard or machine component may enter food.
- Lubricant or chemical leaks: non-food-grade lubricants, hydraulic fluids or cleaning chemicals may contaminate food or food-contact surfaces.
- Water or drainage failure: backflow, leaks or sewage issues can introduce biological or chemical hazards.
- Sanitation failure: equipment that cannot be cleaned or sanitized properly may allow contamination to transfer between batches.
What to do when a breakdown occurs
- Stop the affected production or service activity and isolate exposed food.
- Identify the nature and extent of the failure and the possible contamination route.
- Assess affected food using the operation’s food-safety plan and applicable requirements.
- Discard or hold product as required; do not return questionable food to service based only on appearance or smell.
- Repair the equipment, clean and sanitize the area, and verify that the system is safe before restarting.
- Document the incident, affected product, corrective actions and authorization to resume operation.
Breakdown contamination versus cross-contamination
Breakdown contamination describes contamination associated with a failure of equipment or a control system. Cross-contamination describes the transfer of a hazard from one food, surface or source to another. A breakdown can create the conditions for cross-contamination.
Chef’s tip: include equipment failure scenarios in the kitchen’s emergency and food-safety procedures. A clear stop-work and product-isolation rule prevents staff from continuing production while the hazard is still uncertain.
