Unlike beneficial microorganisms and spoilage organisms, some microorganisms will almost always cause disease. We call these microorganisms, pathogens (disease-causing microorganisms). Pathogens give no warning signs, and unlike a spoilage organism, their presence in food is less obvious. You cannot see, smell or taste a pathogen. In fact, you have no real way of determining whether a food is contaminated, unless you get sick, and/or a sample of a particular food tests positive. A pathogen can be transmitted to food and to people in many ways.

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