Final answer:
Adding pesticides, bleach, or degreaser to food is considered a chemical hazard, posing risks to human health. These are chemical agents, distinct from biological or physical hazards, and are not suitable for ingestion. Alternatives, like fungal insecticides, and soil-derived antimicrobial agents, provide safer options for pest and microbial control.
Step-by-step explanation:
Adding substances like pesticides, bleach, and degreaser to food is considered a chemical hazard. These substances are chemical agents and can pose significant health risks if ingested. In a food safety context, different types of hazards include physical, biological, and chemical, with chemical hazards arising from chemical substances that can cause harm when present in food.
An example of a chemical agent is DDT, which is a type of pesticide. Chemical disinfectants like bleach are historically compared to phenol in terms of effectiveness. Furthermore, the unsuitability of disinfectant substances for application on living tissues for microbial control is recognized; antiseptics are more appropriate for such uses. Alternatives to chemical pesticides, such as fungal insecticides, are gaining attention due to their reduced impact on human health and the environment. Soil has been identified as a natural source that has yielded compounds with significant antimicrobial activity.