Which of the following is a physical hazard?

• A. E. coli
• B. Listeria
• C. Pesticide residue
• D. Glass shard

Answer: (D)

Physical hazards are foreign objects in food that can cause injury if eaten. A glass shard fits this category because it is a hard, tangible material that can cut the mouth, throat, or digestive tract or cause choking. The other items represent different hazard types: E. coli and Listeria are biological hazards since they are microorganisms that can cause illness, while pesticide residue is a chemical hazard due to toxic chemical contamination. In practice, physical hazards are addressed by visual inspection and screening methods such as X-ray or detectors to catch foreign materials, which distinguishes them from biological or chemical hazards.