The task of ensuring food safety is complex—food safety hazards can arise at any stage of the food chain, beginning with primary production through distribution to consumption.

Coastal erosion is the process by which local sea level rise, strong wave action, and coastal flooding wear down or carry away rocks, soils, and/or sands along the coast. All coastlines are affected by storms and other natural events that cause erosion; the combination of storm surge at high tide with additional effects from strong waves—conditions commonly associated with landfalling tropical storms—creates the most damaging conditions.

A tsunami is a series of ocean waves produced by sudden movements of the ocean floor—tsunamis can be caused by earthquakes, landslides, or volcanic activity. In the deep ocean, tsunami waves can travel across the ocean as fast as a commercial jetliner (more than 500 miles per hour), yet appear to be a simple ripple only a few inches high at the ocean's surface—likely not noticeable to someone on a boat or ship.