Chapter 4: Food Safety
How can mildew (mold) on refrigerator be cleaned?
with a solution of 1 tablespoon of baking soda dissolved in 1 quart of water
Biological Hazards
Living organisms or organic material that includes bacteria, molds, viruses, and parasites.
Toxin-Mediated Infection
Occurs when bacteria enter the intestinal tract and then start to produce the toxin in the intestine.
Bacteria
One-celled microorganisms abundant in the air, soil, water, and/or organic matter (i.e., the bodies of plants and animals).
Main bacteria that cause food infections via colonization in the intestinal tract?
Salmonella Listeria monocytogenes Yersinia enterocolitica Shigella
Patulin
a toxin produced by both Aspergillus and Penicillium that can contaminate fruits and cereals
Three types of foodborne illnesses caused by pathogenic bacteria:
1. infection 2. intoxication or poisoning 3. toxin-mediated infections
Spore
Resistant to drying and heating, and the bacteria may remain in this dormant state for long periods until their environment becomes more hospitable.
Where do approximately 80% of foodborne illnesses originate?
Restaurants
Bloom
-Cottony, fuzzy growth of molds. -This differentiates mold from bacteria
Mild cases of foodborne illnesses usually:
subside with time.
Examples of high risk foods
High water activity Low acidity
Mycotoxin
-A toxin produced by a mold - Over 300 have been identified
Who is E.coli particularly dangerous in?
Children
Vibrio
-Seafood is the major carrier
What are the three types of food hazards?
1. Biological 2. Chemical 3. Physical
Top 8 Food Allergens
Wheat Eggs Tree nuts Peanuts Fish Shellfish Soy Milk
Parasite
An organism that lives on or within another organism at the host's expense without any useful return.
hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS)
-A potentially deadly condition caused by E. coli -Leading cause of acute renal (kidney) failure in children
Food Intoxication
-An illness resulting from ingestion of food containing a toxin. -Bacteria grow on the food and release toxins that cause illness in the person consuming the toxin-laden food or beverage.
Food Infection
-An illness resulting from ingestion of food containing large numbers of living bacteria or other microorganisms. -Caused by ingesting bacteria that grow in the host's intestine, replicate, and create an infection through their colonization.
Virus
-An infectious microorganism consisting of RNA or DNA that reproduces only in living cells. -needs a living cell in order to multiply.
Prion
-An infectious protein particle that does not contain DNA or RNA -Related to mad cow disease or bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). -It is a type of transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) that riddles the brain with holes, making it look like a sponge.
Chemical Hazards
-Any chemical substance hazardous to health -Harmful chemicals can come from additives (unintentional), plant toxins, animal toxins, or certain metals
Histamine Food Poisoning
-Excessive accumulation in fish (especially tuna) may result in this kind of food poisoning (scombrotoxism). -One of the most common forms of fish poisoning in the United States and occurs when the fish have not been chilled immediately after being caught.
High-risk foods
-Foods that support the growth of bacteria because they contain a lot of protein and water -Other factors making foods more prone toward bacterial contamination are low acid content and suficient oxygen, although exceptions exist.
Putterfish Poisoning
-One of the most violent poisonings originating from seafood -Occurs when the liver, gonads, intestines, and/or skin of the pufferfish are consumed.
Campylobacter jejuni
-The number of people infected with this bacteria now equals or exceeds those affected by Salmonella. -responsible for more than 14 percent of the estimated annual food-related illnesses and deaths attributed to foodborne pathogens. -the largest foodborne disease outbreak was traced to a municipal water supply -most other cases are linked to raw meat, undercooked poultry, unpasteurized milk, and untreated water.
tetrodotoxin
-Toxin present in putterfish - If ingested results in a mortality rate of 50%
Aflatoxin
-a carcinogenic toxin made by the mold Aspergillus lavus, is the most potent liver carcinogen known. -foods infected with this toxin are most likely to be peanuts and grains
Acrylamide
-a chemical that in high dosages can cause cancer in laboratory animals, but has unknown effect in humans. -is not naturally found in food, but is formed by a chemical reaction when certain foods such as french fries are exposed to high temperatures. -The reaction requires sugar, the amino acid asparagine, and high heat.
Giardia lamblia
-a type of protozoa -responsible for the most common parasitic infection in the world -most frequently associated with the consumption of contaminated water -primarily transmitted through surface streams and lakes that have been contaminated with the feces of infected livestock and other animals.
Food Allergy
-an immune response to a specific protein within a food. -different than food intolerance, which does not involve an immune response, but rather an inability to absorb or process a certain food due to an enzyme deficiency.
Protozoa
-animals consisting of just one cell. They most frequently infect humans through contaminated water. Only 3 out of about 30 types are related to food safety: Giardia, Cryptosporidium, and Cyclospora. The most common of these is Giardia.
hemorrhagic colitis
-caused by E.coli -most common in children -severe abdominal cramps, vomiting, diarrhea, and a short-lived fever followed by watery, bloody diarrhea
Clostridium botulinim
-causes botulism -one of the deadliest, but fortunately rarest, forms of foodborne illness -Less than half a cup of this bacteria's toxin is enough to poison every person on earth. -The most common cause of is improperly home-canned food or damaged cans.
Listeria monocytogenes
-causes the second most costly foodborne illness, after Salmonella. -fatality rates are as high as 20 to 35 percent of those infected. -The CDC records about 500 U.S. deaths annually -may also cause pneumonia, septicemia, urethritis, meningitis, and spontaneous abortion
Yersiniosis infection
-commonly occurs in children, resulting in gastrointestinal upset, fever, and appendicitis-like symptoms. -can occasionally also cause septicemia (bacteria in the blood), meningitis (inflammation of the spinal cord or brain membranes), and arthritis-like symptoms.
Norwalk virus
-commonly referred to as the "stomach flu" -second most common viral infection after the common cold.
Yersinia enterocolitica
-destroyed by heat, but, like Listeria, can grow in a wide temperature range (32°F to 106°F/0°C to 41°C). -its ability to grow in refrigerator temperatures makes it all the more hazardous.
Physical Hazards
-hazards that can harm the consumer's health when found in food and beverages
Cooking pork
-internal temperature of 137°F (58°C) will kill the T. spiralis larvae -but the National Livestock and Meat Board recommends a final internal temperature of 160°F (71°C) as a safety margin.
Staphylococcus aureus
-major cause of foodborne illness -Up to half of all healthy humans carry it, and it is a common cause of sinus infections and infected pimples and boils. -It lives in the throat and nasal passages and in small cuts, so it is easily transmitted to foods through sneezing, coughing, and hand contact.
Trichinella spiralis
-most common parasite found in food -a roundworm found in pork -there are now relatively few cases of trichinosis each year Note: a roundworm is a parasite
Ciguatera Fish Poisoning
-most common toxin-related food poisoning in the United States -caused by eating fish, usually from tropical waters, that contain a ciguatoxin that is not destroyed by heating
E.Coli
-normal inhabitant of the digestive tract in both humans and animals -in its normal environment, it prevents the growth of more dangerous bacteria. -can produce serious illness when it contaminates food sources
Hepatitis A virus
-occurs most frequently after food is contaminated with fecal matter. -differs from the hepatitis B virus, which is transmitted through body fluids and not through food
Salmonella
-one of the most common causes of illnesses traced to contaminated foods and water -foods most susceptible include: meat,fish,poultry,eggs, and dairy products -heat-sensitive bacteria, but it could become heat resistant in low-water activity conditions such as in the production of peanut products. -Yet another source of contamination is pet turtles, iguanas, and other reptiles.
Red Tide
-the result of the rapid growth of a reddish marine alga, usually occur- ring during the summer or in tropical waters. -Shellfish, such as mollusks, oysters, and clams, and certain fish that consume red tide algae become poisonous and should not be eaten until the red tide has disappeared.
Herring worms and Codworms
-tiny white worms found in fish(sushi) -In serious cases, the worm penetrates through the stomach or intestinal wall, causing severe abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. -After several weeks, the worm dies, or it may be coughed or vomited up by the host. It also may be removed by a physician using a fiberoptic device equipped with mechanical forceps.
What fraction of all reported diarrhea cases in the United States have been linked to foodborne illnesses?
1/3
According to the General Accounting Office, what is the total number of people afflicted with foodborne illnesses per year?
76 million ill-nesses, 325,000 hospitalizations, and up to 5,000 deaths.
What percentage of bacterial foodborne illnesses are due to food infections?
80%
Melamine
A chemical toxin that was intentionally added to pet foods in China in order to artificially increase their protein content.
Mold
A fungus (a plant that lacks chlorophyll) that produces a furry growth on organic matter.
Food Biosecurity
Aims to keep the food supply free from planned contamination with biological, chemical, or physical hazards due to malicious and/or criminal intent.
Foodborne Illness
An illness transmitted to humans by food.
Fumonisins
Associated with corn
Number one cause of foodborne illnesses
Bacteria (90%)
Morganella morganii
Bacteria that produces histamine in fish that have not been refrigerated, thus making them toxic.
Why are meat, poultry, and egg products not subject to FALCPA rules?
Because they are under the regulation of the USDA
What are some preventative measures for foodborne illnesses?
CDC, FDA, Controlling contamination at the source, and food manufacturers and distributors are motivated to avoid law-suits brought against them as a result of negligence.
Pathogenic
Causing or capable of causing disease
Outbreak
Defined by the CDC as the occurrence of two or more cases of a similar illness resulting from the ingestion of a common food.
Dry Storage Temperature
Dry storage: 60-70°F(15-21°C) canned goods • 50-70°F (10-21°C) root vegetables (potatoes, onions) and whole citrus, eggplant, and squash (hard-rind)
Toxin-Mediated Infections Bacteria
E.Coli Campylobacter jejuni Vibrio
Physical Hazards
Foreign material such as glass, metal, stones, and wood that could cause harm if ingested. Other common substances following these top four include jewelry, insects, insulation, bone, and plastic.
What are foods associated with Listeria outbreaks?
Frozen dairy desserts, contaminated cabbage, pasteurized milk, luncheon meats, and Mexican style soft cheese.
Child care centers are common sources of infection for:
Giardia lamblia (a protozoa) Hepatitis A (a virus) E.coli (bacteria)
Symptoms of foodborne illnesses
Inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract lining (gastroenteritis), nausea, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, and vomiting.
What does the FDA do for food safety?
It maintains a public website with updates on recent outbreaks.
How does the CDC play a role in food safety?
It tracks down causal factors when even as few as one or two outbreaks of foodborne illness occur.
Which bacteria is considered unique and why?
Listeria monocytogenes; because it is a facultative bacterium (capable of growing with or without oxygen); it can survive in a wide pH range (from 4.8 to 9.0); and it grows in a wide temperature range (39°F to 113°F/4°C to 45°C).
Chemical Hazards
Substances that can harm living systems. These range from agricultural and industrial contaminants (including cleaners and sanitizers) to plant and animal toxins.
Emerging Infections Programs (EIPs)
Programs implemented by the CDC as a result of outbreaks resulting from new microorganisms.
Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA)
Requires food manufacturers to appropriately label any product that contains a potential allergen.
Does the severity of diarrhea or any of the other symptoms associated with foodborne illnesses vary? Why?
Symptoms vary depending on the type of causative agent, the amount of the agent consumed, and the age and the susceptibility of the immune system of the affected individual.
Which is probably the safest food supply in the world and why?
The U.S. food supply; because it controls contamination at the food source through programs such as the CDC and FDA.
Shigella
The number one cause is poor personal hygiene by food handlers
Temperature Danger Zone
The temperature range—considered to be 40°F-140°F (4°C-60°C) by the USDA for consumers, and 41°F- 135°F (5°C-57°C) according to the FDA Food Code for retailers—that is ideal for bacterial growth
Cross-contamination
The transfer of bacteria or other microorganisms from one food to another.
Who are the most seriously affected by foodborne illnesses?
The very young, the old, and those with immune systems compromised by diseases such as AIDS or cancer.
Refrigerator temperature
USDA= 40°F (4°C) or below for consumers FDA= 41°F (5°C) or below for retailers
Freezer Temperature
below 0°F(218°C)
Foods susceptible to molds
bread jam and jellies salty meats (bacon, ham & salami)
Where are children particularly exposed to E.coli?
child-care centers because of poor hand washing after diaper changing.
Dehydration resulting from diarrhea and vomiting can be treated by the consumption of:
electrolyte-rich liquids.
What are some examples of physical hazards?
glass, bone, metal (especially from opening cans), wood, stones, false fingernails, toothpicks, watches, jewelry, insects, staples from food boxes, and many other foreign items
Sources of E.coli
ground beef unpasteurized milk unpasteurized apple juice or cider raw sprouts dry cured salami fresh produce yogurt sandwiches water
Two of the most common viruses known to cause foodborne illnesses
hepatitis A virus and the Norwalk virus
Severe cases of foodborne illnesses may result in:
hospitalization or even death.
What happens to most biological hazards?
inactivated or killed by adequate cooking and/or their numbers are kept to a minimum by sufficient cooling.
Shigella
is carried in the intestinal tract and transferred to the hands of food service personnel who visit the restroom and do not wash their hands
Why is control and prevention of restaurant related contamination inconsistent?
many of the laws and regulations governing food safety in America have not been updated since they were written in the time of Teddy Roosevelt . . ." and the FDA has the staffing capability to inspect "just 7,000 of our 150,000 food process-ing plants and warehouses each year.
Vibrio parahaemolyticus
most common cause of foodborne illness in Japan
Food Intoxications
occur when a food that contains a toxin produced by bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus or Clostridium botulinum is consumed
Top three factors associated with foodborne illness
poor personal hygiene, cross-contamination, and time/ temperature control
What is the principle source of Listeria in ready-to-eat foods?
recontamination from the processing environment
Vibrio cholera
responsible for thousands of deaths each year in Asia
Examples of parasites
roundworms and protozoa
