Nutrition Chapter 12

hazard

a state of danger, used to refer to any circumstance in which harm is possible under normal conditions of use.

persistent

a stubborn or enduring nature; with respect to food contaminates, the quality of reminding unaltered and unexcited in plant foods or in bodies of animals and human beings.

Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP)

a systemic plan to identify and correct potential microbial hazards in the manufacturing, distribution, and commercial use of food products.

microbes

a shortened name for microorganism; minute organisms too small to observe without a microscope, including bacteria, viruses, and others.

sushi

a Japanese dish that consists of vinegar-flavored rice, seafood, and colorful vegetables, typically wrapped in seaweed.

growth hormone

a hormone that promotes growth and is produced naturally in the pituitary gland of the brain.

generally recognized as safe (GRAS) list

a list, established by the FDA, of food additives long in use and believed to be safe.

olestra

a noncaloric artificial fat made from sucrose and fatty acids.

arsenic

a poisonous metallic element, In trace amounts, arsenic is believed to be an essential nutrient in some animal species. Arsenic is often added to insecticides and weed killers and in tiny amounts, to certain animal drugs.

modified atmosphere packaging (MAP)

a preservation technique in which a perishable food is packaged in a gas-impermeable container from which air has been removed or to which another gas mixture has been added.

ultra-high temperature (UHT)

a process of sterilizing food by exposing it for a show time to temperatures above those normally used for processing.

biofilm

a protective coating of proteins and carbohydrates exuded by certain bacteria; biofilm adheres bacteria to surfaces and can survive rinsing.

hemolytic-uremic syndrome

a severe result of infection with E. coli characterized by abnormal blood clotting with kidney failure, damage to the central nervous system and other organs, and death, especially among children.

prion

an infective agent consisting of an unusually folded protein that disrupts normal cell functioning, cueing disease. Prions cannot be controlled or killed by cooking or disinfecting, nor can the disease they cause be treated; prevention is the only from of control.

botulism

an often fatal food poisoning caused by botulinum toxin, a toxin produced by the Clostridium botulinum bacterium thats grows without oxygen in non acidic canned foods.

bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE)

an often fatal illness of the nerves and brain observed in cattle and wild game an in people who consume affected meats. mad cow disease.

heavy metal

any of a number of mineral ions such as mercury and lead, so called because they are relatively high atomic weight; many heavy metals are poisonous.

contaminant

any substance accruing in food by accident; andy food constituent that is not normally present.

pesticides

chemicals used to control insects, diseases, weeds, fungi, an other pests on crops and around animals.

incidental additives

substances that can get into food not through intentional introduction, but as a result of contact with the food during growing, processing, packaging, storing, or some other stage before the food is consumed.

organic foods

foods meeting strict USDA production regulations for organic, including prohibition of synthetic pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, drugs, and preservatives and produced without genetic engineering or irradiation.

organic gardens

gardens grown with techniques of sustainable agriculture, such as using fertilizers made from composts and introducing predatory insects to control pests, in ways the thane minimal impact on soil, water, and air quality.

bovin somatotropin (bST)

growth hormone of cattle, which can be produced for agricultural use by genetic engineering.

cross-contaimination

the contamination of a food through exposure to utensils, hands, or other surfaces that were previously in contact with contaminated food.

foodborne illness

illness transmitted to human beings through food and water; caused by an infectious agent or a poisonous substance arising from microbial toxins, poisonous chemicals, or other harmful substances.

margin of safety

in reference to food additives, a zone between the concentration normally used and that at which a hazard exists.

neurotoxins

poisons that act upon cells of the nervous system.

enterotoxins

poisons that act upon mucous membranes, such as those of the digestive tract.

extrusion

processing techniques that transform whole or refined grains, legumes, and other food into shaped, colored, and flavored snacks, breakfast cereals, and other products.

PCBs

stable oily synthetic chemicals used in hundreds of industrial and commercial operation that persist as pollution in the environment PCBs cause caner in animals and a number of other serious health effects. The Environmental Protection Agency monitors their levels.

additives

substances that are added to foods but are not normally consumed by themselves as foods.

noncaloric sweeteners

sugar substitutes that provide negligible or no energy.

toxicity

the ability of a substance to harm living organisms. All substance, even pure water or oxygen, can be toxic in high enough doses.

bioaccumulation

the accumulation of a contaminant in the tissues of living things at higher and higher concentration along the food chain.

MSG symptom complex

the acute, temporary, and self-limiting reactions, including burning sensations or flushing of the skin with pain and headache, experienced by sensitive people upon ingesting a large does of MSG.

irradiation

the application of ionizing radiation to foods to reduce insect infestation or microbial contamination or to slow the ripening or sprouting process.

acceptable daily intake (ADI)

the estimated amount of a sweetener that can be consumed daily over a person's lifetime without any adverse effects.

food bioterrorism

the intentional adulteration or depletion of the food supply through the use of biological agents, such as pathogenic organisms or agricultural pests, to cause fear and destruction in a population.

tolerance limit

the maximum amount of a residue permitted in a food when a pesticide is used according to label directions.

safety

the practical certainty that injury will not result from the use of a substance.

Country of Origin Label (COOL)

the required label stating the country of origination of many imported meats, chicken, fish and shellfish, other perishable foods, certain nuts, peanuts, and ginseng.

pasteurization

the treatment of milk, juices, or eggs with heat sufficient to kill certain pathogens commonly transmitted through these foods; not a sterilization process. Pasteurized products retain bacteria that cause spoilage.

biotechnology

then science of manipulating biological systems or organisms to modify their products or components or create new products; also called genetic engineering.

outbreak

two or more cases of a disease arising from an identical organism acquired from a common food source within a limited time frame. Government agencies track and investigate outbreaks of food borne illnesses, but tens of millions of individual cases go unreported each year.

residues

whatever remind; in the case of pesticides, those amounts that remain on or in foods when people buy to use them.