Chapter 12 - Food Safety and Technology

microbes

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

hazard

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

Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP)

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

sushi

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

prion

a disease agent consisting of an unusually folded protein that disrupts normal cell functioning.

growth hormone

a hormone (somatotropin) that promotes growth and that 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 nonnutritive artificial fat made from sucrose and fatty acids; formerly called sucrose polyester.

arsenic

a poisonous metallic element.

ultra-high temperature

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

biofilm

a protective coating of proteins and carbohydrates exuded by certain bacteria.

hemolytic-uremic syndrome

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

selective breeding

a technique of genetic modification whereby organisms are chosen for reproduction based on their desirability for human purposes, such as high growth rate, high food yield, or disease resistance, with the intention of retaining or enhancing these characteristics in their offspring.

recombinant DNA (rDNA) technology

a technique of genetic modification whereby scientists directly manipulate the genes of living things; includes methods of removing genes, doubling genes, introducing foreign genes, and changing gene positions to influence the growth and development of organisms.

modified atmosphere packaging (MAP)

a technique used to extend the shelf life of perishable foods; the food is packaged in a gas-impermeable container from which air is removed or to which an oxygen-free gas mixture, such as carbon dioxide and nitrogen, is added.

aflatoxin

a toxin from a mold that grows on corn, grains, peanuts, and tree nuts stored in warm, humid conditions.

World Health Organization (WHO)

an agency of the United Nations charged with improving human health and preventing or controlling diseases in the world's people.

reference dose

an estimate of the intake of a substance over a lifetime that is considered to be without appreciable health risk; for pesticides, the maximum amount of a residue permitted in a food. Formerly called tolerance limit.

botulism

an often fatal foodborne illness caused by botulinum toxin, a toxin produced by the Clostridium botulinum bacterium that grows without oxygen in nonacidic canned foods.

bovine spongiform encephalopathy

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

genetically engineered organism (GEO)

an organism produced by genetic engineering; the term genetically modified organism (GMO) is often used to mean the same thing.

transgenic organism

an organism resulting from the growth of an embryonic, stem, or germ cell into which a new gene has been inserted.

stem cell

an undifferentiated cell that can mature into any of a number of specialized cell types.

heavy metal

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

food contaminant

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

antibiotic-resistant bacteria

bacterial strains that cause increasingly common and potentially fatal infectious diseases that do not respond to standard antibiotic therapy.

pesticides

chemicals used to control insects, diseases, weeds, fungi, and other pests on crops and around animals. Used broadly, the term includes herbicides (to kill weeds), insecticides (to kill insects), and fungicides (to kill fungi).

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 that have minimal impact on soil, water, and air quality.

recombinant bovine somatotropin

growth hormone of cattle, which can be produced for agricultural use by genetic engineering. Also called bovine growth hormone (bGH).

foodborne illness

illness transmitted to human beings through food and water; caused by an infectious agent (foodborne infection) or a poisonous substance arising from microbial toxins, poisonous chemicals, or other harmful substances (food intoxication). Also commonly called food poisoning.

margin of safety

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

persistent

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

enterotoxins

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

neurotoxins

poisons that act upon the cells of the nervous system.

extrusion

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

PCBs

stable oily synthetic chemicals once used in hundreds of U.S. industrial operations that persist today in underwater sediments and contaminate fish and shellfish.

plant pesticides

substances produced within plant tissues that kill or repel attacking organisms.

additives

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

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.

nonnutritive sweeteners

sweet-tasting synthetic or natural food additives that offer sweet flavor but with negligible or no calories per serving; also called artificial sweeteners, intense sweeteners, noncaloric sweeteners, and very low-calorie sweeteners.

toxicity

the ability of a substance to harm living organisms.

bioaccumulation

the accumulation of a contaminant in the tissues of living things at higher and higher concentrations 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 dose of MSG. Formerly called Chinese restaurant syndrome.

irradiation

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

cross-contamination

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

genetic engineering (GE)

the direct, intentional manipulation of the genetic material of living things in order to obtain some desirable inheritable trait not present in the original organism. Also called recombinant DNA technology.

acceptable daily intake

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

safety

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

country of origin label

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

biotechnology

the science of manipulating biological systems or organisms to modify their products or components or create new products.

pasteurization

the treatment of milk, juices, or eggs with heat sufficient to kill certain pathogens (disease-causing microbes) commonly transmitted through these foods; not a sterilization process.

outcrossing

the unintended breeding of a domestic crop with a related wild species.

outbreak

two or more cases of a disease arising from an identical organism acquired from a common food source within a limited time frame.

residues

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