Chapter 2 - Forms of Contamination

Contaminants come from a variety of places:

• Animals we use for food

• Air, contaminated water, and dirt

• People

  • Deliberately

  • Accidentally

People can contaminate food when:

• they don’t wash their hands after using the restroom

• they are in contact with a person who is ill

• they sneeze or vomit onto food or food contact surfaces

• they touch dirty food-contact surfaces and equipment and then touch food

Microorganism

Small, living organism that can be seen only in microscope

Pathogen

• Harmful microorganism

• Make people sick when eaten or produce toxins that cause illness

Toxin

Poison

Four types of Pathogens

• Bacteria

• Viruses

• Parasites

• Fungi

Common Symptoms of Foodborne Illness

• Diarrhea

• Vomiting

• Fever

• Nausea

• Abdominal Cramps

• Jaundice

Onset times of Foodborne Illness

• Depend upon the type of foodborne illness

• Can range from 30 minutes to 6 weeks

Location of Bacteria

Found almost everywhere

Detection of Bacteria

Cannot be seen, smelled, or tasted

Growth of Bacteria

Will grow rapidly if FATTOM conditions are right

Prevention of Bacteria

Control time and temperature

FATTOM

• Food

• Acidity

• Temperature

• Time

• Oxygen

• Moisture

Food

• Most bacteria need nutrients to survive.

• TCS food supports the growth of bacteria better than other types of food

Acidity

Bacteria grow best in food that contains little or no acid.

Temperature

• Bacteria grow rapidly between 41˚F and 135˚F (5˚C and 57˚C)

  • This range is known as the temperature danger zone

• Bacteria growth is limited when food is held above or below the temperature danger zone

Time

• Bacteria need time to grow

• The more time bacteria spend in the temperature danger zone, the greater chance they have to grow to unsafe levels.

Oxygen

Some bacteria need oxygen to grow, while others grow when oxygen isn’t there.

Moisture

• Bacteria grow well in food with high levels of moisture.

• aw = water activity; the amount of moisture available in food for bacterial growth

• aw scale ranges from 0.0 to 1.0.

• Water has a water activity of 1.0

What Bacteria Need to Grow?

FATTOM

Three types of bacteria that cause severe illness and are highly contagious

• Salmonella Typhi

• Shigella spp.

• Enterohemorrhagic and shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli

Source of Salmonella Typhi

People

Food Linked with Salmonella Typhi

• Ready-to-eat food

• Beverages

Preventive Measure of Salmonella Typhi

• Exclude food handlers diagnosed with an illness caused by Salmonella Typhi from the operation.

• Wash hands

• Cook foods to minimum internal temperatures

Source of Shigella spp.

Human Feces

Food Linked with Shigella spp.

• Food easily contaminated by hands, such as salads containing TCS food

• Food that has made contact with contaminated water

Preventive Measures of Shigella spp.

• Exclude food handlers diagnosed with an illness caused by Shigella spp. from the operation.

• Exclude food handlers who have diarrhea from the operation.

• Wash hands

• Control flies inside and outside the operation

Source of Enterohemorrhagic and shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli

Intestines of Cattle; infected people

Food Linked with Enterohemorrhagic and shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli

• Ground beef

• Contaminated produce

Preventive Measures of Enterohemorrhagic and shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli

• Exclude food handlers who have diarrhea or have been diagnosed with a disease from the bacteria.

• Cook food, especially ground beef, to minimum internal temperatures

• Purchases produce from approved reputable suppliers

• Prevent cross-contamination between raw meat and ready-to-eat food

Location of Viruses

Carried by human beings and animals

• Require a living host to grow

• Do not grow in food

• Can be transferred through food and remain infectious in foods

Sources of Virus

• Food, water, or any contaminated surface

• Typically occur through fecal-oral routes

Destruction of Virus

• Not destroyed by normal cooking temperatures

• Good personal hygiene must be practiced when handling food and food-contact surfaces

• Quick removal and cleanup of vomit is important

2 viruses that are highly contagious and can cause severe illness

• Hepatitis A

• Norovirus

Source of Hepatitis A and Norovirus

Human Feces

Food Linked with Hepatitis A and Norovirus

• Ready-to-eat food

• Shellfish from contaminated water

Prevention Measures of Hepatitis A

• Exclude staff who have been diagnosed with hepatitis A from the operation.

• Exclude staff who have jaundice from the operation.

• Wash hands.

• Avoid bare-hand contact with ready-to-eat food

• Purchase shellfish from approved, reputable suppliers.

Prevention Measures of Norovirus

• Exclude staff who have been diagnosed with Norovirus from the operation.

• Exclude staff who have diarrhea and vomiting from the operation. • Wash hands.

• Avoid bare-hand contact with ready-to-eat food

• Purchase shellfish from approved, reputable suppliers

Location of Parasites

Require a host to live and reproduce

Source of Parasites

Seafood, wild game, and food processed with contaminated water

Prevention of Parasites

• Purchase food from approved, reputable suppliers

• Cook food to required minimum internal temperatures

• Fish that will be served raw or undercooked, must be frozen correctly by the manufacturer

Fungi (Yeasts, molds, and mushrooms)

• Some molds and mushrooms produce toxins

• Throw out moldy food, unless mold is a natural part of the food

• Purchase mushrooms from approved, reputable suppliers

Biological Toxin Origin

Naturally occur in certain plants, mushrooms, and seafood

Seafood Toxins

• Produced by pathogens found on certain fish

• Occur in certain fish that eat smaller fish that have consumed the toxin

Biological Toxin Illness

• Symptoms and onset times vary with illness

• People will experience illness within minutes

General Symptoms of Biological Toxins

• Diarrhea or vomiting

• Neurological Symptoms

• Flushing of the face and/or hives

• Difficulty breathing

• Heart palpitations

Sources of Chemical Contaminants

• Certain types of kitchenware and equipment (items made from pewter, copper, zinc, and some types of painted pottery

• Cleaners, sanitizers, polishes, machine lubricants, and pesticides

• Deodorizers, first aid products, and health and beauty products (hand lotions, hairsprays, etc.)

Symptoms of Chemical Contaminants

• Vary depending on chemical consumed

• Most illnesses occur within minutes

• Vomiting and diarrhea are typical

Prevention of Chemical Contaminants

• Only use chemicals approved for use in foodservice operations.

• Purchase chemicals from approved, reputable suppliers.

• Store chemicals away from prep areas, food-storage areas, and service areas.

• Chemicals must never be stored above food or food-contact surfaces.

• Use chemicals for their intended use and follow manufacturer’s directions

• Only handle food with equipment and utensils approved for foodservice use.

• Make sure the manufacturer’s labels on original chemical containers are readable.

• Keep MSDS current, and make sure they are accessible to staff at all times.

• Follow the manufacturer’s directions and local regulatory requirements when throwing out chemicals

Sources of Physical Contaminants

• Common objects that get into food

• Naturally occurring objects such as fruit pits and bones

Symptoms of Physical Contaminants

• Mild to fatal injuries are possible

• Cuts, dental damage, and choking

• Bleeding and pain

Prevention of Physical Contaminants

• Purchase food from approved, reputable suppliers

• Closely inspect food received

• Take steps to prevent physical contamination, including practicing good personal hygiene

Groups who may attempt to contaminate food

• Terrorists or activists

• Disgruntled current or former staff

• Vendors

• Competitors

FDA Defense Tool

• Assure

• Look

• Employees

• Reports

• Threat

Assure

Make sure products received are from safe sources

Look

Monitor the security of products in the facility

Employees

Know who is in your facility

Reports

Keep information related to food defense accessible

Threat

Develop a plan for responding to suspicious activity or a threat to the operation

Responding to a Foodborne Illness Outbreak

• Gather information

• Notify authorities

• Segregate product

• Document information

• Identify staff

• Cooperate with authorities

• Review procedures

Gather information

• Ask the person for general contact information

• Ask the person to identify the food eaten

• Ask for a description of symptoms

• Ask when the person first became sick

Notify Authorities

Contact the local regulatory if an outbreak is suspect

Segregate product

• Set the suspect product aside if any remains

• Include a label with “Do not use” and “Do Not Discard” on it.

Document the information

• Log information about suspect product

• Include a product description, product date, lot number, sell-by date, and pack size

Identify Staff

• Keep a list of food handlers scheduled at time of incident

• Interview staff immediately

Cooperate with authorities

Provide appropriate doccumentation

Review procedures

• Determine if standards are being met

• Identify if standards are not working

Food Allergens

• A protein in a food or ingredient some people are sensitive to

• These proteins occur naturally

• When an enough of an allergen is eaten, an allergic reaction can occur

Allergy Symptoms

• Nausea

• Wheezing or shortness of breath

• Hives or itchy rashes

• Swelling of the body, including the face, eyes, hands, or feet

• Vomiting and/or diarrhea

• Abdominal pain

Allergic Reactions

• Symptoms can become serious quickly

• A severe reaction, called anaphylaxis, can lead to death

Common Food Allergens

• Milk

• Eggs

• Fish

• Shellfish, including lobster, shrimp, and crab

• Wheat

• Soy

• Peanuts

• Tree nuts, such as almonds, walnuts, and pecans