Food safety + Government regulations

Food laws passed in 1906

Food & Drug Act (Pure Food Law), Meat Inspection Act 

Changes made to the nutrition labels in 2016

• Added sugars separate from total sugars

• Serving size updated to approximate amount eaten in one serving, font larger

• Calories font larger, bolder

• Daily values updated

• Amounts of required nutrients updated, different required nutrients: vit A gone

What is an outbreak?

Occurrence of 2 or more cases of a similar illnesses resulting from injesting a common food.

The 3 food hazards

1. Biological: the presence of microorganisms in the food, e.g. bacteria, molds, viruses, parasites

2. Chemical: the presence of harmful chemicals in a food, e.g. plant toxins, animal toxins, agricultural chemicals, industrial chemicals

3. Physical: the presence of a foreign object in a food, e.g. glass, bone, metal, plastic, HAIR.

Bacteria

A biological hazard, single celled. Pathogenic bacteria responsible for > 90% of foodborne illness, but only 4% are pathogenic.

Molds

A biological hazard that is a type of fungus that reproduces by spores and grows readily on dry foods. Mycotoxin is a toxin produced by a mold that produces a furry growth, and bloom is the cottony, fuzzy growth of molds.

Soft foods - mold tentacles penetrate deeper easily

Hard foods - mold roots move through less easily. Hard cheese, salamis, carrots, etc.

Viruses

A biological hazard that needs a living cell to multiply. Typically passed through carriers such as flies, water, food, or person to person. Norovirus is the most common cause of gastroenteritis (inflammation of stomach and intestines).

4 of Preventing Foodborne Illness

1. Personnel: food service workers should be properly trained and know how to handle food hygienically.

2. Vulnerable foods: high risk foods have high water content, high protein content, and high pH (low acid).

3. Storage: time (> 2 - 4 hrs), and temperature (40 - 140 F = danger zone of bacterial growth)

4. Preparation: risks include pre-preparation, cooking, holding (4 or 6 hrs), cooling (food must fall below 40F within 4 hours), reheating, serving.