Exam 3

Microbial toxins commonly found In foods include

* mycotoxins (fungi)
* Scombroïd histamine - producing

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True or false: fungal spores are easily spread due to their small size

True

Mycotoxins are _ produced by

Toxic substances; some fungi

What three mycotoxins may be found in food?

1. Aflatoxin
2. Ergot
3. Intestinal irritants

Intestinal irritants are produced by

Poisonous mushrooms

Aspergillus flavus produces a toxin called _ which causes an

Aflatoxin;intoxication

What toxin is found in moldy grains and nuts, including peanuts and soy?

Aflatoxin

Aflatoxin can cause _ and is often

Severe liver damage, including cirrhosis, necrosis, and carcinoma - is often fatal

In 2013, what product was recalled due to a aflatoxin contamination?

Dog foods (due to contaminated corn)

In the U.S., we test foods for what toxin?

Aflatoxin

True or false: human cases of aflatoxin are common

False

What toxin is produced by the fungus Claviceps purpureathat infects rye?

Ergot

Ergot causes a syndrome known as ergotism or "St. Vitus dance”which causes what two symptoms?

Spasms and hallucinations

The strange symptoms

In Salem were actually due to which toxin?

Ergot

In a 2012 outbreak,a caregiver accidentally used what to make soup for elderly patients?

Poisonous mushrooms

Scombroid poisoning is an intoxication that is caused by

Ingesting large amounts of histamine

Scombroid poisoning usually results from fish being

Held at high temperatures for long periods of time

The scombroid toxin is

Heat - stable

Severe cases of scombroid may require treatment with

fast acting antihistamines

What food was common in scombroid outbreaks?

Imported tuna

True or false: algae rarely causes disease

True

Most algae-cases are due to what two types of toxins?

1. Ciguatoxin
2. Paralytic shellfish poisoning(PSP)

How can you prevent being infected with ciguatoxin?

Eat smaller fish

Human cases of ciguatera usually occur after the ingestion of what types of fish?

Barracuda, snapper, jack and grouper

Shellfish toxins are caused by several types of _ including the species that causes

Algae; red tide

True or false: shellfish toxins can be destroyed by cooking

False they're heat stable

True or false: symptoms of shellfish toxins can be confused with shellfish allergies

True

In severe cases, shellfish toxins can cause

Muscle paralysis and respiratory failure

In what climate does most PSP cases occur?

Colder climates

What is the most common PSP toxin?

Saxotoxin

For PSP, death can occur within _ due to what symptom?

3 to 4 hours due to respiratory paralysis

Amnesiac shellfish poisoning is caused by

Dominic acid, a toxin produced by algae

How are environmental toxins released?

Industrial processes can release contaminates into the environment

What 3 contamination paths can result in contaminated produce, dairy, meats, and seafood?

Polluted air, water, and soil

Persistence of toxins refers to

The extent to which the toxin lingers in the environment or in the body

Contaminants present for a short time or eliminated by the body pose

Little health risk

Contaminants which persist may also

Bioaccumulate

True or false: some toxins do not breakdown in the environment

True

If the toxins don't break down in the environment, they move up through the _ and

The food chain; accumulate

Exposure to _ results in impaired

Methylmercury; neurological development in the fetus

Mercury is used in many pharmaceuticals as a

Preservative

Mercury is added to multi-use vials to prevent

The growth of microorganisms

PCB are _ that were used in hundreds of industrial and commercial applications

Chlorinated hydrocarbons

PCBs are known to cause cancer in

Animals

PCBs were banned in the US but they do not breakdown and can be found

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-In the environment

\-In wildlife tissues

* In the food chain

PCBs exert toxic effects on the following four body systems

1. Immune system
2. Endocrine system
3. Reproductive system
4. Nervous system

Dioxins and furans refers to

A family of toxic substances that have similar chemical structures

Dioxins and furans are the by products of industrial processes or are created during burning

Waste and wood

What foods are dioxins and furans found in due to accumulation in environment?

Meat and dairy

Five health effects of dioxins and furans

1. Chloracne and other skin conditions
2. Immune system damage
3. Developmental damage
4. Reproductive damage
5. Cancer

In 1968 in Japan, a number of patients were reported to have symptoms including acne-like eruptions, pigmentation of the skin, and eye discharge. What disease was this? What was the cause?

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Yusho disease caused by vice oil that was contaminated with dioxin-related compounds

True or false: A number of plants contain natural toxins

True

Natural toxins in plants are designed to

Protect the plants from insect damage

True or false: natural toxins found in plants are harmful in small amounts

False

What are the three most common toxins found in plants?

1. Goitrogens
2. Cyanogens
3. Solanine

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Goitrogens can cause enlargement of the thyroid gland by

Blocking the uptake

Some foods contain cyanogens which can convert to

Cyanide

What disease is a neuromotor disease caused by exposure to cyanogen poisons in cassava?

Konzo disease

Kong disease occurs when cassava is

Not processed properly to break down the cyanogens

True or false: Laetrile derived from apricot pits cure cancer

False

Which natural toxin is a narcotic-like poison found in potatoes?

A. Goitrogens

B. Cyanogens

C. Solanine

c. Solanine

Solanine poisoning is rare except in times of

Food shortage

What are the two main environmental impacts of pesticides?

1. Runoff contaminates water sources
2. Large amounts of fuel involved in production

Pesticides are chemicals used to kill the following 4 groups:

1. insects


2. weeds
3. Fungi
4. Other such as rats, birds, etc.

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What are the 4 advantages of pesticides?

1. Large scale food production
2. Protection from insect-born diseases
3. Economic growth- cotton, flowers, etc.
4. Reducing and eliminating mosquito, ant, and cockroach populations

A growing population requires an ever

Increasing amount of food

The introduction of pests could quickly overwhelm large scale productions without the use of

Pesticides

True or false: pesticides are used in organic farming

True it's the synthetic pesticides that aren't allowed

What can help prevent the spread of mosquito-borne diseases such as malaria?

Bed nets treated with insecticides

Crops protected contribute how much to the economy in Florida?

A. $30 million

B. $4000

C. $100 billion

D. $10 billion

D. $10 billion

What are the 3 main disadvantages of pesticides?

1. Potential negative effects on the environment
2. Potential negative effects on humans
3. Misuse

What is an example of a potential negative effect on the environment due to pesticides?

Harming non-target species

What is an example of a potential negative effect on humans due to pesticides?

Developmental problems in children

What are two examples of misuse of pesticides?

1. Overuse in areas where pesticides are cheap
2. Suicides

Malathion breaks down in the environment with exposure to what two things?

Sunlight and water

What pesticide is used in the trucks that spray for mosquitos?

Malathion

Columbia university scientists found that infants with high exposure to chlorpyrifos had

Lower birth rates and birth lengths

An MRI revealed that high exposure to chlorpyrifos in infants could possibly lead to what following altered development in the brain?

Lower IQs and attention disorders

Use of pesticides increased due to

Marketing and misunderstandings

Farmers were challenged to reduce pesticide use and saw_ in yield and what in costs?

Increases; decreases

How many people worldwide commit suicide annually?

A.2 million

B. 3 million

C. 1 million

D. 500,000

c. 1 million

What is the leading cause of suicide? What fraction of cases can it be linked to?

Ingestion of pesticides; one-third

What are the three routes of exposure for pesticide?

1. Ingested
2. Aerosol
3. Contact

Pesticides can cause what 3 health problems?

1. Birth defects
2. Nerve damage
3. Cancer

True or false: The effects depend on how toxic the pesticide is and how much of it is consumed

True

Food and water are vulnerable to pesticide contamination from the intentional or unintentional use of these chemicals in what three places?

1. Agriculture
2. Retail
3. In the home

True or false: pesticides don't leave any residue in the environment and on some of the foods we eat

False

What are the 5 ways foods can come into contact with pesticides considering the farm to fork approach?

1. Field
2. Transport
3. Packing
4. Grocery
5. Home

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International science- based standards are set by a joint committee (2)

FAO (Food and agricultural organization of the united nations) and WHO (World Health Organization)

The maximum pesticide residue in a specific crop grown with recognized good agricultural practices that is expected not to cause harm to human health from consumption

Maximum residue limit (mrl)

An estimate of the amount of pesticide residue that can be ingested daily over a lifetime without appreciable health risk

Acceptable Daily intake (adi)

Which organization:

* establishes a tolerance level for pesticides in foods
* Establishes which pesticides can be used for which crops
* Regulate misuse of pesticides, resulting in fines, lawsuits, and destruction of crops
* Evaluates pesticides to ensure they will not harm people, non-target organisms, or the environment

A. FDA

B. EPA

C. WHO

D. MRL

B. EPA

True or false: In recent years, the number of foods exceeding the EPA pesticide tolerance levels have increased but remain below 1% of all foods tested

True

What organization enforces tolerance levels set by the EPA by monitoring foods and livestock feeds for the presence of pesticides?

A. FDA

B. EPA

C. WHO

D. Not enforced

A. FDA

True or false: FDA can test foods produced domestically and imported

True

True or false: The FDA cannot force companies, exporters, etc., to test at their own expense and provide certifications

False

What is the "dirty dozen” list that is released each by the EWG?

A list of foods which are suspected to contain the greatest amount of residue

What factor is usually missing from EWG dirty dozen list?

Is there an effect on health due to the pesticides found on the dirty dozen?

The pesticides detected on the dirty dozen were at such _ levels that they posed what amount of risk to the consumer?

Low; no risk

The substitution of organic foods in the dirty dozen resulted in

No appreciable reduction of consumer risk