Foodborne Illness and Prevention Flashcards

Introduction to Foodborne Illness

• The speaker's background: Grew up in a family restaurant, worked there since teenage years, and used the earnings to go to medical school.
• The speaker's qualifications: Medical training combined with experience in the food service industry.
• Four types of pathogenic microorganisms that can contaminate food and cause illness: bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi.
• Conditions affecting the growth of harmful foodborne microorganisms need to be understood.
• Different types of food that support the growth of pathogens need to be known.

Understanding Microorganisms

• Microorganisms are tiny and can only be seen with a microscope.
• Some microorganisms are harmless, while others spoil food (spoilage microorganisms).
• Pathogens are microorganisms that can cause illness when consumed.
• Food contaminated with pathogens may not look, smell, or taste different from uncontaminated food.
• Eating food contaminated with foodborne pathogens or their toxins (poisons) is the leading cause of foodborne illness.

FAT TOM: Conditions for Microorganism Growth

• Four types of microorganisms that can contaminate food: bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi.
• Six conditions that support the growth of these harmful foodborne microorganisms, remembered by the acronym FAT TOM:
  • Food
  • Acidity
  • Temperature
  • Time
  • Oxygen
  • Moisture

Food

• Foodborne pathogens need nutrients to grow, typically carbohydrates and proteins.
• Foods that provide these nutrients: meat, poultry, dairy products, cooked rice, pasta, and eggs.

Acidity

• Pathogens grow best in food with little or no acid.

Temperature

• Foodborne pathogens grow well between 41°F and 135°F (5°C and 57°C), known as the temperature danger zone.
• Food must be handled carefully during thawing, cooking, cooling, and reheating to avoid the temperature danger zone.

Time

• Pathogens can double their population every 20 minutes under the right conditions.
• If food remains in the temperature danger zone for 4 hours or longer, pathogens can grow to levels that cause illness.

Oxygen

• Some pathogens require oxygen to grow, while others grow without it.
• Improperly hot-held foods like soups, stews, and sautéed vegetables can support bacteria that grow without oxygen.

Moisture

• Foodborne pathogens require moisture to grow.

Real-World Example: Salmonella Outbreak

• A young woman and an elderly man admitted to the ER with severe nausea, vomiting, fever, abdominal cramping, and diarrhea.
• The diagnosis was salmonellosis, and the local health department was notified.
• Investigation revealed 18 similar cases linked to a local buffet, specifically the chicken salad.
• The cook didn't check the internal temperature of the chicken, leading to undercooking and salmonella survival.
• Improper cooling at room temperature allowed the salmonella bacteria to multiply.
• All patients recovered after a week in the hospital.

TCS Food: Time and Temperature Control for Safety

• TCS food requires time and temperature control for safety.
• These foods have a history of being involved in foodborne illness outbreaks and a natural potential for contamination.
• Examples of TCS food:
  • Milk and milk products
  • Eggs (except those treated to eliminate salmonella)
  • Shellfish and crustaceans
  • Fish
  • Baked potatoes
  • Sliced melons
  • Cut tomatoes
  • Synthetic ingredients (textured soy protein in meat alternatives)
  • Meat (beef, pork, and lamb)
  • Poultry
  • Raw sprouts and sprout seeds
  • Heat-treated plant food (cooked rice, beans, and vegetables)
  • Tofu or other soy protein
  • Untreated garlic and oil mixtures

Ready-to-Eat Food

• Ready-to-eat food is edible without further washing or cooking.
• Examples include washed whole or cut fruit and vegetables, deli meats, bakery items, sugars, spices, seasonings, salad sandwiches, and properly cooked food.

Controlling Time and Temperature

• Control time and temperature to prevent the growth of pathogenic microorganisms.
• Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold.
• Limit the time that TCS food spends in the temperature danger zone during preparation, thawing, cooling, and reheating.

Types of Microorganisms

Bacteria

• Grow rapidly if FAT TOM conditions are right.
• Some bacteria produce toxins that cause illness as they multiply, die, and break down.
• Some toxins can't be destroyed by cooking.
• Some bacteria can change into spores to protect themselves when nutrients are unavailable, reverting back when conditions are favorable.

Viruses

• Transmitted from person to person, people to food, and people to food contact surfaces.
• Viruses usually contaminate food through a food handler's poor personal hygiene.
• They can contaminate both food and water supplies and may survive freezing.
• Viruses don't grow in food like bacteria, so they're not affected by FAT TOM.
• Good personal hygiene is crucial for preventing contamination.

Parasites

• Need a host to survive.
• Infect animals such as cows, chickens, pigs, and fish, and are transmitted to humans when eaten.
• Can be found in contaminated water or on produce washed with contaminated water.
• Purchase meat, seafood, and produce from reputable, approved suppliers.
• Fish served raw or undercooked must be properly frozen to eliminate parasites.

Fungi

• Found naturally in air, soil, plants, water, and some food.
• Examples include mold and yeast.

Molds

• Grow well in acidic food with little moisture.
• Refrigerating or freezing slows growth but doesn't kill them.
• Cooking can kill mold cells and spores, but some toxins remain.
• Throw out all moldy food unless the mold is a natural part of the product (e.g., Gorgonzola, Brie, and Camembert cheese).

Yeasts

• Can spoil food rapidly.
• Produce carbon dioxide and alcohol as byproducts, causing food to smell or taste of alcohol and contain gas bubbles.
• May appear as a pink discoloration or slime.
• Grow well in acidic food with low water activity, such as jellies, jams, syrups, and fruit juice.
• Food spoiled by yeast must be thrown out.

Biological Toxins

• Seafood, plants, and mushrooms can contain toxins that cause foodborne illness.
• Cooking fish doesn't destroy the toxins.
• Some fish toxins are systemic, while others are produced by microorganisms on the surface of the fish.
• Purchase fish from an approved, reputable supplier and check the temperature upon delivery (41°F/5°C or lower).
• Refuse product that's been thawed and refrozen.

Shellfish

• Many toxins are found in toxic marine algae, which shellfish filter from the water.
• These toxins cannot be smelled or tasted and are not destroyed by freezing or cooking.
• Purchase shellfish from approved, reputable suppliers.

Chemical Contaminants

• Chemical contamination can come from toxic metals, pesticides, cleaning products, sanitizers, and lubricants.
• Utensils and equipment containing toxic metals (lead, copper, or zinc) can cause toxic metal poisoning if acidic food is stored in or prepared with them.
• Prepare and store food in containers made of food-grade materials.
• Follow the manufacturer's directions when using chemicals.
• Store chemicals away from food, utensils, and equipment in a separate storage area in their original containers.
• Label containers correctly and clearly if chemicals must be transferred to smaller containers.

Physical Contaminants

• Physical contamination occurs when foreign objects are accidentally introduced into food or when naturally occurring objects pose a physical hazard.
• Examples include metal shavings, staples, glass, blades from scrapers, fingernails, hair, bandages, jewelry, dirt, bones, and fruit pits or seeds.
• Closely inspect food and take steps to ensure it will not become contaminated during the flow of food.

Food Allergies

• Food allergies are the body's negative reaction to a particular food protein.
• Allergic reactions can be very serious and include itching, tightening in the throat, wheezing, hives, swelling, gastrointestinal symptoms, loss of consciousness, and even death.
• Common food allergens: milk and dairy products, eggs and egg products, fish, shellfish, wheat, soy and soy products, peanuts, and tree nuts.
• Inform customers of menu items that contain potential allergens.
• Describe menu items fully when asked, identify all ingredients, and urge customers to order something else if unsure about allergens.
• Kitchen staff must prevent cross-contact by cleaning and sanitizing cookware, utensils, and equipment, washing hands, changing gloves, and assigning specific equipment for prepping food for customers with allergies.

Conclusion

• Foodborne illnesses cause suffering and harm businesses.
• Take every possible measure to keep food and customers safe.