fdsci final exam

Study Guide for Meat Technology (Module 3.7)

1. Who regulates meat and poultry products?

  • USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS): Oversees most meat and poultry products.

  • FDA: Regulates shell eggs and egg processing plants. Products with less than 3% raw meat, 2% cooked meat, or 30% fat, tallow, or meat extract. Products with less than 2% cooked poultry or 10% poultry products.

2. Methods of Animal Slaughter and Exceptions

  • Mechanical: Penetrating or non-penetrating (e.g., captive bolt).

  • Electrical: Used for hogs, lambs, and poultry.

  • Chemical: CO2 pits used for stunning.

  • Exceptions: Kosher and Halal methods, which involve specific religious guidelines.

3. Quality and Yield Grades – Purpose and Difference

  • Quality Grade: Measures palatability, tenderness, flavor, and juiciness (e.g., Prime, Choice, Select for beef).

  • Yield Grade: Measures the amount of lean muscle and fat content (ranges from 1 to 5).

4. Wholesale Cuts of Meat

  • Boston Butt: Located on the shoulder (pork).

  • Be able to locate different cuts from the animal carcass, e.g., ribeye (beef), loin (beef, pork).

5. Top States for Cattle, Swine, and Poultry Production

  • Top 3 Cattle States: Texas, Nebraska, Kansas.

  • Top 3 Swine States: Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois.

  • Top 3 Poultry States: Iowa, Ohio, Indiana.

6. Most Beef Produced – Product Type

  • The majority of beef produced is used for Ground Beef.

7. Beef/Meat Sustainability

  • Sustainability Goals: Improve environmental practices, support positive workplaces, drive improvements in animal health, provide affordability, and maintain economic viability for producers.

8. Definitions of Meat Types

  • Grain-Fed: Animals are moved to feedlots 4-6 months before slaughter.

  • Natural: No artificial ingredients or minimal processing.

  • Certified Organic: Must meet USDA National Organic Program standards, including organic feed, no antibiotics, or growth hormones.

9. "Pink Slime" Controversy

  • Pink Slime: Lean finely textured beef treated with ammonium gas to kill bacteria.

  • Issues: Public backlash, lawsuits against ABC for defamation, and consumer health concerns.

10. Pros and Cons of Organic Meat

  • Pros:

    • Environmentally friendly.

    • Supports local agriculture.

    • Healthier (higher in omega-3s).

  • Cons:

    • Expensive to produce.

    • Takes longer to raise.

    • Requires more land.

11. Main Pathogens of Concern for Different Types of Meat

  • Raw Meats: Salmonella, E. coli, Campylobacter.

  • Dry/Fermented Meats: STEC, Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus.

  • Cooked, Ready-to-Eat Meats: Clostridium perfringens, Listeria monocytogenes.

12. Non-Intact Meat and Food Safety

  • Non-Intact Meat: Meat that has been mechanically tenderized (e.g., needle tenderization).

  • Safety Concerns: Bacteria from contaminated equipment can be pushed into the center of the meat, increasing the risk of contamination.

13. Safe Handling Instructions for Meat and Poultry

  • 4 Key Points:

    • Keep it cold.

    • Keep it clean.

    • Don’t cross-contaminate.

    • Cook properly.

Study Guide for Novel and Non-Traditional Foods (Module 3.8)

1. Demographic Trends Impacting the US Food Market

  • Plurality Nation: The US has a diverse and growing multi-ethnic population.

  • Hispanic Population: Large and growing, contributing significantly to the food market.

2. Driving Forces Behind the Expansion of International Foods

  • Changing consumer attitudes, increased travel, and demand for convenience are driving the expansion of international foods.

3. Characteristics of the Hispanic Population and Consumer Goods

  • Buying Power: Reached $1.8 trillion.

  • Shopping Habits: Spend more on groceries, loyal to brands, and prefer quality.

  • Cultural Impact: Hispanic consumers are more likely to cook at home and are cooking enthusiasts.

4. Definition of Ethnic Foods

  • Foods from countries other than the home market, representing different food cultures (e.g., Italian, Mexican, Asian foods).

  • Ethnic foods have been Americanized or are confined to specific localities (e.g., Cajun, kosher, African, Indian, Thai, Korean).

5. Space Food Research and Development

  • Where?: NASA's Food Systems Engineering Facility at Johnson Space Center in Houston.

  • Considerations: Quality, ease of preparation, and limited water supply for space missions. Most space foods are frozen, refrigerated, or thermo-stabilized to reduce water use.

6. Medical Foods

  • Definition: Foods prescribed to manage specific diseases or conditions, not available over-the-counter.

  • Regulation: Regulated by the FDA.

7. Medical Food Classifications

  • Nutritionally Complete: Meets all nutritional needs.

  • Nutritionally Incomplete: Not meeting all needs but designed for specific conditions.

  • Metabolic Formulas: For specific metabolic needs.

  • Rehydration Solutions: To rehydrate patients.

8. Advances in Feeding People with Medical Needs

  • Improved scientific knowledge of diseases and nutrition, technological advances in food production, and medical devices for food delivery have improved care for people with special nutritional needs.

9. Geriatric Foods

  • Medical foods specifically designed for the elderly population, who often have poorer nutritional statuses and suffer from multiple medical conditions.

Study Guide for Food Quality (Module 4.1)

1. Definition of Quality and Quality Control

  • Quality: The degree of excellence something possesses.

  • Quality Control: A system ensuring standards are maintained in production and product characteristics.

2. Adulterated Foods

  • Foods that are impure, unsafe, or unwholesome, and cannot enter into commerce for human food use.

3. Sources of FDA Reported Foreign Material Claims

  • Main Sources: Metal, plastic, and glass contamination in food.

4. Factors Impacting Food Appearance, Texture, and Flavor

  • Appearance: Uniformity, color, moisture content, and packaging.

  • Texture: Perceived freshness, juiciness, tenderness.

  • Flavor: Taste (salty, sweet, bitter, sour) plus aroma.

5. Sensory Testing in Food Quality

  • Purpose: To ensure consumer acceptance and product consistency.

  • Types of Panels: Trained panels (for specific characteristics), untrained panels (e.g., triangle test for differences).

6. Role of Food Scientist in Food Quality Control

  • Ensuring product quality through sanitation, training, sample analysis, and compliance with regulations.

7. Primary Role of Quality Control

  • Provide confidence that products meet specified standards and regulations.

8. Food Defect Action Levels (FDA)

  • Defect Action Levels: The maximum allowable levels of natural defects (e.g., insect parts, decomposed material) that do not pose health risks.

9. Deming Principle

  • Principle: Use control charts to evaluate production processes and distinguish between common and special causes of variation.

10. ISO Standards for Food Quality

  • Set consistent requirements to ensure products meet necessary specifications and are fit for their intended purpose.

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4.2 Food Safety

  • Hazards in Food:

    • Microbiological: Bacteria, viruses, parasites.

    • Chemical: Toxins, heavy metals, allergens.

    • Physical: Glass, plastic, bone chips, needles.

  • CDC Stats:

    • Illnesses: 48 million annually.

    • Deaths: 3,000 annually.

    • Top causes: Salmonella, Listeria, Toxoplasma, and Norovirus.

    • FoodNet: Monitors foodborne illness trends, and the burden of diseases, and identifies specific food-related causes.

  • Common Food Commodities: Produce is the largest source of foodborne illnesses.

  • Contributors to Foodborne Illnesses:

    • Organic foods, antibiotic resistance, new packaging, longer shelf life, imported foods.

    • Risky practices: improper refrigeration, unwashed cutting boards, leaving foods out too long.

  • Key Food Safety Actions: Clean, separate, chill, cook.

  • Temperature Danger Zone: 40-140°F.

  • Safe Cooking Temps:

    • Hamburger: 160°F.

    • Reheat: 165°F.

  • Foodborne Illness Definitions:

    • Infection: Ingesting live pathogens (slow onset).

    • Intoxication: Ingesting pre-formed toxins (rapid onset, no fever).

4.3 Food Safety/Parade of Bugs

  • Foodborne Infections vs. Intoxications:

    • Intoxications: Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Clostridium botulinum.

    • Infections: Campylobacter, E. coli, Listeria, Salmonella, Vibrio, Shigella.

  • Viruses:

    • Hepatitis A & E: Affect the liver, transmitted through contaminated food/water.

    • Norovirus: Highly contagious, causes gastroenteritis.

    • Rotavirus, Astrovirus: Cause stomach illness.

  • Mycotoxins: Aspergillus, Penicillium, Fusarium molds.

  • Toxoplasma: Parasite causing toxoplasmosis, a risk to immunocompromised and pregnant individuals.

  • Clostridium botulinum: Causes botulism, common in improperly canned food.

  • Salmonella: Found in poultry, meat, eggs; causes fever, diarrhea, and abdominal pain.

  • E. coli: Causes bloody diarrhea and kidney failure (especially from ground beef).

  • Listeria: Grows in cold temps, especially in ready-to-eat foods like soft cheeses and deli meats.

  • Other Pathogens: Yersinia enterocolitica, Vibrio (seafood), Cronobacter sakazakii (dry milk powder).

4.7 Food Defense

  • Key Terms:

    • Food Fraud: Counterfeiting, mislabeling, dilution, and substitution.

    • Food Safety: Protection from biological, chemical, and physical hazards.

    • Food Security: Protecting the food sector from contamination threats.

    • Food Defense: Preventing deliberate acts of contamination.

  • Foodborne Bioterrorism: Potential threats to the food supply (e.g., zoonotic diseases).

  • Vulnerabilities: Food/agriculture systems are targets due to easy access and the potential for widespread harm.

  • Government Initiatives:

    • Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002.

    • Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD-9): Focuses on defending food systems.

    • CARVER + SOK: Tool for assessing food defense priorities.

    • FAMA: Mitigation strategies for food protection against adulteration.

  • Zoonotic Diseases: Diseases transmitted from animals to humans.

  • Economic Threats: Foot and Mouth Disease as a major concern for the livestock industry.

Supplementary Resources

  • Norovirus Surge: Highly contagious stomach bug.

  • Food Fraud Information: FDA resources on economically motivated adulteration.

  • Idaho Potato Harvest: Video on annual potato harvest.

E. coli Outbreak: Linked to organic carrots, causing illness and one death.