NSC 170C1 1st Edition Exam 3 Study Guide Lectures 16 19 27 Lecture 27 Foodborne Illness sickness caused by consuming contaminated food or beverages Classes of Microorganisms Pathogens disease causing microbes including viruses bacteria and parasites 1 Found on the skin or in the stool or droppings of infected humans and or animals 2 Raw or undercooked meat poultry or fish from an infected animal can also expose you to pathogens Fecal to oral transmission infection caused by putting anything in your mouth contaminated food or unwashed hands that has been in contact with fecal matter Viruses and bacteria are the most common causes of foodborne illness in the United States 1 Viruses microscopic organisms that must have a living host such as a plant or animal to survive Example Hepatitis A 2 Bacteria microscopic organisms that can exist and flourish on living and nonliving surfaces 3 Parasites microscopic organisms animals that take their nourishment from hosts Found in food and water and often transmitted through fecal to oral route Preventing Food Borne Illness A Clean your hands and wash produce 1 Hand washing is one of the most important strategies for preventing foodborne illness 2 Wash with warm soapy water and rub hands vigorously for at least 20 seconds 3 Thoroughly cleanse anything that touches food knives utensils and countertops between uses 4 Cutting boards Place in dishwasher or scrub with hot soapy water and rinse Sanitize by soaking in a solution of 1 teaspoon bleach per 1 quart of warm water 5 Sponges and dishcloths Wash in hot cycle of washing machine with laundry soap and bleach 6 Wash fruits and vegetables under cold running tap water before eating Scrub with vegetable brush if possible B Combat cross contamination 1 Cross contamination occurs when food that is going to be eaten raw such as produce comes into contact with raw meat fish or poultry 2 Keep separate during food preparation and storage 3 Clean cutting boards thoroughly or use one for meats poultry and fish and another for fresh produce and other ready to eat foods 4 Wash plates that come in contact with raw meats before using them again 5 Marinades should not be used as a serving sauce unless boiled for several minutes a Do s and Don ts of Cross Contamination Cook Foods Thoroughly Color is not a reliable indicator that food is safe to eat A food thermometer is the only way to determine if food has reached an appropriate internal temperature to kill pathogens Food Thermometers C Cook foods thoroughly D Chill foods at low enough temperatures 1 Bacteria thrive in environments with the following characteristics Adequate nutrients protein and nutrient rich animal foods Moisture Low level of acidity foods with a higher pH 2 The correct temperature between 40 F and 140 F Foodborne bacteria multiply most rapidly in the danger zone temperatures between 40 F and 140 F To keep foods safe keep hot foods 140 F and cold foods 40 F Time to reproduce and increase in numbers E Reduce risk of foodborne illness by practicing proper food handling and storage strategies The 4 Cs of food safety cleaning combating cross contamination cooking and chilling Pasteurization vs Irradiation Pasteurization heating foods and liquids to a high enough temperature to kill pathogens Irradiation foods are placed in a shielded chamber and subjected to a radiant energy source Most dairy foods and juices in the United States are pasteurized Can also stop the ripening process in some fruits and vegetables Kills specific pathogens by breaking up their cells DNA Can also stop the ripening process in some fruits and vegetables Irradiated foods are not radioactive and do not undergo harmful or dangerous chemical changes The temperature of the food isn t raised which helps prevent nutrient losses Must bear the radura logo and the phrase treated by irradiation or treated with radiation on the package Canning packaging food in an airtight container after heating it to kill bacteria High pressure processing HPP foods are exposed to pulses of high pressure to destroy microorganisms Modified atmosphere packaging MAP manufacturer adjusts the air surrounding the food in a package usually reducing oxygen to prevent decay Food Additives Food additives substances added to food to preserve freshness maintain consistency enhance nutrition content or prevent rancidity Salt was the earliest food additive it preserved meat fish Regulated by the FDA since 1958 Manufacturers must document an additive s safety before it is approved Exceptions Prior sanctioned status substances known to be safe before 1958 such as nitrates in meats Generally recognized as safe GRAS substances that have a long history of being safe to consume such as salt sugar spices vitamins Bioaccumulation Marine toxins may occur in large fish Originate in microscopic sea organisms that bioaccumulate in larger fish Neurotoxins can contaminate shellfish and cause muscle paralysis and death if eaten Produced by microscopic organisms that cause a red tide Can occur in other foods Solanine in potatoes exposed to light Cyanide poisoning from cassava Contamination is sometimes due to pollution Polychlorinated biphenyls PCBs chemicals that occur in the food supply due to industrial pollution Used as coolants and lubricants but banned in 1977 due to concerns of toxicity Make their way into the environment from hazardous waste sites and improper disposal of consumer products Don t break down over time and bioaccumulate in fish Mercury is a by product of industrial pollution Can accumulate in streams and oceans and be converted to the toxin methyl mercury by bacteria in the water Pesticide Widely used in agriculture Can be synthetic or natural Organophosphates synthetic pesticides used on crops and residential lawns and plants 1 Affects the nervous system of the pests they destroy 2 The EPA recently reviewed their safety and concluded they don t pose a health risk to humans Biopesticides naturally occurring pesticides 1 Have both benefits and risks Can be extremely helpful in preventing growth of fungi and weeds and controlling damaging insects Enables crops to flourish and farmers to offer affordable products to the market Synthetic pesticides can cause unintended harm to animals the environment or even humans 1 Depending on how much is consumed some pesticides may cause cancer birth defects and nerve damage Organic foods Organic farming involves growing crops without the use of some synthetic fertilizers