Chapter 12 Food Safety and the Global Food Supply 2007 Thomson Wadsworth Ask Yourself 1 2 3 4 5 Pesticides rank as the number one hazard in the U S food supply The most frequent cause of foodborne illness in homes and restaurants is inadequate cooling of foods If a food contains a toxic substance a person who eats it will become ill Tainted mayonnaise frequently causes food poisoning Imported foods may contain residues of pesticides that are illegal in the United States 2007 Thomson Wadsworth Ask Yourself 6 A USDA rule on organic crops allows the use of genetically engineered ingredients and irradiation in organic foods 7 Hunger in the United States afflicts almost exclusively underemployed homeless people 8 Legal pesticides are poisonous only to pests not to people 9 Most foods that cause food poisoning are contaminated by the manufacturer or processor 10 Food additives are a major cause of cancer in the United States 2007 Thomson Wadsworth Foodborne Illnesses and the Agents that Cause Them Foodborne illness illness occurring as a result of ingesting food or water contaminated with a poisonous substance such as A toxin or chemical food intoxication or an infectious agent such as Bacteria Viruses Parasites foodborne infection Commonly called food poisoning 2007 Thomson Wadsworth Foodborne Illnesses and the Agents that Cause Them Pasteurization the process of sterilizing food via heat treatment Food intoxication illness caused by eating food that contains a harmful toxin or chemical Enterotoxin a toxic compound produced by microorganisms that harms mucous membranes as in the gastrointestinal tract entero intestine Neurotoxin a poisonous compound that disrupts the nervous system neuro nerve Foodborne infection illness caused by eating a food containing bacteria or other microorganisms capable of growing and thriving in a person s tissues 2007 Thomson Wadsworth Foodborne Illnesses and the Agents that Cause Them 2007 Thomson Wadsworth Foodborne Illnesses and the Agents that Cause Them Handle raw meat and poultry with care and cook it thoroughly to destroy any bacteria present Place it on a clean plate when it is cooked 2007 Thomson Wadsworth 2007 Thomson Wadsworth 2007 Thomson Wadsworth 2007 Thomson Wadsworth 2007 Thomson Wadsworth Foodborne Illnesses and the Agents that Cause Them Aflatoxin a poisonous toxin produced by molds Toxicants poisons that is agents that cause physical harm or death when present in large amounts 2007 Thomson Wadsworth 2007 Thomson Wadsworth Safe Food Storage and Preparation 1 Keep Cold Foods Cold Store foods in a refrigerator set at 40 degrees freezer at 0 degrees Thaw frozen food on a plate in the refrigerator or microwave as part of the cooking process 2 Wash Hands and Surfaces Often Wash hands in warm soapy water before beginning food preparation Wash hands again after handing meat poultry or fish Keep countertops and kitchen equipment clean with hot soapy water 2007 Thomson Wadsworth Safe Food Storage and Preparation 3 Keep Hot Foods Hot Cook foods thoroughly to destroy any bacteria that is present Keep foods hot until serving Never leave food at room temperature for more than 2 hours Refrigerate leftovers 4 Prevent cross contamination the inadvertent transfer of bacteria from one food to another that occurs for instance by chopping vegetables on the same cutting board used to skin poultry 2007 Thomson Wadsworth Safe Food Storage and Preparation 5 Food Safety for Meats Ground meat is especially susceptible to bacterial contamination Cook to a well done stage and use a meat thermometer 6 Food Safety for Seafood Seafood should be handled with care especially fish intended to be eaten raw Because of risk of contamination the hazards of eating raw or undercooked seafood need to be weighed carefully especially by vulnerable people including those with liver disease gastrointestinal disorders HIV infection and other diseases that compromise the immune system 2007 Thomson Wadsworth 2007 Thomson Wadsworth Safe Food Storage and Preparation Mad cow disease bovine spongiform encephalopathy or BSE a rare and fatal degenerative disease first diagnosed in 1986 in cattle in the United Kingdom The bovine disease may be passed to humans who eat the meat of infected animals and may lead to death due to brain and nerve damage 2007 Thomson Wadsworth Safe Food Storage and Preparation 2007 Thomson Wadsworth 2007 Thomson Wadsworth Pesticides and Other Chemical Contaminants Contaminants potentially dangerous substances such as lead that can accidentally get into foods 2007 Thomson Wadsworth Pesticides and Other Chemical Contaminants Organic halogens compounds that contain one or more of a class of atoms called halogens including fluorine chlorine iodine or bromine Heavy metals any of a number of mineral ions such as mercury and lead so named because of their relatively high atomic weight Many heavy metals are poisonous Toxicity the ability of a substance to harm living organisms All substances are toxic if present in high enough concentrations Hazard state of danger used to refer to any circumstance in which harm is possible 2007 Thomson Wadsworth 2007 Thomson Wadsworth Pesticides and Other Chemical Contaminants 2007 Thomson Wadsworth Pesticides and Other Chemical Contaminants Pesticides chemicals applied intentionally to plants including foods to prevent or eliminate pest damage Pests include all living organisms that destroy or spoil foods Bacteria Molds Fungi Insects Rats and other rodents to name a few 2007 Thomson Wadsworth Pesticides and Other Chemical Contaminants Regulation a legal mandate that must be obeyed Failure to follow a regulation brings about serious legal consequences Foods imported from other countries may harbor residues of pesticides that have been banned for use in the United States 2007 Thomson Wadsworth 2007 Thomson Wadsworth Pesticides and Other Chemical Contaminants Risk the harm a substance may confer Scientists estimate risk by assessing the amount of a chemical that each person in a population might consume over time also called exposure and by considering how toxic the substance might be toxicity risk exposure x toxicity exposure amount of substance in food x amount of food eaten Tolerance the maximum amount of a particular substance allowed on food Reference dose the estimated amount of a chemical that could be consumed daily without causing harmful effects 2007 Thomson Wadsworth Margin of safety from a food safety standpoint the margin is a