2. FOODBORNE ILLNESS
What is it?
♣ illness resulting from the consumption of food
♣ commonly known as food poisoning,
♣ can be caused by consuming a food contaminated with a
chemical or natural toxin, or pathogens (bacteria, viruses,
parasites)
♣ contamination can occur before, during, and after food
preparation
3. FOOD CONTAMINATION
♣ Food contamination refers to the presence
of harmful substances in food, which can
cause illness to consumer.
♣ There are three types of food
contamination: physical, biological and
chemical contamination.
4. TYPES OF CONTAMINATION
1. Physical contamination is when a foreign object
contaminates food.
Hair, jewelry, fingernails, broken glass, wood splinters
2. Chemical contamination refers to food that has been
contaminated with a natural or artificial chemical
substance.
Pesticides, kitchen cleansers, metal leaching
3. Biological contamination is when bacteria or other
harmful microorganisms contaminate food.
Bacteria, fungi, viruses, parasites
6. FACTORS OF FOODBORNE
ILLNESS
1) Improper hot and cold holding temperatures of potentially hazardous foods.
Potentially hazardous foods that are going to be held at cold temperatures
must be held at a temperature of 5°C or below. Potentially hazardous foods
that are going to be held at hot temperatures must be held at a temperature of
60°C or above.
The temperature range between 5°C and 60°C is called the danger zone.
Food facility operators must take every precaution to minimize the amount of
time that potentially hazardous foods spend in the danger zone.
Food must be cooled from 60°C to 21°C within 2 hours and from 60°C to 5°C
within 6 hours. Proper cooling prevents the bacteria cells from reproducing.
Potentially hazardous foods must be reheated to 74°C within 2 hours.
7. FACTORS OF FOODBORNE
ILLNESS
2) Improper cooking temperatures of foods
Cooking food to the proper temperatures is extremely important because
many raw meats have pathogenic bacteria on them naturally, such as
salmonella on raw chicken. Cooking is the only food preparation step that will
actually kill bacteria. Proper holding temperatures slow down reproduction,
freezing food makes bacteria go dormant, but proper cooking temperatures
will kill bacteria that are in the food.
Cook the following foods to the listed minimum temperatures:
1. Raw poultry such as chicken, duck, and turkey 74°C
2. Raw ground meats such as ground beef and sausage 70°C
3. Raw pork, fish, eggs, lamb, and whole pieces of beef 63°C
4. Fruits and vegetables prior to hot holding 60°C
8. FACTORS OF FOODBORNE
ILLNESS
3) Cross contamination
The transfer of germs from 1 food item to another is called cross contamination.
This commonly happens when germs from raw food are transferred to a cooked
or ready-to-eat food via contaminated hands, equipment and utensils.
For example,
Bacteria from raw chicken can be transferred to a ready-to-eat food such as
tomato when the same knife and cutting board are used without being
washed and sanitized between foods.
Also happens when raw foods are stored above ready-to-eat or cooked
foods. Juices and blood from raw meat can drip or splash onto a cooked
food such as bread or roasted chicken.
9. FACTORS OF FOODBORNE
ILLNESS
4) Poor employee health and hygiene
Good personal hygiene is essential for those who handle foods. Desirable behaviors include:
A. Knowing when and how to properly wash hands
When;
♦ Before food preparation ♦ After using the restroom/toilet
♦ After sneezing or coughing ♦ After touching any other part of the body
♦ After handling any raw animal products ♦ After performing any non-food preparation
related activity such as taking out the garbage, eating, smoking, touching animals, or
handling money.
B. Wearing clean clothing
C. Maintaining good personal habits (bathing, washing hair, keeping fingernail shorts and
clean, always washing hands)
D. Maintaining good health and reporting when sick to avoid spreading possible infections.
10. SYMPTOMS OF FOODBORNE
ILLNESS
♣ Common symptoms of foodborne illness are
diarrhea and/or vomiting, typically lasting 1 to
7 days. Other symptoms might include
abdominal cramps, nausea, fever, and
fatigue.
♣ The incubation period (the time between
exposure to the pathogen and onset of
symptoms) can range from several hours to 1
week.
11. FOODS ARE MOST LIKELY TO BE
CONTAMINATED
♣ Raw foods of animal origin, such as raw meat and poultry, raw eggs, unpasteurized
milk, and raw shellfish are the most likely to be contaminated.
♣ Fruits and vegetables can also be contaminated with animal waste when manure*
is used to fertilize produce in the field, or unclean water is used for washing the
produce.
*solid waste from animals
♣ Raw sprouts are particularly concerning because the conditions under which they
are sprouted are ideal for growing microbes.
♣ Unpasteurized fruit juices can also be contaminated if there are pathogens on the
fruit that is used to make it.
♣ Any food item that is touched by a person who is ill with vomiting or diarrhea can
become contaminated. When these food items are not subsequently cooked they
can pass the illness to other people.
12. PEOPLE AT HIGHER RISK FOR
FOODBORNE ILLNESS
1. Pregnant Women
Foodborne illness can cause miscarriages, stillbirths, and health risks for the child after giving
birth.
2. Children
Children under the age of 5 are at particular risk for foodborne illness because they do not have
fully developed immune systems.
3. Older Adults
People over the age of 65 are at higher risk for foodborne illness because of slower immune
response, gastrointestinal changes and more.
4. People with Compromised Immune Systems
Persons with critical illness such as HIV and AIDS are at a higher risk because their immune
system is less capable of fighting off bacteria and viruses.
5. People with Food Allergies
Food allergies are an abnormal reaction by the body to a certain type of food. The eight most
common food allergens are eggs, fish, milk, peanuts, shellfish, soy, tree nuts, and wheat.
13. PREVENTION OF
FOODBORNE ILLNESS
Prevent food poisoning from bacteria and viruses by following four simple steps when preparing food.
1) Clean
♣ Wash hands and surfaces often. Bacteria can spread throughout the kitchen and get onto hands,
cutting boards, utensils, counter tops, and food. Regularly washing hands and surfaces can help
prevent bacteria from spreading.
2) 2) Separate
♣ Don't cross-contaminate. Bacteria often can be spread from one thing to another when foods are
not separated. Keep all prepared foods separated from raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs; even
in the grocery cart, bag and refrigerator.
3) 3) Cook
♣ Cook food to the proper temperature. Food is safely cooked when it reaches a high enough internal
temperature to kill bacteria that cause illness. Use a food thermometer to measure internal
temperatures of cooked foods.
4) 4) Chill
♣ Refrigerate foods quickly because cold temperatures will slow down the growth of harmful bacteria.
Always be sure to thaw all perishable food in the refrigerator, the microwave, or in cold water.