Ch 2. Forms of Contamination

Question 1

What is the most common way people contaminate food?

Answer 1

• Don’t wash hands after using the restroom aka the fecal-oral route of contamination

Question 2

What are microorganisms? What are pathogens? What is the definition of toxin?

Answer 2

• def: tiny creatures
• pathogens are microorganisms that can make people sick, aka germs
• toxin: poison made by some pathogens that CANNOT be killed by cooking

Question 3

What are the symptoms of food borne illness? What is an onset time?

Answer 3

• vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, fever, abdominal pain
• rarely jaundice (yellowing of skin and eyes)
• onset time: how long it takes for symptoms to appear after eating the contaminated food, ranges from 30mins to 6 weeks

Question 4

What are the 4 types of biological contaminants?

Answer 4

• bacteria, viruses, parasites, fungi

Question 5

What are the 6 major types of bacteria, viruses, parasites and molds that are highly contagious?

Answer 5

• shigella spp
• salmonella typhi
• nontyphoidal salmonella
• E-coli
• Hepatitis A
• norovirus

Question 6

What are the 6 conditions that allow bacteria to grow? (FATTOM)

Answer 6

• Food: specifically need carbs or protein
• Acidity: little to no acid
• Temperature: grows best in the temperature danger zone (41-135 deg)
• Time: at least 4 hrs for bacteria to grow to an unsafe level
• Oxygen: many bacteria need oxygen, some and grow without it
• Moisture: need high level moisture, at least .85 water activity or above

Question 7

What is the source, linked foods, and prevention of non-typhoidal salmonella?

Answer 7

• source: farm animals
• foods: poultry, eggs, meats, produce
• prevention: cooking food to correct temperatures

Question 8

What is the source, linked foods, and prevention of shigella?

Answer 8

• Source: human feces
• foods: those commonly touched by hands or flies
• prevention: hand washing and controlling flies inside and outside the facility

Question 9

What is the source, linked foods, and prevention of salmonella typhi?

Answer 9

• Source: people
• foods: ready to eat foods and beverages
• prevention: hand washing

Question 10

What is the source, linked foods, and prevention of E-coli?

Answer 10

• Source: intestine of cattle
• foods: ground beef and produce
• prevention: cooking food to correct temperatures and purchasing food from a safe source

Question 11

How do viruses differ from bacteria? What is the best way to prevent their spread?

Answer 11

• require a host to grow (human or animal)
• transferred through food and can still be infectious on any surface for a long period of time
• cooking DOES NOT kill viruses
• best method of prevention is through hygiene

Question 12

What is the source, linked foods, and prevention of Hepatitis A?

Answer 12

• Source: human feces
• foods: ready to eat foods and shellfish
• prevention: wash hands, don’t touch food with bare hands, purchase shellfish from approved source

Question 13

What is the source, linked foods, and prevention of norovirus (food poisoning)?

Answer 13

• source: human feces
• foods: ready to eat foods and shellfish
• wash hands, don’t touch food with bare hands, purchase shellfish from approved source

Question 14

What are parasites? How do we prevent them?

Answer 14

• usually infect wild animals including fish and game
• don’t typically infect our meat poultry bc feed is treated
• cooking and freezing kills parasites
• best prevention is always buy from approved supplied

Question 15

What are the 3 types of fungi? What conditions will they grow? Prevention?

Answer 15

• types: yeast, mold, mushrooms
• will grow in foods other microorganisms won’t like low water activity and high acidity
• discard food with fungus
• always buy from approved supplier

Question 16

What are biological toxins? What 2 toxins are commonly associated with fish?

Answer 16

• comes from natural poisonous things in an environment (ex. poisonous plants algae)
• Scombroid toxin and ciguatera toxin
• important to buy from approved supplier so ensure food didn’t come from unsafe place

Question 17

How do you respond to an outbreak?

Answer 17

• Gather information
• Notify authorities
• segregate product
• document information
• identify staff
• cooperate with authorities
• review procedures

Question 18

What are chemical contaminants? What is toxic metal poisoning?

Answer 18

• certain types of metal have poisonous chemicals
• copper, pewter, lead, zinc can have a chemical reaction with acid or acidic food
• the reaction can leech toxins from the metal and into the food: toxic metal poisoning

Question 19

What is physical contamination? Prevention?

Answer 19

• foreign objects that don’t belong in food
• bones, metal shavings, glass
• prevention: inspect food and purchase from approved supplier

Question 20

What is ALERT?

Answer 20

• created by FDA to prevent deliberate food contamination
• Assure: make sure product is from safe source
• Look: monitor security of the products in your facility
• Employees: know who is in your facility
• Report: keep info related to food defense accessible
• Threat: develop a plan for responding to threats or suspicious activity

Question 21

What is a food allergy? What are the symptoms? What are the most common food allergens? What is cross contact? Prevention?

Answer 21

• Def: being sensitive to specific proteins in a food
• symptoms: hives, rashes, swelling
• anaphylaxis: severe reaction, body shutdown, can cause death
• allergens: milk, eggs, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, crustaceans, wheat
• cross contact: allergen comes in contact with and mixed into food the allergic person eats, can be through equipment, gloves, fryer oil
• ## prevention: suggest simple items, know ingredients, hand deliver food