Course Notes for Test One

Question 1

What are Microorganisms?

Answer 1

• small living organisms
• Invisible to the unaided human eye

Question 2

Type of food borne microorganisms w/ examples

Answer 2

Bacteria (can multiply on its own) - E.Coli, Salmonella, Bacillus (rice, forms spores)

Yeasts - Candida, Sacchromyces

Protozoa - Cryptosporidium (common in water), Giardia

Molds - Aspergillus, Fusarium

Viruses (needs host to multiply) - Hepatitis (strawberries), Norwalk (cruise ships)

Question 3

List the 11 primary sources of food borne microorganisms

Answer 3

1) Soil and Water
2) Plants and plant products
3) Food Utensils
4) Intestinal track of human and animals
5) Food handlers
6) Animal feeds
7) Animal hides
8) Air and Dust
9) Food Ingredients
10) Equipment
11) Miscellaneous sources

Question 4

List the 3 roles of DESIRABLE microorganisms

Answer 4

1) Food bioprocessing
2) Food biopreservation
3) Probiotics

Question 5

Effects of Soil and Water

Answer 5

1) Microbes contaminate via runoff
2) Soil is packed with nutrients for microbial growth

Question 6

Effects of plants and plant products (fruits and vegetables)

Answer 6

1) Inside tissue is sterile

2) Surface contamination from soil condition, types of fertilizers (treated manure), water used (municipal water, lakes, streams) , air quality

3) Molds, yeast, lactic acid bacteria

4) pathogens (soil containing untreated sewage)

5) diseases of plants, damage of surface, delay between harvesting and washing, unfavorable storage & transport conditions after harvesting and before processing

Question 7

Effects of food utensils

Answer 7

1) contaminated containers for harvesting produce

Ex. Knives, scissors

Question 8

Effects of intestinal track of humans and animals

Answer 8

1) Fecal contamination of soil and water

2) water used for washing fresh produce

3) Enterobacteriaceae (enteric) Ex. E. Coli, salmonella, shigella

Question 9

Effects of food handlers

Answer 9

1) microbes on hands & outer garments

2) skin, naval cavity, mouth

3) carries of staphylococcus aureus

4) poor personal hygiene

Question 10

Animal Feeds

Answer 10

1) source of salmonellae to poultry and other farm animals

2) silage (feed)

3) source of listeria monocytogenes to dairy and meat animals

Ex. Antibiotics (can lead to antibiotic resistance in humans)

Question 11

Effect of animal hides

Answer 11

1) microbial contamination of meat & milk

2) removal of hide during processing

3) contaminated udder

4) Bacillus Spp., enteric bacteria from feces

Question 12

Effects of air and dust

Answer 12

1) Bacillus Spp. (spores)

2) Mostly gram-positive bacteria

3) molds, mold spores

4) some yeasts

Question 13

Effects of food ingredients

Answer 13

1) Spices (sources of spoilage organisms and pathogens, mold & bacterial spores)

2) starch, sugar, flour (sources of spores of thermophilic bacteria)

3) Pathogens Ex. Salmonella spp. isolated from dried coconut, eggs, and chocolate

• sanitary processing conditions
• Antimicrobial treatment for spices (irradiation)
• Microbial specifications for ingredients (received from outside suppliers)

Question 14

Effects of equipment

Answer 14

1) Harvesting, transportation, processing & storage of food

2) contamination from air, raw foods, water & workers

3) cleaning & sanitizing important for food safety

Question 15

Effects of Miscellaneous sources

Answer 15

1) packaging materials ex. Wrappers, containers

2) insect, birds, rodents, pets can carry pathogens

Question 16

What is food bioprocessing?

Answer 16

1) use of food grade microorganisms (starter cultures) ex. Yogurt

2) different types of fermented foods made where microorganisms are necessary

Question 17

What is food biopreservation?

Answer 17

1) use of Antimicrobial metabolites from desirable microorganisms to preserve food

2) control of pathogens and spoilage microorganisms

Question 18

What are probiotics?

Answer 18

1) viable bacteria that seem to produce health benefits when consumed in foods

Question 19

What are the two forms microorganisms come in?

Answer 19

1) vegetative state - easier to kill

2) spore state - can withstand harsh conditions (bacillus, any clostridium)

Question 20

Notes about silage (feed)

Answer 20

1) bag is tied tight (anaerobic)

2) lactic acid is then produced (pH 6.5 to 4)

3) rodents damage bag, air enters (aerobic)

4) mold grows & uses lactic acid as a nutrient

5) pH rises to 5.8 to 6

6) now listeria will grow

7) animal consumes

Question 21

What is 1 of the 7 foundational rules under FSMA?

Answer 21

The Transportation Rule

Question 22

What are the 2 categories for undesirable microorganisms?

Answer 22

1) Food spoilage

2) Foodborne Disease

Question 23

What is food spoilage?

Answer 23

Growth of microbes in food or action of microbial heat stable enzymes

Question 24

Does pasteurization kill spoilage organisms?

Answer 24

NO, it kills pathogens

Question 25

What can cause foodborne disease?

Answer 25

1) Pathogenic microorganisms

2) increased with importation
- now more oversight by FSMA

3) Mass production of food
- increased chances of disease outbreaks
- introduction of new pathogens

Question 26

Which type of organism is E. Coli and Salmonella?

Answer 26

Bacteria

Question 27

What type of organisms are candida and sacchromyces?

Answer 27

Yeasts

Question 28

What type of organisms are cryptosporidium and giardia?

Answer 28

Protozoa

Question 29

What type of organisms are aspergillus and fusarium?

Answer 29

Molds

Question 30

What type of organisms are hepatitis and Norwalk?

Answer 30

Viruses