Exam 1- Food Pathogens Flashcards
Causes of Food-Borne Disease by Microorganisms
By-products, or the whole organism, once ingested, causes human illness.
Intoxication
a toxin formed by the microorganism prior to ingestion
Infection
the live microorganism must be ingested to cause disease.
Danger Zone
40-140 degrees
Vulnerable Population
- Very Young
- Elderly
- Chemotherapy Patients
- Chronically Ill- AIDS
- Pregnant and Neo-natal
Staphylococcus Aureus
- Commonly called the “food-handlers” disease
- Associated with skin and nose of humans
- Produces a heat-stable toxin
- Problem with improperly cooled and reheated leftovers
- Fairly intense GI effects
Clostridium botulinum
• Cause of botulism (ptomaine poisoning)
o Central nervous system effects
• Most toxic protein known
o Easily inactivated by heat
• Requires anaerobic environment for toxin production
o Canned products
o Vacuum packaged fish
o Garlic in oil
• Controlling C. Bot
o pH - 15% alone, combined with other factors may be as low as 5%
o Retort processing – required for commercial sterility of low-acid canned foods