Food Poisoning

Question 1

What are the top 5 germs that cause food poisoning in the U.S?

Answer 1

Norovirus
Salmonella
Clostridium perfringens
Campylobacter
Staphylococcus aureus

Question 2

What is an infectious dose?

Answer 2

Is the number of microbes required to cause an infection in the host

Question 3

What 6 conditions affect bacterial growth?

Answer 3

Use the acronym FAT TOM.
* Food
* Acidity
* Time
* Temperature
* Oxygen
* Moisture

Question 4

What type of food best supports bacterial growth?

Answer 4

Moist, protein-rich foods, such as meat, fish, milk, and eggs,
are favored. Plant foods such potatoes and legumes, seed sprouts, melons, leafy greens, and tomatoes are also eaten by pathogenic
bacteria.

Question 5

What is the pH range for most bacteria?

Answer 5

Bacteria grow best at
neutral or slightly acidic (pH 4.6 and 7.5.)

Question 6

Do acidic foods have a high or a low pH?

Answer 6

Low

Question 7

What is the danger zone?

Answer 7

Microbes grow and reproduce quickly
between the temperatures of 40°F -
140°F. This is the DANGER ZONE (DZ).

Question 8

What is the 2 hour/ 4 hour rule?

Answer 8

Length of time foods spend in the temperature danger zone should be minimized to keep food safe by limiting microbial growth.

Question 9

Differentiate between aerobes, anaerobes and facultative anaerobes.

Answer 9

Aerobes need oxygen to grow. Anaerobes can grow only if oxygen is absent. Botulism, a rare type of
foodborne illness, is caused by bacteria called Clostridium botulinum
that grows only in anaerobic conditions and produces a potent
neurotoxin. Facultative anaerobes can grow with or without oxygen. Most bacteria are facultative anaerobes.

Question 10

Do microbes need water to grow?

Answer 10

Yes

Question 11

What is water activity?

Answer 11

Water activity (aw) is the amount of “free” water available

Question 12

What reduces water activity?

Answer 12

Increasing the concentration of substances in the water

Question 13

Does proper cooking destroy most microbes?

Answer 13

Yes

Question 14

What is cross-contamination?

Answer 14

Cross-contamination is what happens when bacteria or other microorganisms are unintentionally transferred from one object to another.

Question 15

What is the most effective way to control microbes in food?

Answer 15

Most effective way to control microbes in food is to kill
them with heat. (74oC, 165oF)

Question 16

What is the impact of freezing, refrigeration, hot holding and heat on microbes?

Answer 16

Freezing – (0oC, 32oF) stops bacterial growth, can damage cells. Usually doesn’t kill microbes. Refrigeration (4oC, 40oF) slows or stops bacterial growth. Some spoilage bacteria and a few pathogens can grow very slowly. Usually doesn’t kill. Hot holding -maintain hot foods at (60oC, 140°F or above) slows or stops bacterial growth.

Question 17

What is fermentation?

Answer 17

Fermentation is the breakdown of carbohydrates into simpler
compounds by microbes under anaerobic (without oxygen)
conditions.

Question 18

Does it require oxygen?

Answer 18

no

Question 19

In what ways does fermentation prevent microbial growth?

Answer 19

include alcohols, organic acids, and peroxides, that inhibit the
growth and survival of other microbial species.