Food Safety Flashcards
how many food borne illnesses a year
4 million cases
who is vulnerable to food borne illnesses
pregnant people
newborns
older adults
immunocompromised people
2 ways microbes cause illness
infection
intoxication (produce enterotoxins and neurotoxins)
flow of food safety
farms - processing - transportation - retail - plate
when does most food poisoning occur
consumer level - after purchase
ways of protecting consumers
batch numbering
freshness dates
seals/wrappers/safety buttons
dented cans
what are the four keepers
keep hot food hot
keep cold food cold
keep raw foods separate
keep hands/kitchen clean
what part of the hands harbour bacteria
nails (artificial nails/long nails/chipped polish)
safest fridge temperature
greater than or equal to 4 degrees
what foods are most likely to cause illness
foods high in moisture/nutrients and chopped/ground
- protein foods (meat)
- eggs
- raw produce
- honey
what is irridation
ionizing radiation to reduce insect infestation/microbial contamination
also used to slow ripening process
what is cold pasteurization
irridation
foods approved for irridation in canada
onions, potatoes, whole-wheat flour, whole and ground spices, dehydrated seasoning
what nutrients are effected in irridation process
heat-sensitive nutrients
- B vitamins and vit C
what nutrients remain intact in irridation process
macronutrients
is irridation safe
40+ years of research says yes
“best by” or “best if used by” meaning
date when food will have best flavour
still safe to eat past expiry date
“use by” or “expiration date” meaning
last date the product will be at peak quality
still safe to eat (aside from infant formula)
“packaging/manufacturing” date meaning
not an expiration date
used for tracking
“sell by” meaning
for stores to know how long they should display product
safe to eat past the date
what foods can be consumed one year after the expiration date
packaged foods (pasta, cereal, dried beans, baking mixed)
frozen foods
canned foods
what foods are good for 30 days past expiration date
butter
hard cheeses
eggs
what foods are good for 7 days after expiration date
milk
yogurt
cream cheese
do canned foods lose nutrients
minerals/water-soluble vitamins can be lost when they dissolve into canning water that will then get thrown away
how do companies minimize nutrient loss in canned foods
high-temp-short-time principle (HTST)
three nutrients most affected by canning
thiamin, riboflavin, vit C
what does freezing do to food
stops bacterial reproduction and slows enzymatic reactions
- if stored correctly, frozen foods will have more nutrients than fresh foods
what are GMOs
plant-based organism that has its DNA altered and contains genes from another plant-based organism
what are GMOs used for
used to grow genetically modified food
what was the first approved GMO crop
1994
flavr savr tomato
does canada mandate the labelling of GMO foods
no (only saudi arabia, russia, and EU)
how much of canadian crops are GM
90% (75-85% of available food have at least one GM ingredient)
benefits of GM food
resist damage due to weather
grow easily in some environments
produce more crop (low prices)
rippen slower - last longer
bruise less
need less pesticides
less disease
more of a certain nutrient
4 issues around GE foods
nutrient composition (added nutrients)
pesticide residues and resistance
unintended health effects
environmental effects (outcrossing)
what do companies that patent GMO seeds also do
develop and patent herbicides/pesticides to which the plant is resistant
examples of natural food additives
beet juice, salt, citric acid
what are additives used for
flavour, colour, nutrients
why do people used food additives
limit spoilage
prevent undesirable changes in colour/flavour
increase safety of food distribution
2 classes of food additives
intentional (added directly to food)
incidental (contaminant)
how to test the safety of intentional additives
tested on at least 2 animal species
determines highesr dose with no observable effects
how to determine healthy human dose of intentional additives
divide prorate dose by 100
what are natural toxins
occur in foods naturally
-safrole, mace, nutmeg
-solanine (potato shoots)
-muchrooms
-avidin (egg whites)
-thiaminase (raw calms/mussels)
-herbal teas
examples of residue on foods
persistant organic pollutants (POPs)
pesticides
growth hormones
general principles of organic food
protect environment
maintain soil fertility
maintain biological diversity
recycle/maintain resources
care for livestock
is the organic food industry regulated in canada
yes very strictly
-all organic foods must be certified (nov 2018)
can organic farmers use synthetic pesticides
sometimes ! only if there is no naturally ocurring alternative
- ex. copper sulphate
what are pesticides
protect against crop losses, reduce disease, increase crop yields
types of pesticides
most common: insecticides, herbicides, fungicides
can be natural or synthetic
can remain as toxins on foods
who regulates pesticides
Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency
most used pesticides in canada
organic pesticides
how many pesticides are we exposed to on average per day
0.9 milligrams of synthetic pesticides/day
daily consumption of built-in pesticides
1500mg/day
ways to reduce pesticide residue intake
trim fat from meat
remove skin from poultry/fish
vary meat choices day to day
dont take fish oil capsules
wash and trim produce in water
use a knife to peel citrus
peel waxed fruit/veggies
dirty dozen (organic produce)
peaches
strawberries
nectarines
apples
imported grapes
pears
cherries
spinach
celery
sweet bell peppers
potatoes
lettuce
is organic food more nutritious
not really - difference is negligible that they can be explained by seasonal variations (seed type, soil, rain, sunshine, infestation)
potential health risks of organic food
e coli 6x greater in organic fruit/veggies
organic sprouts/greens have cause serious cases of food poisoning
unpasteurized juice/milk/cheese + microbial hazards
spoil faster
exmaple of a growth hormone
recombinant bovine - given to cowsw
what does rBGH/bST do
increases muscle mass
decreases fat
is rBGH/bST used in dairy cows, pork, poultry
no
controversy of growth hormones
banned in canada: stimulates another bovine hormone - insulin-like growth factor
are antibiotics approved for used in animals
yes (beef/dairy cattle, chickens, turkeys, pork, fish, fruit, honey bees)
are antibiotics used in organic foods
no
is it good to use antibiotics in food
no! only if the animal is sick but there’s a mandatory waiting period afterwards
what do beef farmers use instead of antibiotics
ionophores to stimulate growth
what must all meat and eggs be in order to be sold
antibiotic free
what is arsenic used for
control parasites in poultry (banned in canada)
largest source of arsenic
food (organic arsenic is not dangerous)
foods susceptible to inorganic arsenic
rice
fruit juice
brussel sprouts
dark meat fish
mushrooms
beer/wine
how to reduce exposure to environmental toxins
identify risky foods
moderation + variety
remove outer leaves
trim fat
wash fruits/veggies
buy smaller fish
avoid areas treated with pesticides
is organic a healthier choice
if you handle your food properly - no
potentially higher risk of contamination with bacteria
