Food Safety Flashcards
protection from contamination (a way of life)
Food Sanitation
refers to conditions and practices that preserve the quality of food to prevent contamination and food-borne illnesses
Food safety
Sickness that people experience after consuming food contaminated with pathogenic microorganisms, chemicals or physical agents
Food-borne illness
Common symptoms of food-borne illness
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Abdominal pain
- Fever
- Dehydration
Type and severity of food-borne illeness symptoms depend on
- Type of pathogen
- Amount of contaminated food consumed
- Individual’s health status
Second leading COD in children below 5 y.o.
Diarrhea
The most common vaccine for preventable severe diarrhea because it is associated wit 28% of diarrheal cases
Rotavirus
Common bacterial pathogens associated with diarrhea
shigella V. cholerae Campylobacter Salmonella E.coli (EHEC, ETEC, EPEC, EAEC, EIEC)
It is the 5th leading cause of morbidity
Acute watery diarrhea
Underreporting of foodborne illness is due to
- Mild symptoms: no medical consult
- Nonspecific symptoms: not recognized as foodborne
- Definitive laboratory diagnoses are not carried out
- Underreporting of physicians to agencies
Other effects of FBI
- debilitating
- Increased cost of medical expenses
- Loss of productivity
- Lost business for food industries
- Increased surveillance by regulatory agencies
Sources of food contamination
- Raw materials/Ingredients
- Water
- Air/Dust
- Soil
- Garbage/Sewage
- Rodents
- Insects
- Animals & Birds
- Packaging materials
- Food handlers or man
Food Production Chain
- Production
- Processing
- Distribution
- Restaurant/retail
- Home/restaurant preparation
- Home/restaurant consumers
causes of FBI
- Biological hazards (introduced by handlers: bacteria, viruses, parasites, fungi)
- Chemical hazards (harmful subs cause illness if ingested; naturally occurring: food allergens; human origin: pesticides, cleaning agents, metals, PCBs)
- Physical Hazards (foreign objects)
These foods require time and temperature in order to limit bacterial growth and toxin formation
Potentially Hazardous Food
These foods must be kept out of danger zone temperatures of 41-135 C to prevent growth of bacteria and toxin formation
Temperature Control for Safety
These are inactive or dormant forms of bacteria and allows them to survive in extreme environmental conditions; common in vegetables and spices
Spores
Spore-forming anaerobic bacteria found in intestines of humans and animals where infection is toxin-mediated and onset of signs and symptoms occur after 8-22 hours after ingestion
Clostridium perfringens
*associated with PHF/TCS foods such as meat and poultry
Non Spore-forming bacteria easily destroyed by heat and controlled by cooking and pasteurisation
vegetative cells
examples of NSF bacteria
E.coli, Listeria, Salmonella, Staphylococcus
Enterohemorrhagic E.coli (O157:H7) produces what
shiga toxins
How are Enterohemorrhagic E.coli (O157:H7) transferred?
- through contact with feces from animal’s intestines during slaughter
- food handlers who are carriers and do not wash hands properly
- contaminated equipment and utensils
incubation period of EHEC
12-72hours (lasts 1-3 days)
NSF bacteria which produces enterotoxin that causes food poisoning and onset of symptoms is 2-6 hours
Staphylococcus aureus
T or F: S. aureus require a high infectious dose
false, low
Where is S. aureus usually found?
nasal passages and throat, hair and skin, infected burns, boils, pimples
Routes of transmission of S. aureus
Contamination from a worker’s hands
Outbreaks in meat and poultry products
bacteria arising from temperature abuse
C. perfringens and S. aureus
More common cause of foodborne illnesses smaller in size and cannot grow outside a living host and not killed by antibiotics; low infectious dose
Virus
Usual cause of infectious hepatitis
Hepatitis A (onset: 4-6 weeks; contagious for one week before symptoms and 2 weeks after symptoms
Routes of transmission of Hepatitis A
fecal-oral
Signs of Hepatitis A
jaundice, fatigue, abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, loss of appetite, fever
Group of virus that causes “stomach flu” or gastroenteritis with symptoms lasting 1-2 days
norovirus *causes severe dehydration in young children, elderly and immunocompromised
Norovirus is spread through
- Ingesting food or liquids contaminated with the virus
- Touching surfaces contaminated with virus
- Direct contact with another person with symptoms
Less common cause of FBI
parasites
This parasite is round worms found in fish which are spread to humans through ingestion of parasite-infested fish causing cough, vomiting and abdominal pain
Anisakis
This parasite is associated with fresh fruits and vegetables and acquired through fecal-oral transmission causing watery and explosive diarrhea
Cyclsopora
Food allergens and toxins produced by biological organisms
Naturally occurring chemicals
Chemicals of human origins
- Pesticides
- Food additives
- Fertilizers
- Metals
- Antibiotics
- Industrial by-products
This occurs when toxic burden of a large number of organisms at a lower trophic level is accumulated and concentrated by predators at a higher trophic level
Biomagnification (common symptom of acute chemical intoxication: vomiting)
Example of biomagnification
Phytoplankton/bacteria > zooplankton/small fish > game fish and humans
It is the accumulation of toxins within one organism
Bioaccumulation
These fat-soluble chemicals are used as capacitors and transformers which concentrate in fatty tissues of fish
Polychlorinated Biphenyls
Why is PCB usually found in farmed salmon?
Farmed salmon are fed fish meal made of smaller fish which may have ingested harmful PCBs
PCB ingestion is associated with
memory loss and learning impairment, cancer, nervous system toxicity and immune dysfunctions
Foods which cause 90% of allergic reactions (overreaction of immune system)
milk, eggs, wheat proteins, peanuts, soy fish and shell fish
Food allergen/toxin produced by marine algae wherein toxin is stored in fish flesh, skin and organs acting as a neurotoxin and enterotoxin
Ciguatoxin
Ciguatoxin causes these
Vertigo, joint and muscle pain, numbness and tingling sensation, diarrhea and vomiting
*onset of symptoms: 15 mins-24 hours
T or F: Ciguatoxin can be destroyed by cooking
FALSE (also has no diagnostic method of detexn.)
This toxin causes scombroid or histamine poisoning
Scombrotoxin
High histidine containing foods which are decomposed by bacteria producing histamine
Tuna, mahi-mahi, sardines, and mackerel have high levels of histidine
T or F: Histamine cannot be deactivated by cooking
TRUE
Scombrotoxin causes these
Dizziness, burning feeling in mount, rash or hives, headache, itching, teary eyes, runny nose (onset: 30 mins or less)
These are found in polycarbonate (PC) plastic used in food containers like baby and water bottles and epoxy resins that line metal food cans
Bisphenol A (makes PC plastic sturdy and impact resistant)
marked BPA exposures as safe
Europe, 2006 (declined to regulate) and USFDA, 2009 (exposure levels are below those that may cause death)
First country to ban BPA (?)
Canada, 2008
expressed “some concern” for neurological effects and “minimal concerns” for reproductive effects
NTP, 2008
How to reduce BPA exposure
- Do not microwave polycarbonate plastic food containers (§ BPA may leak at high temperatures)
- Reduce use of canned foods
- When possible opt for glass, porcelain or stainless-steel containers
- Use baby bottles that are BPA free
Risk factors of FBI
- Inadequate cooling and cold holding temperatures 63%
- Preparing food ahead of planned service 29%
- Inadequate hot holding temperatures 27%
- Poor personal hygiene/infected persons 26%
- Inadequate reheating 25%
- Inadequate cleaning of equipment 9%
- Use of leftovers 7%
- Cross-contamination 6%
- Inadequate cooking or heat processing 5%
- Containers adding toxic chemicals 4%
- Contaminated raw ingredients 2%
- Intentional chemical additives 2%
- Incidental chemical additives 1%
- Unsafe sources 1%
examples of general protection from contamination
shielding over food product fillers or bottle conveyers, shielding from refrigeration unit drip in coolers, sneeze guards on food service serving
improper holding temperature range or food temperature danger zone set by the FDA and CDC
5°C-57°C or 4-60 (permits rapid growth of infectious toxin-producing organisms)
This occurs when food is exposed to the danger zone for more than four hours
time-temperature abuse
Good personal hygiene personnel training includes
- Appropriate sanitation principles and food handling practices
- Manufacturing controls
- Personal hygiene practices (regular handwashing, use of gloves and hand sanitizers)
These are major threats to food safety
- Soiled hands and clothing
- Infected food workers
- Poor personal hygiene practices
Involved in personal cleanliness and conduct
- Sanitary protective clothing, hair covering, and footwear must be worn and maintained in a clean, sanitary manner
- Gloves, if worn, must be clean and sanitary (disposable gloves recommended)
- All food-handling personnel must remove objects (i.e. watches, jewelry) from their person which may fall into or contaminate the food product
- Tobacco, gum, and food are not permitted in food-handling areas
Preventions from FBI involved in Traffic control
- Personnel and visitor access to specific food-product handling areas must be restricted
- Personnel involved in raw product handling (e.g., farm truck drivers, etc.) must not be allowed in processing or finished product areas
- Foot baths and hand dips, where required, must be properly maintained and used
- Color coding of clothing, maintenance and other equipment should be used to clearly identify raw vs. processed product operations
Things to consider in premises and surroundings
- Evaluation for sources of contamination such as vermin, bird harborage areas, drainage problems, odor problems, debris, refuse, and pollution-smoke, dust, other contaminants
- The facility should have floors, walls, and ceilings constructed of suitable, approved materials which are durable, smooth, impervious and easily cleaned
- Instrument panels should be appropriately locked and sealed to prevent harborage of insects
- Windows and doors must be tight and close-fitting
- Doors in food-processing areas self-closing
- Overhead structures should be situated and constructed to prevent contamination of the food products, and lighting is to be adequate with properly sealed, safety type overhead fixtures
Two most important overall elements of any food processing
- Should be cleanable
* So designed and constructed that it prevents entrance or harborage of pests or other sources of contamination
How should Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Systmes be designed?
- Systems must be designed and installed to prevent build-up of heat, steam, condensation, or dust, and to remove contaminated air
- Should be cleanable
Important wr to drainage and sewage
- Appropriate traps and vents are to be used throughout
- There should be no potential of cross connections existing between human waste effluent and other wastes in the plant
Facilities designed to prevent contamination should provide sanitary storage of waste and inedible material prior to their removal from plant or surroundings
Waste facilities
T or F: Washroom facilities should have self-closing doors and be properly ventilated and separate from-and not directly entered from-food processing and handling areas
TRUE
Provisions in washrooms
- Sufficient numbers of hand washing sinks, with hot and cold potable water
- Soap
- Sanitary hand drying supplies or devices
T or F: Hand-washing sinks should be separate from sinks used for equipment cleaning and other operations
TRUE
A well-designed food processing or handling facility is constructed to minimize traffic to prevent contamination.
Flow-through pattern
*must physically and operationally separates raw product functions from processing functions and finished product functions to avoid cross-contamination
Compliance with appropriate regulations and standards must be verified through testing programs.
Water Quality Program (also involves water treatments which must be maintained)
Other aspects of preventing FBI
Pest Control
Safe food sources
Prevention of contamination and cross-contamination
T or F: homemade food has an increased risk of contamination from biological hazards
TRUE
A central paradigm of food safety designed to identify and control problems that may cause FBI before they happen
Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point
*not a stand-program and must be supported by SOPs
Steps in HACCP
1 . Conduct Hazard analysis (id bio, chem, physical hazards)
- Determine Critical Control Points (receiving, storage, cooking and chilling)
- Establish Critical Limits
- Establish a system to monitor CCPs
- Establish corrective action to be taken when a ccp is not under control
- Verify that the HACCP is working effectively
- Establish effective record keeping
2 components of verifying HACCP is working effectively
- Verifying that the critical limits for CCPs will effectively prevent/eliminate/reduce hazards to acceptable levels
- Verifying that the overall HACCP plan is working properly
