Food Safety11-1: final Flashcards
Foodborne Diseases
Foodborne Diseases, are diseases acquired through the consumption of contaminated food.
~Frequently & inaccurately referred to as food poisoning.
Foodborne Outbreak
Foodborne Outbreak, is the occurrence of a similar illness among two or more people which an investigation linked to consumption of a common meal or food items.
~IN THE CASE OF BOTULISM, ONE CASE IS CONSIDERED AN OUTBREAK.
Foodborne diseases factors:
Foodborne diseases are a major cause of morbidity (& occasionally mortality) in the U.S. & other countries of the world.
Incidence of foodborne illnesses have increased in industrialized nations.
An important responsibility of local & federal government agencies is to assure the quality of food & food products.
In U.S., CDC has the responsibility at a federal level for surveillance of foodborne outbreaks.
Foodborne illnesses in the U.S. : Contributing factors
-Changes in agricultural & food processing methods.
-Globalization of food distribution.
-Social & behavioral changes among the human population.
-The CDC estimates that every 48 million people are affected by foodborne diseases.
-128,000 are hospitalized and 3,000 deaths annually.
-Incurs an economic cost of $5 billion annually.
U.S. surveillance of food illness:
CDC Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet)
-Active system whereby public health officials maintain frequent direct contact with clinical laboratory directors to identify new cases of foodborne illnesses.
FoodNet surveillance : Burden of Illness Pyramid
SLIDE 7
Four Major Categories of Food Hazards
Food Contaminant, any impurity or substance that pollutes food.
-An agent of contamination accidentally or inadvertently introduced into food, water, or soil, that may or may not be harmful or potentially poisonous.
1) Biological: microorganisms, toxins
2) Physical: stone, glass, metal
3) Chemical: mercury, methanol
4) Nutritional: presence of nutrients & other food constituents in excessive or deficient amount that lead to disease.
You can usually tell if food is poisoned by smell, look, or taste?
TRUE or FALSE
FALSE,
can not tell
Foodborne Diseases: Biological Hazards
(1) Mycotoxin
(2) Bacterium
(3) Virus
(4) Parasites
Mycotoxins
-Substances naturally produced by fungi that contaminate crops.
-Can occur during cropping season, also during crop storage.
Crops contaminated with mycotoxins;
Corn, rice, peanuts, sorghum, soybeans, millet, rye, wheat, barley, brazil nuts, pecans, pistachios nuts, spices, walnuts, or products made from these crops.
Aflatoxicosis
-Potent toxin produced by the fungus, Aspergillus Flavus.
-Toxin-producing mold growing under high humidity & temperature conditions.
-Humans become sick by consuming unsafe levels of aflatoxin from; 1) contaminated food. 2) contaminated products.
-Potent carcinogenic & immunosuppressive effects.
-Aflatoxin contamination of foods = global human & animal health problem.
-Malnutrition & other factors can reduce ability of human body to cope with mycotoxin exposure.
Aflatoxin : Exposure
Acute: exposure to large doses =acute toxicity with lethal effects.
-Liver necrosis & death, jaundice.
-Negative impact on carbohydrates & lipid inhibition, & proteins synthesis.
Blood clotting derangement: Decreased essential serum proteins, edema of lungs & lower extremities, abdominal pain, vomiting, convulsions, & coma.
Chronic: small doses for prolonged periods is carcinogenic.
Liver damage, jaundice, swollen gall bladder, immunosuppression, and decreased vitamin K bioactivity.
(Evidence from China & Africa aflatoxins & hepatitis B virus act synergistically in etiology of liver cancer.
Aflatoxin: Chronic Exposure
Aflatoxin epidemics in humans:
3rd world countries, large outbreaks due to the lack of regulatory measures & high exposure levels.
-U.S. no reported large human outbreaks.
-Most server recent outbreaks; NW India (1974), 25% of exposed population died after ingestion of moldy corn wit aflatoxin levels ranging from 6,250-15,600 mg/kg.
Ergot (Claviceps Purpurea) Ergotism or “St. Anthony’s Fire”:
-Caused by toxic doses of alkaloid ergotamine.
-Produced by purple masses of spores on grains of spores grains that are infected by (Claviceps Purpurea).
-Spores (sclerotia)
Major symptoms of Ergot (Claviceps Purpurea) Ergotism or “St. Anthony’s Fire”;
Toxin causes vasoconstriction with severe neurological alterations.
When consumed in bread.
-Violent muscle contractions
-Vomiting
-Deafness
-Blindness
-Hallucinations
High levels of toxin cause:
Gangrene with burning pain in body extremities. Convulsions, hallucinations , severe psychosis, & death, as well as miscarriages.
St. Anthony’s Fire: More recent event
Pont-St. Esprit, France (1951) outbreak.
Small town, everyone bought bread from it. People developed burning sensation in their limbs. Began to hallucinate they could fly. Did strange things to their dogs with forks. Other weird behaviors.
Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning
Results from eating oysters, clams, or scallops contaminated with saxitoxin.
-Nerve poison produced by algae.
Symptoms,
Numbness in mouth & extremities.
Gastroenteritis
Difficulty speaking and walking.
Death in small percentage of cases.
Foodborne Bacterial Diseases
Global public health problem.
Reported cases, 33 million/year.
9,000 deaths/year.
Microbial contaminants enter food via;
Water, milk, juice, cutting boards, meat products, cracked eggs, and seafood.
Who is at risk for foodborne bacterial diseases?
All at potential risk with high exposure.
Greatest risk & health consequences for those with weakened immune systems.
EX., HIV-AIDS patients. TB patients, cancer patients, pregnant women, infants, young children, and people over 65 years/old.
Way that Bacteria Cause Foodborne Illnesses;
(1) Ingestion of bacterial toxins present in food.
(2) By ingestion of pathogenic bacteria present in food or water.
