Chapter 12
Food Safety and Food
Technology
Nutrition: Concepts & Controversies, 12e
Sizer/Whitney
Learning Objectives
 Describe two ways in which foodborne
microorganisms can cause illness in the
body, and give examples of each.
 Develop a plan, from purchase to table, by
which consumers can reduce their risks of
foodborne illnesses from seafood, eggs,
meats, and produce.
Learning Objectives
 Name some recent advances aimed at
reducing microbial food contamination, and
describe their potential contribution to the
safety of the U.S. food supply.
 Describe how pesticides enter the food
supply, and suggest possible actions to
reduce consumption of residues.
 Discuss potential advantages and
disadvantages associated with organic
foods.
Learning Objectives
 Provide evidence to justify this statement:
“Food additives used in the United States
serve some important functions and are
safe to consume.”
 Compare and contrast the advantages and
disadvantages of food production by way of
genetic modification and conventional
farming.
Introduction
 Food and Drug
Administration (FDA)
 Major agency
charged with food
safety
 Six major areas of
concern
 Microbial
foodborne illness
– top priority
Microbes and Food Safety
 Foodborne illnesses can be life-threatening
 Vulnerable populations
 Improved safety procedures in U.S.
 Decline in diseases associated with some
organisms
 Greater efforts are needed to continue the
decline in illnesses
Microbes and Food Safety
 Foodborne illness
 Infection
 Examples
 Intoxication
 Enterotoxins
 Neurotoxins
 Examples
Food Safety from Farm to Table
 Safe food supply depends on:
 Domestic and international food industries
 Processes on the farm or at sea
 Procedures in processing plants
 Handling with transportation and at
supermarkets
 Preparation at institutions, restaurants, and
home
Flow of Food Safety: From Farm
to Table
Food Safety from Farm to Table
 Characteristics of an effective national foodsafety system
 Systematically applied measures
 Clearly established priorities
 Involvement of participants
 Cost effective
 Safeguards to prevent outbreaks
 E. coli O157:H7
Food Safety from Farm to Table
 Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point
(HACCP)
 All food producers have this plan
 Identification of critical control points
 Grocery safety
 Batch numbering
 Freshness dates
 Seals, wrappers, safety “buttons”
 Dented cans
Safe Food Practices for
Individuals
 Food provides ideal
conditions for
bacteria
 Nutrients
 Moisture
 Warmth
 To defeat bacteria
 Four core
practices
Safe Food Practices for
Individuals
 Core practice #1: Clean
 Keep hands clean
 Healthy skin & healthy nails
 Adequate hand washing
 Alcohol-based hand sanitizer
 Keeping surfaces clean
 Cleaning sponges and cutting boards
 Four choices
Proper Hand Washing Prevents
Illness
Safe Food Practices for
Individuals
 Core practice #2: Separate
 Prevention of cross-contamination
 Core practice #3: Cook
 Appropriate internal temperature
 Use a food thermometer
 Storing foods after cooking
 Core practice #4: Chill
 Refrigeration
 Thawing frozen items
Food-Safety Temperatures (Fahrenheit)
& Household Thermometers
Problem Foods
 Characteristics of hospitable foods for
bacteria growth
 Meats and poultry
 Safe handling labels
 Ground meats
 BSE
 Eggs
 Washed and sanitized
Safe Handling Instructions for
Meat & Poultry
Problem Foods
 Seafood
 Proper cooking
 Sushi
 Raw produce
 Imported produce
 Proper washing at
home
 Melons & berries
 Sprouts
Produce Safety
Problem Foods
 Honey
 Clostridium botulinum spores
 Danger for infants
 Picnics and lunch bags
 Steps to keep them safe
 Mayonnaise
 Take-out foods and leftovers
 2, 2, 4 rule
How Can I Avoid Illness When
Traveling?
 Chance of contracting illness
 Steps to avoiding foodborne illness
 Wash hands often
 Eat only cooked and canned foods
 Be aware of water, ice, and beverages
made from water
 Avoid using the local water
 Rules: boil it, cook it, peel it, or forget it
Advances in Microbial Food
Safety
 Irradiation
 Protection for
consumers
 Gamma rays from
cobalt 60
 Effects on foods
 Consumer
concerns
 Labeling
Advances in Microbial Food
Safety
 Microbial testing
 Improved accuracy
 Modified Atmospheric Packaging (MAP)
 Exclusion of oxygen
 Refrigeration
 Bacteria-killing wraps and films
 Promising future
Toxins, Residues, and
Contaminants in Foods
 Natural toxins in foods
 Herbs and cabbages
 Carcinogens
 Goitrogens
 Foods with cyanogens
 Potatoes
 Solanine
 Seafood red tide toxin
Toxins, Residues, and
Contaminants in Foods
 Pesticides
 Advantages and disadvantages of use
 Hazards to consumers
 Broad-spectrum poisons
 Residues survive processing
 Vulnerable infants and children
 Immature human detoxifying system
 Lower pesticide tolerance
 Proportionally greater food consumption
How Processing Affects Pesticide
Residues
Ways to Reduce Pesticide
Residue Intakes
Toxins, Residues, and
Contaminants in Foods
 Pesticides
 Regulation by EPA
 Tolerance limits
 Testing of foods
 Pesticide-resistant insects
 Natural pesticides
 Organic foods
 biotechnology
Toxins, Residues, and
Contaminants in Foods
 Animal drugs
 Growth hormone in meat and milk
 Advantages and disadvantages of bST
 FDA stance
 Antibiotics in livestock
 Antibiotic-resistant bacteria
 Arsenic in food animals
 Human diseases associated with arsenic
 Sources
Toxins, Residues, and
Contaminants in Foods
 Environmental contaminants
 Harmfulness of contaminants
 Persistence of contaminant
 Bioaccumulation
 Toxicity – potency and human exposure
 Mercury
 Methylmercury
 County or Origin Labels (COOL)
Bioaccumulation of Toxins in the
Food Chain
Organic Foods
 Labeling of certified organic foods
 Cost of organic foods
 Pesticide residues
 25% test positive for pesticides
 Twelve most frequent positively tested foods
 Nutrient composition
USDA Seal and Organic Food
Label Claims
Organic Foods
 Environmental benefits
 Sustainable agriculture
 Potential health risks
 Microbial contamination
 Taste
 “Heirloom” varieties
Are Food Additives Safe?
 Approximately 3000 approved food
additives in the U.S.
 Give foods desirable characteristics
 Color, flavor, and texture
 Stability, enhanced nutrient composition
 Resistance to spoilage
 Enhanced safety
Are Food Additives Safe?
 Regulations governing additives
 Testing for FDA approval
 Takes several years
 Compliance with regulations when used
 GRAS list
 Margin of safety
 Toxicity vs. hazard
 Risks and benefits
Are Food Additives Safe?
 Additives to improve safety and quality
 Salt and sugar
 Withdrawing water from food
 Concern with overuse
 Nitrites
 Preserve color and prevent rancidity
 Safety issues
 Sulfites
 Strictly controlled
Are Food Additives Safe?
 Flavoring agents
 Artificial sweeteners
 Acceptable daily intake (ADI)
 Aspartame
 Monosodium glutamate (MSG)
 Used widely in restaurants
 MSG symptom complex
 Read food labels
Are Food Additives Safe?
 Fat replacers and artificial fats
 Taste, texture, and cooking with fewer or no
calories
 Carbohydrate-, protein-, and fat-based fat
replacers
 Olestra
 Fortification with vitamins
Are Food Additives Safe?
 Incidental food additives
 Essentially contaminants
 Not intentionally added to foods
 Microwave packages
 Bleached paper
 Examples
 Dioxins
 Decaffeinated coffee
Processing and the Nutrients in
Foods
 Extrusion
 Best nutrient buys
 Choose whole
foods
 If processed,
choose foods with
improved nutrition
 Nutrient-density
continuum
Genetically Modified Foods:
What are the Pros and Cons?
Controversy 12
Introduction
 Most people consume GE foods
 Examples
 Some countries have banned GE foods
 GE technologies
 Recombinant DNA (rDNA) technology
 Based on naturally occurring genetic
events
Natural Cross-Pollinating and
Selective Breeding
 Cross-pollinating
 Selective breeding
 Accelerated
selective breeding
Genetic Engineering Basics
 Obtain desired traits
 Stem cell
 Clone cells
 Suppressing unwanted traits
 Silencing of genes
Comparing Selective Breeding
and rDNA Technology
The Promises of Biotechnology
 American Dietetic Association position
 Human nutrition
 Golden Rice
 Pharmaceuticals and industrial products
 Greater crop yields
 Herbicide-resistant
 Insect-resistant
 Food from cloned animals
Issues Surrounding GE Foods




Nutrient composition
Accidental ingestion of drugs from foods
Pesticide residues
Unintended health effects
 Unintended effects are unpredictable
 Environmental effects
 Outcrossing
 Global seed bank
 FDA’s position on GE foods