Food Safety
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It’s EVERYBODY’S job
Did you know…
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According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, almost as many
foodborne illnesses were traced to produce as to meat, fish, poultry and eggs
in 2000?
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(Marian Burros, NY Times)
Types of foodborne illness
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Infectious
– Bacteria (Staph. aureus, E. coli)
– Viruses (rotavirus, Norwalk virus)
– Parasites (protozoa, worms)
– Prions (“mad cow disease”)
Types of foodborne illness, two
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Non-infectious
– Nonbacterial toxins (ciguatera)
– Chemicals (histamine in shark meat, nitrites)
– Poisonous mushrooms
– Heavy metals (mercury, cadmium, tin)
Is the food supply safer now than it was a century ago?
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Yes and no
Yes, because…
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There are governmental agencies in place to assure safety
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There is increased awareness of food safety issues in the general population
We can isolate and identify causes of food poisoning better than we could 100
years ago
No, because…
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Safety standards in municipalities (e.g., restaurant inspections) are highly
variable
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There are huge loopholes in the current food safety statutes that allow
“accidents” to happen
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Bugs are becoming more resistant to currently available antibiotics
Our food supply comes from widely divergent places
Did you also know…
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On Friday (11/21), Congress voted to delay mandatory labels listing country
of origin of meats, produce, and farm-raised (but not wild-caught) fish for two
years?
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(Associated Press, as seen on Seattlepi.com)
Avoiding non-infectious foodborne illnesses
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NEVER go mushroom-hunting with, nor accept wild mushrooms from, an
amateur
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Know the risks entailed in eating tropical predatory fish (ciguatera) or shark
(histamine)
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Pay attention to local guidelines on when one should not consume fish or
shellfish out of bodies of water (mercury contamination, red tides)
Nitrites
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Used in cured meats (hot dogs, bacon) to reduce risk of botulism poisoning
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Fry/grill/bake cured meats on low-med heat
Under conditions of high heat, nitrites are converted to nitrosamines, which
are carcinogenic
Choose nitrite-free products, BUT take extra caution in storing and cooking
them
Pesticides
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Produce grown abroad may still be sprayed with pesticides banned in US
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Consider buying organically grown high risk fruits and vegetables
http://www.foodnews.org/reportcard.php has list of 12 most and 12 least
contaminated fruits and vegetables
Washing and peeling can reduce pesticides on foods, but not eliminate them
entirely
About organics…
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In 2000 USDA finally adopted labeling requirements for organic foods
See table 17.2 for details
Who can be affected by foodborne illness?
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Anyone and everyone
Most vulnerable populations:
– Children under age 5
– Pregnant women and their fetuses
– Elderly
– Immunosuppressed persons (HIV-positive, transplant recipients)
Why handle food safely?
(Top 10 reasons from USDA)
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10.Safe food handling practices are most likely to retain peak food quality
9.Safe food handling lets you enjoy the nutritional value of food
8.The safest ways to handle food are the most efficient
7.By handling food safely, you set a good example, especially for children
Why handle food safely, cont.
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6.Safe food handling inspires confidence and keeps peace in the family
5.Safe food handling can enhance your status in the community
4.Safe food handling is the responsible thing to do
3.Safe food handling saves money
2.You will save yourself & your family from illness
And the number one reason for handling food safely…
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The life you save may be your own
Let’s talk bugs
Some agents that cause food poisoning are relatives of otherwise safe bacteria
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We have millions of E. coli bacteria in our colon that actually are helpful to us
Staph. aureus grows on our skin, but doesn’t cause trouble unless it enters
through a cut or is allowed to grow and produce toxins in food
Bacteria that cause poisoning on their own (a few examples)
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Campylobacter jejuni (chicken)
Listeria monocytogenes (unpasteurized cheeses)
Salmonella (raw and undercooked eggs)
Vibrio vulnificus (raw Gulf of Mexico oysters)
Bacteria that produce toxins that cause the foodborne illness
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Staphylococcus aureus (chicken)
Escherichia coli 0157:H7 (hamburger)
Clostridium botulinum-- “BoTox” (improperly processed neutral pH foods)
Viruses that cause food poisoning
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Hepatitis A
Norwalk virus
Both can be caused by poor hygiene among food handlers
What kind of foods do bacteria like (see table 17.1)?
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High protein
Moist
Neutral pH
Not too salty nor too sweet
Between 40° and 140° F (but spores of Clostridium botulinum and Bacillus aren’t
killed until > 212°F)
Common signs/symptoms of foodborne illnesses
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Gastrointestinal--vomiting, diarrhea, cramping
Fever, headache
Botulism--nervous system dysfunction
Hemolytic-uremic syndrome (E. coli 0157:H7)
Source of the offending bacterium or virus could be drinking water, not food
Ice water and hepatitis A in restaurants
Cholera
Giardia
An ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure
Fight Bac! (joint effort of USDA and FDA--see www.fightbac.org)
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Clean
Separate
Cook
Chill
Clean
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Wash hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds
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Use hot water and soap to clean off cutting boards, knives and other dishes
Lose the pricey nail job if you’re going to be handling food (or patients) for a
living
Clean up as you go along
Consider using paper towels instead of sponges or cloth towels to clean things
up
Separate
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Use different cutting boards and knives for raw meat/fish/poultry and
vegetables
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Use different plates to hold raw and cooked burgers
Don’t let raw meat juices drip on fresh foods in the fridge
Cook
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Cook foods until well done, especially hamburger (160°F) and poultry (170180°F)
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Use a meat thermometer
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Cook your stuffing outside the turkey
Don’t rely on the popup timer on your turkey--the thighs will still be pink
inside
Make sure microwaved food is evenly hot
Chill
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Do not leave foods out at room temp for > 2 hours
Chill leftovers in shallow containers to maximize surface area for cooling
Always marinate (or brine) meats in refrigerator
Freeze leftovers you won’t be able to eat within 3 days
Thaw meats in refrigerator (allow at least 1 day per 5 lb. turkey)
The food safety mantra
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When in doubt, throw it out
What to throw out
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Cans with bulging ends--may indicate C. botulinum inside
Moldy food
Leftovers in fridge that are over 3 days old
Anything perishable left out at room temperature > 2 hours
Food may not look or smell bad
Proper shopping
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Make the grocery store your last stop when you run errands
Take groceries home promptly, especially in warm weather
Put groceries away immediately when you get home
Restaurants
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www.metrokc.gov/health/foodsfty/inspections.htm
King County has instituted a “no bare hands” rule for handling ready-to-eat
foods (bagels, doughnuts, etc.)
HACCP
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Hazard Analysis of Critical Control Points
HACCP
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Identifies steps in food production where hazards could occur
“Mandated” by USDA
Recommended by FDA
How to HACCP
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Analyze potential hazards
Identify critical control points in processing
Establish preventive measures with critical limits for each control point
Establish procedures to monitor control points
Establish corrective actions to be taken when critical limit has not been met
Establish effective record keeping to document HACCP system
Establish procedures to verify that system is working consistently
HACCP can work well, BUT
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Who is going to do steps one and two?
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What repercussions will there be if something goes wrong?
Who’s going to keep the records?
Who’s going to monitor that employees are monitoring the control points
correctly?
Will there be incentives to assure that things get done right?
The web of food safety regulators at the federal level
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FDA--domestic and imported food EXCEPT meat and poultry
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Department of Commerce--fish and seafood
USDA--inspections of meat and poultry products
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention--investigates foodborne illness
outbreaks
EPA--regulates drinking water and pesticides/chemicals in environment
Problems and Confusions
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FDA inspects cheese frozen pizza, USDA inspects pepperoni frozen pizza
Number of government inspectors has gone down significantly in last 20 years
Meat recalls are voluntary, and public may or may not be informed when one
occurs