Microbial Hazards
Microbial Hazards
Microorganisms are everywhere -- they can be:
– Pathogens – cause disease
– Spoilers – cause the quality of food to
deteriorate
– Beneficial – used for food production and
present in and on the body
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Types of Foodborne Illness
Infection
– eating food contaminated with pathogens
Intoxication
– eating food contaminated with the toxins (poisons)
formed by bacteria
– eating food contaminated with other biological or
chemical toxins (poisons)
Toxin-mediated infection
– eating food contaminated with pathogens that grow in the
body and form toxins (poisons)
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Three Microbial Hazards
Three microorganisms cause
most foodborne illness:
– Bacteria
– Viruses
– Parasites
Microorganisms are:
– naturally present or
– get into the food through poor
handling practices.
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Common Symptoms
Common symptoms of
foodborne illness are:
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–
–
–
–
diarrhea
vomiting
fever
sore throat with fever
jaundice
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Bacteria Basics
• Invisible to the naked eye.
• Pathogenic bacteria only grow in potentially
hazardous food, which are also called TCS food.
• Some produce spores.
• Some produce toxins.
• Not necessarily destroyed by freezing or cooking.
• Can cause infection, intoxication, or toxinmediated infection.
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Conditions for Bacterial Growth
Potentially hazardous food
– low acid (pH >4.6)
– moist
– protein
Time
– 4 hours or longer in the temperature danger zone
Temperature
– between 41oF and 135oF
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Activity
The Numbers Game
Oxygen
• Some pathogenic bacteria require oxygen; others do not.
• Clostridium botulinum grows in the absence of oxygen.
• Absence of oxygen may occur in:
–
–
–
–
–
Vacuum packaged food
Center of thick cooked foods, such as stew
Garlic in oil that is not commercially processed
Foil wrapped potatoes
Cooked rice
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Controlling Bacteria
Good personal hygiene
– Only allow healthy workers to handle food.
– Have all workers wash their hands properly and frequently.
Prevent cross-contamination
– Store foods properly.
– Only use cleaned and sanitized utensils and surfaces for food
preparation.
Time-temperature control
– Cook foods to proper temperatures.
– Hold foods at proper temperatures.
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Common Foodborne Bacteria
•
•
•
•
•
•
Bacillus cereus
Campylobacter
Clostridium botulinum
Clostridium perfringens
E. coli
Listeria monocytogenes
• Salmonella
• Shigella
• Staphylococcus
aureus
• Vibrio
• Yersinia
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Virus Basics
• Do not grow in food; use food as a vehicle to get
from one person to another.
• Can contaminate any food.
• Cause most foodborne illnesses in the U.S.
• Invisible to the naked eye
• Cause foodborne infection not foodborne
intoxication.
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Controlling Viruses
• Prevent getting viruses into food because they
might not be destroyed by cooking.
• Prevent introduction by:
– Only allowing healthy workers to handle food.
– Having all workers frequently and properly wash their
hands.
– Buying all food from an approved and safe source.
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Common Foodborne Viruses
Hepatitis A
Norovirus
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Parasite Basics
• Most are not visible to the naked eye.
• Do not grow in food.
• Found naturally in many animals, such as:
–
–
–
–
pigs,
cats,
rodents, and
fish.
• Cause foodborne infection and not foodborne
intoxication.
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Controlling Parasites in Food
• Get food from an approved and safe
source.
• Cook foods to proper temperatures.
• Properly freeze seafood to be served raw.
• Wash hands frequently and properly.
• Use safe water sources for food
preparation and cleaning.
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Common Foodborne Parasites
• Anisakis simplex
• Cryptosporidium
parvum
• Cyclospora
cayetanensis
• Giardia duodenalis
• Toxoplasma gondii
• Trichinella spiralis
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Mold Basics
• Common cause of food
spoilage.
• Some form toxins that
can cause illness.
• Grow in a wide range of
foods – high acid, low
moisture.
• Freezing does not
destroy.
• Requires air to grow.
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Yeast Basics
• Cause food spoilage and not foodborne
illness.
• Grow in a wide range of foods – high
acid, low moisture.
• Produce a smell, bubbling, or a taste of
alcohol when food spoils.
• Easily destroyed by proper processing.
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Activity
Who Am I?
Who Am I?
Beef that is served rare
Whole raw chicken that
has been on the
countertop for six
hours
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Who Am I?
Food worker who
touches here face
before serving food in
a cafeteria
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Who Am I?
Uncooked pork
Raw fish
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Who Am I?
Grapes
Bread that has been
stored in a moist
environment
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Who Am I?
Commercially
processed apple juice
Jam
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