Keeping Our Food Safe
Learning About Pathogens
1
Engage
What Does It Mean?
“At first glance”
How is this phrase
commonly used?
In what situations have
you found your first
impression to be wrong?
How Clean Is This Kitchen?
Vocabulary
Contaminated
Definition
Characteristics
Examples
Non-Examples
Vocabulary
Pathogen
Definition
Characteristics
Examples
Non-Examples
2
Explore
Contamination
Sources of Contamination
Worker hygiene
Melted fat and juices
Coughs and sneezes
Mishandling of foods
Contamination
Testing for Contamination
A bioassay is a test to determine the strength or
activity of a substance.
Two types:
Quantal: gives a definitive “all or none” result
Graded: response is proportional to the input
Learning About Pathogens
Launch Student Module
Pathogen Detectives
In a small group, you will investigate one type of pathogen. Here
are the things you need to find out:
Detailed information about the pathogen
How the pathogen impacts food safety along the
farm-to-table continuum
How to control the spread of the pathogen
More detail about how different types of bioassays
work
3
Explain
Presentation
Here are some tips for giving a good presentation about your
pathogen:
Identify the assigned pathogen.
Explain how foods can be contaminated by the
pathogen.
Describe the illness(es) that can result if humans eat
food contaminated by the pathogen.
Explain how bioassays can be used to identify the
pathogen.
Share any other interesting facts from your research.
4
Extend
Compare and Contrast
Think about the pathogens that have been discussed. What are
the similarities and differences?
What foods are most often contaminated by each
pathogen?
Which symptoms caused by the pathogens are
similar? Which are different?
Do the pathogens affect people differently? For
example, is one pathogen more dangerous to
infants or the elderly?
What are the existing methods of food analysis and
detection for each pathogen?
5
Extend
Current Events: Assignment
Research a recent incident of food contamination, then write a
summary of what you learn. Focus on the following questions:
What happened?
How did the contamination
occur?
What pathogen was involved?
How was the contamination
detected?
How was the situation resolved?
Current Events: Rubric
Information Covered
Possible Points
What happened?
20
How did the contamination
occur?
20
What pathogen was involved?
20
How was the contamination
detected?
20
How was the situation resolved?
20