(FBIC) Foodborne Illness and Contaminants Module Overview

Foodborne Illness and Contaminants Module Overview

Introduction

Foodborne illness is the most feared aspect when working in food service or food production industries. Gaining a thorough understanding of foodborne illness, risk factors for spreading it, and preventative measures to take to prevent it is crucial. This module will aid you in gaining a more detailed understanding of foodborne illness and the foods subjected to illness. In addition, giving you the opportunity to gain experience and a background in food safety for future careers in food and nutrition.

Essential Questions

• What is foodborne illness?
• What are the causes and differences?
• What contaminates food?
• How can you identify potentially hazardous foods and their causes?
• How can the effects of ingredients on microbes, processing time, and/or temperature be determined?
• What role does the FDA play in preventing foodborne outbreaks?

Key Terms

1. Bacteria - single-cell, independently-replicating microorganisms, often with pathogenic properties that lack a membrane-bound nucleus and other organelles.
2. CDC - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) - for outbreaks that involve large numbers of people or severe illnesses, a state may ask for help from the CDC; the CDC usually leads the investigations of widespread outbreaks—those that affects many states at once.
3. Clostridium botulinum - the most deadly foodborne illness linked to swollen or dented cans, vacuum packed food, and soil.
4. Clostridium perfringens - foodborne illness linked to soil and meat products.
5. Contaminant - a contaminant is a biological, chemical, physical or radiological substance which can adversely affect living organisms through air, water, soil and/or food.
6. Cross contamination - the transfer of bacteria from foods, hands, utensils, or food preparation surfaces to a food; this can be a particular problem with liquids from raw meat, poultry and seafood, in that harmful bacteria can be transmitted to previously uncontaminated foods or surfaces.
7. Danger Zone - bacteria grow most rapidly in the range of temperatures between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit, doubling in number in as little as 20 minutes; this range of temperatures is often called Danger Zone.
8. Escherichia coli - foodborne illness caused by fecal contaminant from animals and humans which is linked to vegetables (i.e. lettuce and tomatoes) and undercooked beef.
9. FAT TOM - acronym for the conditions needed by most foodborne microorganisms to grow: food, acidity, temperature, time, oxygen, moisture
10. FDA -the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is a federal government regulatory agency which is responsible for protecting the public health by assuring the safety, efficacy, and security of human and veterinary drugs, biological products, medical devices, our nation's food supply, cosmetics, and products that emit radiation.
11. Food additives - any substance that is added to food and affects the food's characteristics; examples are preservatives, sweeteners, flavorings, artificial and natural colorings, and nutritional supplements.
12. Foodborne illness - illness carried or transmitted to people by food.
13. Foodborne-illness outbreak - an incident in which two or more people experience the same illness symptoms after eating the same food. An investigation is conducted by the state and local regulatory authorities, and the outbreak is confirmed by a laboratory analysis.
14. Hepatitis A - foodborne illness linked to poor personal hygiene, human intestinal tract, feces-contaminated water, and raw shellfish.
15. Host - person, animal, or plant on which another organism lives and from which it takes nourishment.
16. Listeria monocytogenes - foodborne illness linked to lunch and deli meats, soil, unpasteurized milk.
17. Microbes - a microorganism that usually causes disease.
18. Microorganism - small, living organisms that can be seen only with the aid of a microscope; there are four types of microorganisms that can contaminate food and cause foodborne illness: bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi.
19. Outbreak - an incident in which two or more cases of a similar illness result from eating the same food.
20. Parasite -  organism that needs to live in a host organism to survive; parasites can be found in water and inside many animals, such as cows, chickens, pigs, and fish; correct cooking and freezing will kill parasites; avoiding cross-contamination and practicing correct handwashing can also prevent illness.
21. Pathogens -  illness-causing microorganisms.
22. Safety Nets - laws, rules, and regulations in place to prevent foodborne illnesses and accidents.
23. Salmonella - foodborne illness linked to undercooked poultry and eggs, human intestinal tract, and dairy.
24. Staphylococcus aureus - foodborne illness linked to human skin (nose, mouth), infected cuts/burns, unwashed bare hands, cross-contamination (ie. money).
25. Time-temperature abuse - food has been time-temperature abused any time it has been allowed to remain too long at a temperature favorable to the growth of foodborne microorganisms.
26. Toxins - a poison that is produced by microorganisms, carried by fish, or released by plants.
27. Trichinosis - foodborne illness linked to pork and wild game.
28. U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) - federal agency responsible for the inspection and quality grading of meat, meat products, poultry, dairy products, eggs and egg products, and fruits and vegetables shipped across state lines.
29. Virus - smallest of the microbial food contaminants; viruses rely on a living host to reproduce; they usually contaminate food through a food handler's incorrect personal hygiene; some survive freezing and cooking temperatures.
30. Yeast - type of fungus that causes food spoilage.

[CC BY 4.0] UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED | IMAGES: LICENSED AND USED ACCORDING TO TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION