What are the three causes of food contamination?
- Physical
- Chemical
- Biological
What causes the most foodborne illnesses?
Biological contamination
What are the 10 improper food handling practices that cause foodborne illness outbreaks?
- improper cooling
- advance prep
- infected food handlers
- improper reheating
- improper hot-holding
- contaminated raw food or ingredients
- unsafe source
- use of leftovers
- cross-contamination
- inadequate cooking
How can chemical causes of contamination be reduced?
- Label chemicals properly and store them away from food preparation and food storage areas.
- Never use food containers to store cleaning agents or pesticides and never use cleaning or pesticide containers to store food.
- Never store acidic food in containers made of copper, zinc, lead and tin, for example, open tin cans.
How can physical causes of contamination be reduced?
- Ensure that food preparation, display and storage areas are clean and sanitary.
- Wear a hairnet, scarf or hat when preparing food.
- Cover and store ingredients and food away from possible physical contaminants.
- Never scoop ice with a glass. Use a proper ice-scoop.
How can biological causes of contamination be reduced?
- Following proper health and hygiene practices
- Ensuring proper procedures are followed when receiving and storing food
- Taking steps to avoid cross-contamination
- Paying careful attention to time and temperature rules when preparing food
- Following proper procedures when displaying and serving food
- Applying basic principles of cleaning, sanitizing and pest control
What are microbes?
Living things that can only be seen via microscope
What are pathogens?
Microbes that can cause sickness, illness or death
What are the 5 types of pathogens?
- bacteria
- viruses
- parasites
- protozoa
- fungi
What are the main types of pathogenic bacteria that cause foodborne illness?
- Campylobactor
- E. Coli
- Listeria
- Salmonella
What is a spore?
A bacterium with a hard coating to protect itself from stressful conditions
What happens when conditions for bacterial growth improve?
The spore coating splits open and a normal bacterium emerges and begins to multiply
When are spores of particular concern?
When food is cooked in advance, allowed to cool too slowly and then served or reheated later.
How can the production of bacterial toxins be controlled?
Paying close attention to the time and temperature when storing and preparing food.
What are the main features of viruses?
- smaller than bacteria
- do not grow on found but found in food by transference from food handlers
What are parasites?
Pathogens that live inside animals or people and are dependent on the host for nutrients
What are common food parasites?
Trichinella
Roundworms
What are protozoa?
Single-cell animals often found in contaminated water sources
What are fungi?
pathogens that grow on animals, humans, plants and decaying organic matter that is warm and damp and can spoil foods
What are the factors that affect bacterial growth?
FATTOM F- food A- acidity T- temperature T- time O- oxygen M- moisture
What do bacteria need to survive?
Food, esp moist foods that are rich in protein
Why is acidity important for bacterial growth?
Acidic environments do not support bacterial growth so low-acidity foods need special care
What is neutral pH and what end of the scale is high?
7 is neutral and the lower the number the higher the acidity
What is the temperature danger zone?
The zone where bacteria can multiply rapidly that is between 4 and 60 degrees Celsius
