...Food Safety Assignment List of Contents 1. Introduction 2. Relative importance of pathogens 3. Trends in foodborne illness 4. Emerging issues 5. Intervention strategies 6. Conclusion 7. References 1. Introduction From the very dawn of the mankind people have suffered from an array of infectious diseases. Advances in the ways of diagnostics and treatment allow us to ease this burden on the humanity. Information technology has provided scientific community with a chance to better control and, which is the most important, prevent foodborne diseases by gathering, analyzing and interpreting epidemiological data from a vast number of sites. Conclusions drawn as a result of such surveillance (trends in incidence, prevalence, endemicity of important pathogens, number of outbreaks, most common vehicles of infection, etc.) can be used to design intervention strategies to eradicate a disease as well as to assess a degree of success of food safety measures. Initially, epidemiological surveillance was limited to scientific trials or a certain disease; collection of data on a wider, national, scale was passive. But even these scarce results were able to convince authorities in many countries to approach this issue seriously, in a systemic manner and with bigger amount of resources. In the USA the best known at the moment program, FoodNet or Foodborne diseases Active Surveillance Network, was launched on January 1, 1996. At first it covered only the territory with 13.2 million residents...
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...Sanitation and Food Safety Professionalism is an attitude that reflects pride in the quality of your work. One of the most important ways of demonstrating professional pride is in the area of sanitation and safety. Pride in quality is reflected in your appearance and work habits. Poor hygiene, poor grooming and personal care, and poor work habits are nothing to be proud of. Poor food handling procedures and unclean kitchen cause illness, unhappy customers, and even fines, summonses, and lawsuits. Poor kitchen safety results in injuries, medical bills, and workdays lost. Finally, poor sanitation and safety habits show lack of respects for your customers, for your fellow workers, and for yourself. You study the causes of food-borne diseases and kitchen injuries, and you will learn ways of preventing them. Prevention of course, is the most important thing to learn. It is not as important to be able to recite the names of disease-causing bacteria as it is to be able to prevent their growth in food. Sanitation refers to the maintenance of healthy and hygienic conditions that is free from disease-causing organisms The Prevention of Food-Borne illness Preventing food-borne illness- is one of the most important challenges facing every food service worker. Most food-borne illness is the result of eating food that has been contaminated. To say that a food is contaminated means it contains harmful substances that were not present originally in the food. In other words...
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...Food Born Illness Introduction There has been a drastic rise in food-borne illness in the United States. Food-borne illnesses are contracted by ingesting contaminated food or water with parasitic or bacterial agents. Last year millions of people were exposed to food borne illnesses and many died. Identify the infectious agent (pathogen)? A pathogen or infectious agent in colloquial terms means germ, a microorganism in the widest sense. There are six kinds of infectious agents such as a virus, bacterium, prion, protizoa or fungus that causes disease in its host. The host can be an animal (including humans), a plant, or even another microorganism. Explain how the pathogen is transmitted through food or water? Pathogen transmission involves three steps: escape from the host, travel, and infection of the new host. This infectious agent is commonly transmitted through food, water and air. Traveling outside the country where diseases are common can also increase your risk of being exposed to infectious disease. You can be exposed to certain pathogens when eating foods that have been prepared by an unsanitary person. For example, a person preparing your food after using the bathroom but didn't wash his or her hands. Provide an example of a real life outbreak in the USA? Last year in the fall of 2011, The United States had one of the deadliest foodborne illnesses in the United States. Traces of Listeria were found in cantaloupes from Jensen Farms in Colorado. The...
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...Assessment of Microbial quality of different vegetables in various markets Comparison of internal and external surface contamination of vegetables The mean microbial counts of both external and internal parts of the vegetable samples showed overall high contamination for total coliform (TC), faecal coliform (FC) and yeast count (YC). The mean FC levels of all the crops (external and internal surface combined) exceed the International Commission on Microbiological Specifications for Food (ICSMF, 1974) recommended level of 1.0 x 105 fecal coliforms per gram fresh weight. This observation has been reported in Ghana and elsewhere (Obeng, 2007; Mensah et al., 2001). In this study, the contamination of external surface of vegetables was significantly higher than the internal contamination. The total means of the internal microbial counts (TC and FC) of the vegetable samples are high and comparable with counts observed in some non-vegetable foods such as milk and meat (Agbodaze et al. 2005; CDC, 2003; Aning, 2002). The sources of contamination of vegetables includes Soil, irrigation water, green or inadequately composted manure, air (dust), wild and domestic animals, insects, human handling. harvesting, transporting containers, transporting vehicles, wholesale facilities, washing and rinsing water, improper storage, cross contamination and improper ambient temperature (Beuchat, 1996). The only non-bacterial quality indicator investigated was yeast contamination, and the levels...
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...The Threat of Foodborne Infections The Threat of Foodborne Infections Foodborne infections pose a threat to everyone. Although the United States has one of the safest food supplies in the world, foodborne infections are relatively prominent in this nation. For example, there has recently been some contaminated produce, such as spinach and lettuce, which was distributed to numerous states that has caused a variety of unwanted symptoms and even resulted in death. This was widely reported in the news and had many individuals worried about what they were eating. Although the United States has many ways to combat the contamination of our food supply, it is still a threat to the nation. Foodborne infections can result from unsafe handling of food in the home, at the grocery store, at restaurants, as well as in many other places. Because foodborne infections are so easily transmitted, we need to be aware of how to protect ourselves and others from their harmful effects. Foodborne infections result from many different pathogens in our foods. These pathogens include bacteria, viruses, and parasites. It is estimated that there are 76 million illnesses, 325,000 hospitalizations, and 5,000 deaths in the United States each year due to foodborne infections. Montana statistics from 2005 reveal that there were 16 incidents and 693 cases of foodborne infections. (Mead et al., 2000). It is suspected that many cases of foodborne infections are not reported, either due to severity...
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...Food Safety Bulletin The city of Phoenix, Arizona has reported a drastic rise in food-borne illness cases resulting in this public service bulletin. State and local governments responsible for inspecting restaurants, grocery stores, and retail establishments, dairy farms, grain mills, and food manufacturing establishments have identified pathogens in our local food supply. It is reported that 48 million people get sick, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 people a year actually die from food-borne illnesses. Although the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) system is in place to provide safe food to the market place, it is essential all consumers take extra care and precautions keeping food safe in the wake of this drastic rise in food-borne epidemic. Pathogens in our food are: • Bacteria in Food • Viruses in Food • Moldy Foods • Parasites in Food • Prions in Food Phoenix has experience and increase in bacteria and virus in food incidents. Bacteria in food can be contaminated before harvested and make their way to the dinner table of unprepared foods. Good agricultural practices can reduce the risk but contamination can also occur during processing, transportation, handling, or storage. It is up to the consumer to learn to handle, store, and prepare food safely to prevent food-borne illness. Viruses in food are the most common causes of food-borne illness, which include bacteria, viruses, molds, and parasites. This can cause flulike...
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...The immune system is the primary defense system in keeping out pathogens. A pathogen or infectious agent is a biological agent that causes disease or illness to its host. Chronic diseases often cannot be cured. “Any man who is intelligent, on considering that health is of the utmost value to human beings have the personal understanding necessary to help himself in diseases, and be able to understand and to judge what physicians say and what they administer to his body, being versed in each of these matters to a degree reasonable for a layman” (Hippocrates) Pathogens can infect unicellular organisms from out of the biological kingdoms. There are several substrates and pathways whereby pathogens can invade a host. There are many ways diseases are caused by blood-borne pathogens. A needle stick injury, in jury from a sharp instrument contaminated with blood or body fluids and intimate contract are some ways that people are exposed to these pathogens (environmental pathogens are defined as microorganisms that normally spend a substantial part of their lifecycle outside human hosts but when introduced to humans cause disease with measureable frequency. They are carried in the water, soil, air, food and other parts of the environment and can affect almost every individual on the planet.) The key difference between environmental pathogens and other human pathogens is their ability to survive and thrive outside the host. Their widespread occurrence in the environment makes...
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...Foodborne Illness – Hepatitis A 1. What is the infectious agent (pathogen) that causes this infectious disease? The U.S. Government requires that sewage be treated to eliminate pathogens. This includes bath water, toilet water, and storm run-off. These fluids may carry pathogens for many water borne disease, including giardiasis and hepatitis A. This involves collection and sedimentation of sewage waters, separating solid matter (sludge) from the liquid (effluent) portion of sewage. The effluent is chlorinated to kill pathogens before it can be released in to lakes or rivers. The sludge is burned or dumped. Some advanced methods of treatment us a secondary treatment following the primary treatment. This is done by transferring the fluid in to tanks filled with a population of microorganisms that decompose more than 90 percent of the organic wastes and eliminate pathogens by competition. It is then chlorinated before being released in to rivers or lakes. Many sewage treatment plants use additional chemicals that also eliminate pathogens. 2. How is the infectious agent transmitted through food or water? Hepatitis A is the only common vaccine preventable food borne disease in the United States (Fiore 2004). It is one of five human hepatitis viruses that primarily infect the human liver and cause illness. This may result in liver failure and death. It is transferred through food or water that is contaminated with fecal matter that has the HAV virus. Other potential...
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...H1011111H PROGRAM FOOD PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY COURSE FOOD QUALITY ASSURANCE AND LEGISLATION QUESTION A ready-to-eat, Chilled Meal Company (CMC) is facing closure after it has been found guilty under CAP 15:04, 1996. Preliminary results from the central Government laboratory showed that the food sold on that fateful day was heavily contaminated with pathogens such as Salmonella. Outline how would CMC assures food safety for its customers as its main quality attribute. In your answer clearly highlight the necessary standards or guideline/principles that can be used to achieve the company’s set objective. [25]. Chilled foods include a vast range of food products, such as ready-to-eat salads and sandwiches, ready-to-heat meals, pastas and sauces, pizza, desserts, soups, sauces, dressings and doughs. These foods may include both raw and heat-processed ingredients. Further heat processing may or may not be used during the manufacturing process and by the consumer. For these reasons, chilled foods depend on refrigeration as the primary means of preservation. It is recommended that chilled food manufacturers aim to achieve <5ºC in storage and distribution facilities controlled by them. It must however be recognized in the establishment of shelf life that the wider distribution chain, including retail display and consumer refrigerators may operate at higher temperatures. Legislative requirements must also be complied with. A key criterion for chilled foods is that they must be...
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...Food Safety Modernization Act Every year millions of Americans become sick, over one hundred thousand are hospitalized, and three thousand will die from food-borne diseases (CDC). These senseless illnesses and deaths can easily be prevented through the implementation of new food safety measures. The idea behind the Food Safety Modernization Act, which was signed into law in January of 2011, is to prevent illness outbreaks caused by food-borne diseases rather than working on damage control after the disease has spread. In order to make food safer for the American people, five keys actions were identified as necessary to enact a food safety revolution: prevention, inspection and compliance, response, imports, and enhanced partnerships. With these five actions identified they were then organized into four proposed rules. The first rule is produce safety. In terms of the proposed rule produce means “fruits and vegetables grown for human consumption” (FDA). The rule calls for the FDA to establish a set of standards with a scientific base that would apply to the safe growing, harvesting, packing, and holding of produce on farms. The idea behind that standards is that it will be easier to find the routes of microbial contamination in produce through agricultural water, health and hygiene, soil amendment with animal origins, animals (both domesticated and wild), as well as equipment, tools, and buildings. The second proposed rule preventive controls consists of two main...
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...Center for Disease Control and Prevention “estimates that each year, roughly 1 in 6 Americans [or 48 million people] gets sick, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die of food borne diseases” (para.1, 2012). Misinformation, lack of awareness of diseases, and unreliable information sources contribute to improper food handling habits. Common Safety Issues Keeping food safe is important to prevent food borne illnesses. Common safety procedures that help prevent illness include cleaning, separating, cooking, and chilling or storing food. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services suggests cleaning, separating, cooking, and chilling foods as measures to keep food safe (n. d.). Before handling food, it is important to wash hands to rub and wash hands for at least 20 seconds (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services). Hand washing is necessary after handling garbage, using the toilet, touching animals or animal waste, or treating an open wound (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services). Proper washing of utensils helps detain the spread of germs and is necessary before and after use. A solution of 1 tablespoon of bleach to a gallon of water for is good for disinfecting (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services). Washing vegetables and fruits is also important to remove bacteria. Separating foods is necessary to prevent cross contamination. The U.S. Department of Health and Human services suggest using a separate cutting board for meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs...
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...society live have increased the potential risks of the transmission of pathogens and their vectors. These risks have become limitless compared to the past; the damage created now will greatly effect future generations where the damage may even be irreversible (Washer 2006). Many factors in everyday modern life contribute to the rapid spread of pathogens and their vectors, which include the advances in modern transport via the air, land and sea, the increase in population size and density, global change and climate change. These features of today assist in the introduction of new diseases and also the re-emergence of old diseases including influenza, HIV/AIDS, dengue fever, malaria, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), Cholera and many others (Tatem et al. 2006). MODERN ADVANCES IN TRANSPORTATION In the past, populated establishments were isolated due to lack of efficient transport. Now in today’s modern society, the constant advances in resources and the requirement for travel has seen the travelling of individuals dramatically increased over the years. Transport systems via land, air and sea continue to develop allowing swifter mobility of passengers and goods across vast distances within shorter periods of time. Although this is exemplary of an advancing society full of promising travel and freight options, this creates cause for concern (Grais et al. 2003). Utilising this expansion in transport, pathogens and their vectors can travel and spread quicker, easier and in greater...
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...Water borne illness in third world countries Danielle H Woods Ivy Tech Community College October 16, 2013 Water borne illness in third world countries Third countries have myriad problems that interrelate in intricate ways to cause a series of problems for their citizens. One major problem in the third world countries is the disease burden. Waterborne diseases make a major contribution to diseases’ burden in the third world. As per the World Health Organization, waterborne diseases contribute to about 4.1% to the daily burden of diseases on the planet daily. WHO puts the contribution of sanitation, poor hygiene, and unsafe water contribution to waterborne diseases at 88% (Guidelines for drinking-water quality, 2011). Water Bourne diseases result to more than 1.8million deaths every year (Lee, 2008). A Waterborne disease terms any diseases whose transmission occurs through pathogens present in contaminated water. These diseases are particularly rampant in the third world. Waterborne diseases are responsible for the death of one out of every five deaths under the age of five reported on the planet. The third world countries lack the sophisticated mechanisms of treating water for human use. In third world countries, accessing water is not always possible let alone accessing clean water. Developed nations use systems that filter and chlorinate drinking water eliminating pathogens. This explains why diseases like typhoid, dysentery, and cholera only run rampant in...
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...INTRODUCTION Infection remains the main cause of morbidity and mortality in man, particularly in developing areas where it is associated with poverty and overcrowding.In the developed world increasing prosperity, universal immunization and antibiotics have reduced the prevalence of infectious disease. However, antibiotic-resistant strains of microorganisms and diseases such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, variant Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease ,avian influenza and severe acute respiratory syndrome(SARS) have emerged. In the developing world successes such as the eradication of smallpox have been balanced or outweighed by the new plagues. Infectious diseases cause nearly 25% of all human deaths. Two billion people one-third of the world’s population are infected with tuberculosis (TB),500 million people catch malaria every year, and 200 million are infected with schistosomiasis. 39.5 million people are living with HIV/AIDS, with 4.3 million new HIV infections in 2006 (65% in sub-Saharan Africa). The eight Millennium Development Goals (MDG) hope to be achieved by 2015. These are: eradicating extreme poverty and hunger, universal primary education, gender equality and empowerment of women, reduction in child mortality,improvement in maternal health, combating HIV/AIDS,malaria and other diseases, ensuring environment sustainability and developing global partnership for development. DEFINITION INFECTION An infection is the entry and multiplication of an infections...
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...OSHA The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) is a federal agency that operates under the U.S. Department of Labor. They are a law regulating agency that enforces laws that are put in place to protect employees in their place of work. The mission of OSHA is to ensure that businesses provide safe and healthy working environments for all their employees. In 1974 OSHA was developed and established by congress. In the 1960s there was a 20% rise in work-related accidents and injuries and something needed to be done to keep these numbers from increasing. House Representative William A. Steiger successfully passed a bill that would create OSHA. President Richard M. Nixon signed The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 on December 29th of 1970. OSHA was open for business in April of 1971. OSHA covered 56 million workers at 3.5 million various industries and businesses. OSHA created and organized standards at foundations such as the National Fire Protection Organization, American National Standards Institution, and the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienist. OSHA developed its first training program in Chicago in the mid-1970s. The training programs purpose was to educate its inspectors, and administer employers and employees training on safety standards. In 1975 OSHA had state authorities instruct onsite consolation programs at no cost. In the 1980’s OSHA started to make medical and exposure records the main focal point. In the 80’s OSHA...
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