Chapter 25:4 Handling Food and Food-borne Illness Mrs. Karen Swope Family and Consumer Science Dept. Columbian High school

Handling Food Involves storing, preparing, cooking, and serving food. Food should be handled in a way that keeps it safe for humans. SANITATION: practices that prevent bacteria from multiplying and causing illness.

Prevention: Wash hands in hot, soapy water, 20-30 seconds. Wash hands before and after handling raw meats, poultry, fish and eggs. Wash hands after using the restroom, coughing, sneezing, or touching objects not involved in food prep. Do not cross contaminate, use clean utensils. (do not use the same utensils to prepare raw foods and then other foods that are not cooked)

Prevention cont: Keep work area clean. Keep raw foods separate from cooked or ready to eat foods. Keep foods at safe temperatures. Hot foods hot, cold foods cold. Temperature danger zone: 40-140 degrees F.

Food Storage: Perishable foods spoil easily. Keep the refrigerator set at between 35-39 degrees F. Freezers should be set at 0 or slightly lower. Foods should always be wrapped or tightly covered.

Food-borne Illness Sometimes it is called food poisoning. 250 food-borne illnesses have been identified. Contamination can occur from micro-organisms and their toxins, parasites and their eggs, viruses, and toxic chemicals.

The Culprits Typically they are mold, yeast, and bacteria. They do their work in secret. Food often looks, smells, and tastes the same. “stomach flu” may have been food-borne illness. Severe cases require hospitalization.

Bacteria The most threatening micro-organism in the food supply. There are about 20 types. Most produce either toxins or multiply and cause infections. The toxins act as poisons in the human body.

Bacteria Foods at room temperature become a breeding zone. The temperature danger zone is 40-145 degrees. Keep hot foods hot, cold foods cold. Freezing and refrigerating hinders but does not kill bacterial growth.

Bacteria Common examples: clostridium perfringens, campylobacter, staph, salmonella, E. coli, listeria, and botulism. Common foods containing bacteria: eggs, poultry, ground beef, dairy products, sea foods, improperly home- canned foods. Common symptoms: vomiting, fever, diarrhea, stomach cramps, chills, headache, fatigue.

Bacteria Botulism - can be very serious, sometimes fatal. It affects the nervous system, blurred vision, slurred speech, difficulty breathing, paralysis, and death. E. coli - major cause of illness, death, and food recalls. Commonly found in ground beef, has been linked to fresh spinach and green onions (scallions) .

Many Kinds of Bacteria

Botulism

E. Coli

Staph

Micro-organism: Fungi Molds - look fuzzy, have an odor, cause food to go to waste, can be harmful to humans when found on nuts, grains (breads),fruits, vegetables, and legumes. Yeast - one celled organism, causes a distinct odor (fermentation), causes food waste but rarely severe illness.

Molds

Yeast and Mold

Animal Parasites Parasite - organisms that grow and feed on other organisms. Trichinella - tiny worm that lives in pork muscle, causes trichinosis if one eats undercooked pork (trichinosis is the disease). Also found in wild game. Giardia - found in impure drinking water.

Trichinella

Viruses Hepatitis A - found in excreted feces of an infected person. Infected person can spread the virus during food preparations before they are having symptoms. Hepatitis A has been linked to eating raw clams and oysters. Influenza