Food Borne Illnesses

What are Food Borne Illnesses? An illness that comes from the ingestion of contaminated food Often called food poisoning Two types: – Infection: the illness is from organisms that are consumed and continue to grow within the body – Intoxication: the ingestion of food that contains pathogens that make toxins.

Where do Food Borne Illnesses come from? The contamination comes from pathogens in certain chemicals of the consumed food Examples of pathogens might be bacteria, viruses, mold, worms, or protozoa, these can all cause disease Some pathogens are natural parts of food, others are accidentally added when the food is being produced and processed

How do you prevent Food Borne Illnesses? 325,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths in the US a year are caused by Food Borne Illnesses, which can be prevented Wash your hands with warm water and soap Separate foods that can be contaminated(raw meat and vegetables) Don’t leave food on the counter! Pathogens will grow Chill foods at 40 degrees or lower Cook foods at 160 degrees or higher Wash your cooking utensils and dishes Wash your dish towels

Examples of Food Borne Illnesses. What is…….. Salmonella -The type of salmonella that is a health hazard is usually contracted by touching raw meat, raw eggs, raw shellfish or unpasteurized animal products such as milk and cheese. Most commonly, Salmonella is the cause of food poisoning and Typhoid Fever. E Coli O157:H7: You can get E Coli by eating undercooked, contaminated ground beef drinking unpasteurized milk, drinking contaminated water, and eating contaminated vegetables. Perfringens-Foods involved: Stews, Soups, or Gravies made from poultry or red meat. Perfringens is the contraction in which Spore-forming bacteria that grow in the absence of oxygen. Temperatures reached thorough cooking of most foods are sufficient to destroy vegetative cells, but heat-resistant spores can survive.

Examples Continued…… Staphylococcal Poisoning: Staphylococcus is salt tolerant and can grow in salty foods like ham. As the germ multiplies in food, it produces toxins that can cause illness. Staphylococcal toxins are resistant to heat and cannot be destroyed by cooking. Some examples of foods that have caused staphylococcal food poisoning are sliced meat, puddings, some pastries and sandwiches. Cholera: A person may get Cholera by drinking water or eating food contaminated with the cholera bacterium. The disease can spread rapidly in areas with inadequate treatment of sewage and drinking water. The cholera bacterium may also live in the environment in rivers and coastal waters. Shellfish eaten raw have been a source of Cholera, and only a few persons in the United States have contracted Cholera after eating raw or undercooked shellfish from the Gulf of Mexico.

The Effects Are….. Salmonella: Its symptoms are diarrhea, fever, and abdominal pains 12 to 72 hours after being infected. It lasts up to 4 to 7 days Those infected should drink plenty of liquids to replace lost body fluids. E.coli 0157:H7: It comes from eating raw or undercooked ground beef (hamburger) or from drinking raw milk. The symptoms are bloody diarrhea, severe abdominal pain and tenderness with no fever.

The Effects Are….. Perfringens: The symptoms are diarrhea, abdominal pains, and gas. You should cook any meat thoroughly. Staphylococcal: The symptoms of staphylococcal poisoning are nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, diarrhea. Plenty of rest and fluids will help you over come the poisoning. Cholera: The symptoms are diarrhea, vomiting and leg cramps. A person may get cholera by drinking water or eating food contaminated with the cholera bacterium.

Presentation by: Sabrina G Deanna S Carlie M