Lesson 4 Nutrition Labels and Food Safety

Nutrition Label Basics  Labels tell you about nutritional value and lists ingredients used to make the food  Food Labels state: The name of the food product The amount of food in the package The name and address of the company that makes, packages and distributes the product The ingredients of the food The Nutrition Facts panel, which provides information about the nutrients found in the food

Ingredient List  Ingredients appear in descending order by weight  Labels that list similar ingredients can be misleading. Example: a product may contain 3 kinds of sweeteners but the sweeteners would be listed separately instead of under one category of sugar. This may give the impression that the product contains less sugar then what it actually does.

Food Additives  Substances added to a food to produce a desired effect.  Used to keep food safe for a long period of time, boost its nutrient content, improve its taste, texture or appearance.  2 additives that raise concern: Aspartame- sugar substitute Olestra-fat substitute

Nutrition Facts  Page 276 Figure 10.14

Nutritional Claims  Along with information about specific nutrients, food labels make other types of claims about nutritional value.  Federal Govt. gives definitions for the following terms: Free Low Light Reduced High Good Source Of Healthy

Organic Food Labels  Organic foods have USDA Organic listed on the label.  Organic foods are produced without the use of fertilizers or pesticides.  Don’t contain genetically modified ingredients  Safer and more nutritious then conventionally grown foods

Open Dating  Help determine how long the food will remain fresh  Several types of dates: Sell by dates Use by or expiration dates Freshness dates Pack dates

Food Safety  Foodborne illness= food poisoning  76 million Americans become ill each year as a result of a foodborne illness.  Foods can contain pathogens or disease- causing organisms. Sometimes it’s the pathogen itself that produces the disease, others it’s the poison that the pathogens produce that causes the illness.

How Foodborne Illnesses Occur  Caused mainly by bacteria and viruses  Common Bacteria:, Salmonella, E. Coli  Common Viruses: Norwalk and Norwalk-like Viruses  Some pathogens can be present in healthy animals  Symptoms include: cramps, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and fever  Most people recover in a few days but some can be severe.  Dehydration is a danger from a foodborne illness. Fluids lost can result in this.

Consult a Doctor if:  Have a fever higher then  Prolonged vomiting or diarrhea  Blood in stool  Signs of dehydration: decrease urination, dry mouth and throat, feeling dizzy when standing

Keeping Foods Safe to Eat  Food distributors and U.S. Govt. take steps to keep pathogens out of the food supply  One important step is pasteurization of milk and juices ( treating a substance with heat to kill or slow the growth of pathogens.)  Dietary guidelines outline 4 basic steps for keeping food safe.

Clean  Wash and dry hands often to keep pathogens on skin from entering food  Clean utensils and surfaces carefully to prevent cross contamination ( spreading of pathogens from one food to another)  Clean utensils and surfaces after preparing food  Wash fruits and vegetables

Separate  Foods that most likely carry pathogens are raw meat, poultry, seafood and eggs  Separate these from other foods to prevent cross contamination  After cooking, place on a clean plate

Cook  Heating foods to a high enough temperature will kill the pathogens that cause foodborne illness.  Use a food thermometer to check if food is fully cooked  Appearance is a factor when determining if something is cooked full.

Chill  Refrigeration slows the growth of bacteria.  Frozen foods should be thawed safely before cooking  Thaw foods in refrigerator, microwave or warm running water.  Discard food that has been sitting out for 2 hours. If the temp. is over 90 degrees, discard after one hour.

Food Sensitivities  Can make certain foods dangerous to eat  Food allergy= condition in which the body’s immune system reacts to substances in some foods.  Most common allergens found in milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, soybeans, wheat, fish, and shellfish.  Allergies vary from mild to life-threatening.  food intolerance=negative reaction to food that doesn’t involve the immune system  Food intolerance is more common then food allergies