Unit 2: Food Safety and Hazards

Introduction

Safety in a foodservice operation means

freedom from danger, risk, injury, or harmful effects to
a person’s well-being and health. Safety issues include
food and water safety, a safe environment, and
prevention of physical injuries. Among the different
safety factors, food and water safety is the most
critical. These are due to the deleterious effects that
may result from consuming foods and beverages
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contaminated with pathogens or their toxins, the
ingestion of poisonous chemicals, or injury from
foreign objects swallowed with the food.

Although the food service manager is largely

responsible for ensuring safety for staff and
consumers, everybody needs to be aware of
standards for maintaining a healthy environment and
delivering high-quality food that is safe to consume. wilkinslinen.com
Maintaining safe and healthy food, water, and
environment, is therefore a constant challenge that
needs education and training. Everybody needs to be
aware that the safety factor is a subsystem that
permeates a food service system in all food flow
activities.

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Learning Outcomes

1. explained the meaning of different important terms;

2. discussed how infections, intoxications, and toxin-mediated infections cause
foodborne illness;
3. classified sources of foodborne hazards;
4. examined the factors that promote bacterial growth in foods;
5. determined the food temperature danger zone and explained how it affects
bacterial growth;
6. categorized potentially hazardous foods and discussed their characteristics; and
7. compared chemical and physical hazards.

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 Activate Prior Knowledge

Activity:
1. List some examples of food establishments.

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2. Define the terms sanitation and food safety.

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3. Discuss some reason(s) why you are studying food safety and sanitation.

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 Acquire New Knowledge

Everyone should be familiar with the commonly used terms for a better
understanding of the principles and the basic concepts related to food safety and
hazards.

Important Terms

Food Safety usually results in unsafe food due to biological hazards,

chemical hazards, or physical hazards. To ensure food safety, develop guidelines that
focus on time and temperature management, practice good personal hygiene,
maintain a sanitary facility, avoid cross-contamination, and buy food supplies from
licensed suppliers.

Environmental Sanitation refers to the art and science of applying the

concepts and expertise of sanitary, biological, and physical sciences to improve and
regulate the environment and its causes for the conservation of public health and
welfare.

Foodborne illness is a disease caused by either food infection or

intoxication from food. Foodborne diseases are classified as infections, intoxications,
or toxin-mediated infections.

General symptoms of foodborne illness usually include one or more of the

following:

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1. Headache 2. Vomiting 3. Nausea 4. Dehydration

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5. Abdominal Pain 6. Diarrhea 7. Fatigue 8. Fever

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 Foodborne illness is generally classified as a foodborne infection,
intoxication, or toxin-mediated infection. Your awareness of how different microbes
cause foodborne illness will help you understand how they contaminate food.

Infection Caused by eating food that contains living disease-causing

microorganisms.

Intoxication Caused by eating food that contains a harmful chemical or toxin

produced by bacteria or other source.

Toxin-Mediated Caused by eating food that contains harmful microorganisms

Infection that willproduce a toxin once inside the human body.

Figure 1 Classification of Foodborne Illness

Disease-causing micro-organisms are eaten

along with a meal, which can cause a foodborne
infection. Afterward, the organism burrows through the
lining of the victim's digestive tract and starts growing in
numbers. That can lead to common foodborne
symptoms of sickness as diarrhea. At times, the
microbes may spread through the bloodstream to other
parts of the body. Bacteria, viruses, and parasites are
examples of microorganisms that can cause infection. A
common type of foodborne infection is salmonellosis. slideshare.net
This disease is caused by salmonella bacteria that are
frequently found in poultry and eggs.

Intoxication is caused when a living organism multiplies in food and produces

a chemical waste or toxin. If the food containing the toxin is eaten, it causes illness.
Intoxication may also occur when an individual consumes food that contains man-
made chemicals such as cleaning agents or pesticides. It is typically called food
poisoning. Examples of food intoxications are Clostridium botulinum and
Staphylococcus aureus.

When a living organism is consumed

with food, it causes a toxin-mediated
infection. When the organism is within the
human body, it releases a disease-causing
toxin. Clostridium perfringens is an example of stopfoodborneillness.org
an organism that causes this kind of illness.

Foodborne illnesses have different stages of onset. The starting time is the
number of hours between the time a person consumes infected food and when signs
of the disease first emerge. It is typically done over a number of hours because
individual diets differ based on factors such as age, health status, body weight, and

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 the amount of contaminant consumed with the food.
However, the starting time can be several days for
certain foodborne diseases, such as trichinosis and
Hepatitis A.

Food contamination is commonly

characterized as food that is rotten or polluted because
it contains either microorganisms, such as bacteria or
parasites, or toxic substances that make it unfit for use.
If a food item is made “from scratch” or is ready to eat
from, there are chances before it is eaten to become
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contaminated.

Contamination is the presence in the food of substances or conditions that

can be harmful to humans. Bacteria and viruses pose the greatest threats to food
safety for all retail food establishments.

When the food flows from the field to the table, food may become
contaminated at several points. Raw foods can be
contaminated on the farm, ranch, or onboard a
vessel. It can also occur as foods are handled
during processing and delivery. Contamination
prevention and control measures must begin when
the food is harvested and continue until the food is
consumed.

The most common sources of

contamination are soil, water, air, plants, animals,
and humans. Contaminants present an invisible
challenge for the naked eyes cannot see them.
Many forms of contamination from food can cause
disease without affecting the appearance, odor, or
taste of food. pespro-wordpress.com

By cross-contamination, germs may be moved from one food element to

another. Usually, this occurs when microbes from raw food are transferred to
contaminated hands, tools, or utensils to cooked or ready-to-eat foods.

What are the sources of foodborne hazards?

Different food hazards are biological, chemical, and physical hazards.

1. Biological hazard is bacteria, parasites, fungi, and viruses that are

caused by various microorganisms.

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 Bacteria are the most famous type of
microorganisms that cause foodborne diseases. It
can be classified into two groups, spore-forming
bacteria, and non-spore-forming bacteria.

A spore is a thick-walled dehydrated

structure capable of withstanding extreme dryness
and very high temperatures for long periods.
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When swallowed, a spore is not harmful except for
clostridium botulism which can cause botulism in infants. But, when spores come into
contact with the food products at a proper temperature, they have begun to grow
and may cause a person to ingest the bacteria to develop serious illness.

Phases of Growth of Bacteria

In a method called binary fission in, bacteria multiply in which one cell
bacteria breaks up into two cells. This is called bacterial growth when bacteria
reproduce and increase in numbers.

A bacteria’s growth manifests a regular pattern composed of four phases. The

first phase is the lag phase in which bacteria have little or no growth. It is the
process of bacteria’s adjustment to their environmental conditions, and at room
temperature lasts just a few hours. Nevertheless, the duration of this phase can be
longer if food is stored at 50°C (42°F) or below.

Phase two is called the log phase. It is the stage in which the bacteria
multiply very rapidly doubling in number every few minutes under optimal conditions
such as 50oC (41°F) to 60°C (140°F) temperatures. One bacterial cell produces over
one million cells over time duration of five hours at 4.6 to 7.0 pH and high in proteins
and carbohydrates food.

The third growth phase is the stationary phase. The bacteria created are
equal to the number of bacteria which died. In this phase nutrients, moisture, and
food space may have been used by bacteria.

The final phase is the decline or

death phase. Bacteria die quickly as a
result of a lack of nutrients and the
toxin produced as waste products.

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 unileverfoodsolution.com.my

What Bacteria Need in Order to Multiply?

Bacteria need to multiply by six conditions. These terms are in acronym

F-A-T-T-O-M. It stands for F (food), A (acidity), T (temperature), T (time),
O (oxygen), and M (moisture). Almost all food naturally contains microorganisms.
Multiplication of bacteria can be avoided in six conditions.

Food is the main requirement for the bacteria the growth of bacteria. In
foods that are high in protein such as meats, poultry, seafood, and dairy products
and carbohydrates like cooked rice, beans and potatoes mostly bacteria grow.

The acidity of foods in the 4.6 to 7.0 pH range is the appropriate medium
for the best growth of pathogenic bacteria. Milk meat and fish have this pH range.
Most bacteria however prefer a neutral medium (pH of 7). The pH tests alkalinity or
acidity of foods the pH scale ranges from 0 to 14. Most foods have a pH below 7.
Quite acidic foods with low pH values (pH below 4.6)
such as oranges, limes, and tomatoes won't help
multiplication of pathogenic bacteria. Pickling fruits and
vegetables with the addition of vinegar slow down the
bacterial growth rate and preserve food. Foods with a
pH above 7 are simple or alkaline. Olives, egg white,
and soda crackers are an example of this food.

The temperature of food is generally

measured in degrees Fahrenheit (oF) or degrees
centigrade (oC). The temperature requirement for cold-
holding of potentially hazardous food is 41oF or 5oC to
control bacteria to multiply in foods and is 60oC to
140oF and above below or hot-cold.

Proper preservation of food temperature is the

most efficient way of preventing food spoilage and
foodborne diseases. Most disease-causing bacteria
develop between 41oF (5oC) to 140oF (60oC) fsis.usda.gov
temperatures. This range of temperature is referred to
as the food Temperature Danger Zone.

Temperature abuse is the term used when food has not been heated to
the safe or proper temperature. Some bacteria may however survive different
temperature ranges.

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 The psychrophilic bacteria will survive
from 32oF (0oC) to 70oF (21oC) in the
temperature range. Those bacteria can
multiply at temperatures in the refrigeration
and space. Most psychrophilic bacteria spoil
food and cause illness.

Mesophilic bacteria multiply between

70 F (20oC) and 110oF (43oC) at temperature
o

and grow rapidly in the human body at a

temperature of 98.6oF or 37oC.
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Thermophilic bacteria are rapidly
multiplying at temperatures greater than 110oF (43oC). All thermophilic bacteria
cause food spoilage.

Time under ideal conditions, bacterial cells can double in number every 15 to
30 minutes. For most bacteria, a single cell can generate over 1 million cells in just 5
hours. It is very important not to allow bacteria to multiply. Proper storage and
handling of food help to prevent bacteria from multiplying.

Since bacteria can quickly replicate, many cells don't take long to grow. A
golden rule in the foodservice industry is that it takes about 4 hours for bacteria to
grow the sufficiently large number to cause disease. This includes the total time
between 41oF (5oC) and 135oF (57oC) for a meal. Remember a single bacterial cell
can produce more than 1 million cells in just 5 hours.

The oxygen requirement of

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bacteria to multiply varies from bacteria to
another. Aerobic bacteria must have
oxygen to grow. To grow, the aerobic
bacteria have to have oxygen. But, unless
oxygen is available, anaerobic bacteria
cannot survive, because it is poisonous to
them. Anaerobic grows well in food packed
with a vacuum or in canned foods where
there is no oxygen. There are also
anaerobic conditions in the middle of
cooked food masses, including in large
stock pots, baked potatoes, or in the
middle of a roast or ham.

Facultative anaerobic types of bacteria are those that grow with or without
free oxygen. Many of the microorganisms causing the foodborne disease are possible
anaerobes. Microaerophilic organisms need very specific oxygen, typically between
3% to 6%.

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 Control of the conditions oxygen may not be an effective means of preventing
foodborne illness. Whatever oxygen is available, some disease-causing bacteria will
consider the conditions acceptable for development.

Moisture is an essential consideration for the growth of bacteria. For

thousands of years, man has been drying foods as a way to preserve them.
Scientists have found that the amount “available water” for bacterial activity
influences bacterial growth rather than the amount of moisture or water by
volume in food. This is express in terms of water movement and is indicated with the
symbol Aw. Water activity is a measure of the quantity of water not connected to the
food and thus available for bacterial growth.

Potentialy Hazardous Foods (PHF)

Some types of foods can support

the rapid and progressive growth of
microorganisms producing infectious and
toxins. These foods are considered
potentially hazardous. Potentially
hazardous foods (PHF) typically have a
high protein or carbohydrate content and
have a pH above 4.6 and a water activity
above 0.85. Common examples of
potentially hazardous foods are red meat,
raw shell and poultry eggs, fish and
shellfish, and dairy products. Other
potentially hazardous foods are vegetables pizzanco.com
such as cooked rice or potatoes, refried
beans, and fruits such as cut cantaloupe cuttings.

The FDA food code classifies the following as potentially hazardous foods:

 Foods of animal origin that are raw or heat-treated

 Foods of plant origin that are heat-treated or consist of raw seed
sprouts
 Cut melons
 Garlic and oil mixtures that are not modified in a way to inhibit the
growth of microorganisms.

Potentially hazardous foods require careful treatment at all times. If these

foods are kept for 4 hours or more at temperatures between 41°F (5°C) and 135°F
(57°C), harmful microorganisms can develop to dangerous levels. Most foodborne
illness outbreaks have been associated with potentially hazardous foods. To avoid
bacterial growth, you must monitor the handling and storage of potentially
hazardous foods.

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Classification of Bacteria

Bacteria that cause food spoilage, food toxin, and foodborne disease are
classified as sporeforming and non-sporeforming.

Foodborne Illness Caused by Sporeforming Bacteria

1. Bacillus cereus. This produces spore, which can live with or without
oxygen. It is related to two illnesses, vomiting and diarrhea. The disease is either by
type of vomiting or type of diarrhea depending on the level of toxin released by
bacteria in the food. Both nausea and abdominal cramps will manifest. Duration of
the vomiting of illness in 30 minutes to 6 hours and typically lasts one day or less.
Diarrhea form duration is 8 to 16 hours and lasts
12 to 14 hours.

The vomiting type of disease is associated

with contaminated grain products such as rice,
pasta, potatoes, cornstarch, soybeans, tofu, and
flour that are improperly stored (cooled or hot-
held) that require changes to vegetative cells in
the bacillus cereus spore. Vegetative cells contain
disease-causing toxins in foods. This type of slideshare.net
diarrhea correlates with contaminated foods such
as meat, milk, vegetables, and fish.

Food must be properly cooked and should be kept at or above 140oF (60oC)
temperature if not eaten immediately. Food must be cold quickly down to below 41oF
(5oC) before storage. The temperature danger zone should be strictly followed.

2. Clostridium perfringens.This sporeforming bacterium requires very small

amount of oxygen and causes foodborne disease. Contaminated foods are perishable
foods that had been violated by temperatures (not kept hot above 140oF (60oC) or
cold below 41oF (5oC). Clostridium Perfringens triggers the disease through a toxin-
mediated infection where the cells that are ingested and then develop a toxin in the
human intestine. This illness includes diarrhea
with abdominal pain. Disease time is 8-22 hours
and lasts one day or less.

Food commonly associated with

clostridium perfringens is meat that was abused,
boiled, steamed, braised, stewed, or
insufficiently roasted at temperature. Then
allowed to cool gradually and consumed either
cooled or heated incorrectly the next day. slideplayer.net

The food must be cooked at or above 145oF (60oC). Cooked food should be
cooled in 2 hours between 140oF (21oC) and an additional 4 hours from 70oF (21oC)

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to 41oF (5oC). Food must be reheated in 2 hours to 165oF (74oC) and held hot at
140oF (60oC) until served. The food should only be reheated in one cycle. If after one
heating the food is not consumed, the food is discarded.

3. Clostridium botulinum. Clostridium botulinum is anaerobic, spore

bacterium forming foodborne disease due to inadequate heat processing of foods
such as home-canned foods. The bacteria create a neurotoxin that is believed to be
most deadly. However, the toxin is heat unstable, and if food boils for about 20
minutes, it is destroyed. The bacteria associated with food poisoning are called
botulism. Symptoms include fatigue, diarrhea,
sensory confusion and dizziness, trouble swallowing,
and paralysis of the respiratory system. The period
of the disease is 12 to 36 hours and lasts for several
days to a year.

Clostridium botulinum-associated disease is

caused by inadequate heat consumption processed
and then packaged anaerobically (canned or
packaged in a vacuum) and kept in the danger zone
of temperature. You have to properly heat-
processed anaerobically packaged food. Avoid
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consumption of home-canned food.

Food borne Illness Caused by Non-Sporeforming Bacteria

1. Campylobacter Jejuni. It is a pathogen in food that needs very little

oxygen to develop. As a microaerophilic, it can withstand the growth of only 3 to 6
percent oxygen. Infection symptoms are
abdominal pain and slight or severe bloody
diarrhea. Diarrhea lasts from 2 to 5 days, and the
illness lasts from 2-7 days.

The pathogen is found by cross-

contamination such as a knife, cutting board, or
food handler in raw milk, raw chicken, and raw
meat, and other food. Handle food properly and
prepare it. Avoid cross-contamination of food by
sanitary contact surfaces and thorough washing of za.pinterest.com
hands after handling the raw food.

2. Escherichia coli. E. coli is a toxin-producing Shiga. They are facultative

anaerobes, inhabiting the intestines of warm-blooded animals such as cows, goats,
and sheep. The toxin disease of Shiga caused by E. coli can be an infection or toxin-
mediated infection. The disease needs only a small number of bacteria to develop.

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 The Shiga toxin disease threatens babies, and the elderly and up to 16 age.
Symptoms include extreme abdominal stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, excessive
diarrhea, and death. The illness typically starts with the symptoms of flu and fever
accompanied by bloody diarrhea. The length of
the disease is 12 to 72 hours and lasts 1-3 days.

Sources of contamination include food such

as undercooked beef and other red meats, raw
milk, unpasteurized apple juice, and lettuce. The
cross-contamination of foods by contaminated
equipment and utensils is another cause of
infection. Observe proper sanitation of the food,
hand wash, and properly cook the meat. Also,
prevent cross-contamination and keep hot food
alarmy.com above 140°F (60°C) and cold food below 41°F
(5°C).

3. Listeria monocytogenes. Listeria monocytogenes is a facultative anaerobe.

It can grow with or without oxygen. This bacterium survives different conditions such
as high salt food, temperartures of refrigreration below 410oF (50oC) unlike most
bacterial pathogens in food.

The disease caused by this pathogen is listeriosis in healthy adults with flu-
like symptoms that include nausea, vomiting, headache, fever, chills, and backache.
Listeriosis complications may be life-threatening such as septicemia, meningitis, and
encephalitis. It causes birth defects for pregnant women. Very young people, elderly
people, and those others with a weak immune
system are prone to this illness. The length of
the disease is 1 day to 3 weeks, which can last
indefinitely depending on the treatment
period.

The species can infect customers

through uncooked raw meats, raw poultry,
dairy products, cooked cold cuts, raw
vegetables, and seafood. Cross-contamination
is another mode of transmission. Food should
be thoroughly prepared, and appropriate food
handling techniques should be observed.
Observe also common microbe growth
management activities such as time use and proguimia.com
replacement of refrigerated foods such as
cooked meat, hotdogs, bacon, and luncheon meat.

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 4. Salmonella ssp. (means species of). Salmonella is facultative anaerobes
(can survive with our without oxygen). These are found in human and warm-blooded
animals. Contamination of the food is usually via feces.
Symptoms of these infections include abdominal pain,
headache, nausea, vomiting, fever, and diarrhea.
Disease time is 6 to 48 hours, which will last 2 to 3
days.

Inherently the organism grows in many foods

such as raw meat, and poultry, eggs, milk, and dairy
products, sweets filled with chocolate, and creams.
Contamination is typically caused by cross-
contamination in which fecal matter is transmitted to
food via contaminated surfaces, contact with raw food,
www.candidiasisweb.com
and infected food handlers. Food should be cooked
thoroughly. Surfaces in which raw food touches should be clean and sanitary. Food
handlers should practice handwashing.

5. Shigella ssp. Shigella is a facultative anaerobes disease that causes about

10 percent of foodborne diseases in the U.S. Human and warm-blooded animals
commonly find the organisms in the intestine and feces. Shigellosis is the name of
the infection carried by the food. It is characterized by watery diarrhea caused by a
bacterium- generated toxin, which reverses water absorption back into the
bloodstream. Water moves into the large bowel causing watery diarrhea. Diarrhea,
fever, abdominal cramps, chills, fatigue, and dehydration are symptoms caused by
shigellosis disease. The length of the disease is 1 to 7 days, and the total duration
depends on the time the patient is treated.

This bacterium is popular in ready

to eat salads such as potato, chicken,
milk, and dairy products, raw vegetables,
and food contaminated by feces.
Contaminated food and water and food-
handlers are sources of transmission.
Cooked food should be safe and free from
the disease at appropriate temperatures,
prevent contamination, and wash food
www.candidiasisweb.com with potable water.

6. Staphylococcus aureus. This organism is an anaerobe facultative that

produces a heat-stable toxin as it multiplies in foods. The bacterium can develop on
cooked and safe foods that are contaminated by food handlers who have not to
practice food safety and sanitation as well as personal hygiene. This bacterium
produces toxins that cause food poisoning. Their skin, hands, hair, nose, throat, in
burns, infected cuts and wounds, pimples, and boils are commonly seen in a person.

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 They live in and around 30% to 50%,
including those considered healthy. Extreme
nausea, intense stomach pain, vomiting, and
diarrhea are the signs caused by
staphylococcus aureus intoxication. The
length of the disease is 2-4 hours, which can
last 1-2 days.

In cooked ready-to-eat- foods, the

bacteria will grow like luncheon meats,
vegetables, and egg salads, meat, poultry,
high salt foods, or high sugar and milk and d
cedars.sinai.org
airy products. Contamination of food is caused by food
handlers who do not practice hand washing, by food handler’s saliva while talking
and coughing or tasting reuse of spoons and ladles for sampling. Avoid
contamination from raw palms, infected cuts, burns, or wounds by food handling.
Food handler’s practice by handwashing does not reuse spoons and ladles in food
tasting, heat, and cook food properly and keep ready-to-eat food out of the
temperature danger zone.

7. Vibrio spp. These are three groups of bacteria belonging to the Genus
Vibrio. Which include vibrio cholera, vibrio parahaemolyticus, and vibrio vulnificus.
Those are salt resistant and common in seafood. Vibrio spp. foodborne illness
manifest symptoms include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting,
headache, fever, and chills. The period is 2 to 48
hours and lasts 2 to 3days, which could be longer.

Vibrio spp. is common in raw fish and

shellfish, processed and contaminated by feces and
polluted waters. Pathogen transmission can also
occur by cross-contamination in foods. Seafood
should be prepared at the correct temperature to
prevent eating raw or semi-cooked seafood. Food
handlers must observe proper personal hygiene
and practice the correct handwashing procedure. stopfoodillness.org

Foodborne Illness Caused by Parasites

Parasites are tiny or microscopic organisms that need to live on or within a

living host to survive. Foodborne parasites are important biological hazards.

1. Anisakis ssp. Are the roundworms or nematodes that causing fish infection
borne by food. The sizes vary from 1 to 2 inches in length and have the thickness of
the human hair. They have beige, ivory, white, gray, brown, or pink colors. Typical
signs of this nutritional disease include vomiting and abdominal pain if the parasites
include attached to the stomach of the patient. Coughing is the most common

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symptom if the parasites get stuck to the victim’s throat. The signs are intense pain
and fever similar to signs when a person is sick with appendicitis, where the
parasites bind themselves in the large intestine. The illness develops in 1 to 2 weeks
period.
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Foods usually contaminated with
these parasites are fresh or undercooked
seafood. The ingestion of parasite-
infected fish infects humans with the
parasites. In humans, however, they do
not complete their life cycles and
ultimately die. Seafood should be closely
examined to remove parasitic worms and
cooked at the proper temperature.

2. Cyclospora cayetanensis. This parasite is usually found in water and can

cause food contamination. Recent outbreaks of cyclosporiasis illness have been
associated with fresh fruits and vegetables that have been contaminated on the
farm. Infection with cyclosporiasis affects the small intestine, causing watery and
sometimes explosive diarrhea. Some signs include lack of appetite, loss of weight,
bloating, cramping of the stomach, nausea, vomiting, muscle aches, low fever, and
fatigue. If the symptoms are not treated
the disease persists for many weeks or
months. Contaminated soil, raspberries,
strawberries, and other formof fresh
s

produce are sources of parasite infection.

Via fecal-oral transmission, the parasite
can infect one person to another. Disease
symptoms manifest days or weeks after a
healthhawaii.gov
person consumes infected food.

Avoid contaminated foods, water, or food workers. Practicing proper

sanitation and buying ready-to-eat food from an inspected and approved
establishment is also necessary.

2. Giardia lamblia and Cryptosporidium parvum. The two parasites are

microorganisms called protozoans. Giardia can be found in the feces of wild animals,
domestic pets, and infected persons. Cryptosporidium is found in contaminated
water by cow feces. Both can cause foodborne infection. The common symptom of
giardia disease in humans is diarrhea after one week of ingestion of the cyst of
giardia and can last as long as a month. The common symptom of the disease
cryptosporidiosis is severe watery diarrhea that can last 2 to 4 days.

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 Sources of contamination of
these parasites are water and raw food
that are polluted with sewage-
contaminated with cysts of
Cryptosporidium or giardia. Other
sources of infection are vegetables that
have been applied with manure
fertilizer. The infection of the parasites
can be prevented by providing potable
water in good establishments and
practice food sanitation to prevent rapidmicrobiology.com
contamination. Food workers should observe good
personal hygiene and practice washing hands thoroughly before handling food and
after using the toilet.

3. Toxoplasma gondii. The parasitic worm is commonly found in cats, rats,

mice, pigs, cows, sheep, chickens, and birds. Toxoplasmosis is the illness caused by
the parasite infection. Symptoms of mild cases of the disease are swollen lymph
glands, fever, headache, and muscle aches.
People who have problems with their immune
system or persons who have recent organ
transplants can experience severe
toxoplasmosis that can result in damage in the
eye or brain. Infected babies before birth can
be born with mental retardation, blindness, or
other serious mental or physical problems. The
time duration of illness is 10 to 13 days after
infection.
frontiersin.org
Common sources of contamination with
the parasite are red meat like pork, lamb, venison, and beef. Fruits and vegetables
are contaminated with feces. Humans can be infected by eating undercooked red
meat. To prevent infection do not eat raw and undercooked meat. Wash fruits and
vegetables thoroughly before consumption. Washing of hands after handling raw
meat and vegetables is very necessary. To prevent cross-contamination from raw
food to cook or ready-to-eat food, sanitize utensils, and equipment.

4. Trichinella spiralis. The parasitic

worm is a roundworm that causes parasitic
infection. The illness caused by the parasite is
trichinosis. Symptoms that first appear are
nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal
pain. Later stages of the illness show
symptoms characterized by fever, swelling of
tissues around the eyes, and muscle stiffness.
Time duration is 2 to 28 days after the frontiersin.org

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consumption of contaminated meat. In severe cases, death can occur. A common
source of infection is contaminated pork but can also be in wild-game animals like
the bear, wild boar, and walrus. The most effective way to avoid infection is to cook
pork and other meats at the proper temperature.

Foodborne Illness Caused by Viruses

Viruses are somewhat different from other especially bacterial

microorganisms. First, they are smaller than bacteria and thus a specific form of the
microscope is required to examine them in particular by an electronic microscope.
Second, unlike bacteria, to survive, evolve, and reproduce viruses need a living host,
whether animal or human. Viruses do not spread in food. They are usually
transferred from one food to another, from a food worker to food, or from water
contaminated supply to food.

Three major viruses that are common in the foodservice industry’s concern:
Hepatitis A, Norwalk, and Rotavirus.

1. Hepatitis A. A virus is an illness transmitted by food that inhabits the

infected host for up to 6 weeks without showing symptoms of the disease. Food
workers can become infectious for weeks before symptoms appear and for two
weeks after symptoms of the disease appear. It is the time when the infected food
worker may contaminate the food by not washing hands and nails properly. The
virus is very immune and can survive for several hours in a suitable climate. The
exhaustion in the infected person. The disease development results in liver swelling
and yellowing of the eye and skin (jaundice). The time infection duration in the host
is 15-50 days. A mild case of hepatitis infection usually lasts several weeks and for
several months, the more severe case occurs.

Sources of contamination of Hepatitis A virus are from raw and slightly

cooked seafood, raw vegetables harvested in polluted water, and infected food
workers. It is important that food is treated and properly cooked. Do not eat raw
seafood and raw vegetables. Food handlers should practice good personal hygiene
and thoroughly wash their hands before handling the food.

muskokatoday.com

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 2. Norwalk virus. Norwalk virus. Norwalk virus is a common foodborne virus
that causes foodborne infections. Symptoms associated with infection with the
Norwalk virus include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, which may be
followed by headache and fever. A mild, brief illness typically develops 24 to 48
hours after infection will last around 1 to 3 days. Serious disease happens very
rarely.
A viral infection is caused by the ingestion of Norwalk virus-infected food and
water via fecal matter. Food must be properly handled and cooked at the proper
temperature. Avoid ingestion of raw seafood and use potable water to wash them.
Food handlers should exercise good personal hygiene and thoroughly wash hands
before handling food and after using the toilet.

creative-biolabs.com

3. Rotavirus. Group A Rotavirus is the main cause of the Gastroenteritis

Rotavirus disease. This category A Rotavirus was the virus that infects infants and
children who experience serious diarrhea. In the United States, there were over 3
million cases of Rotavirus Gastroenteritis that occur annually. Vomiting, watery
diarrhea, and low fever are usually the symptoms of Rotavirus Gastroenteritis.
Persons infected with Rotavirus can experience symptoms from mild to severe.
Duration varies from 1 to 3 days when it starts with vomiting followed by 4 to 8 days
of diarrhea.

Food contamination may occur via

infected food workers, especially in foods
that do not require cooking such as salads
and fruits. The most common means of
contamination with Rotavirus is
contracting person to person through
hands contaminated with the virus. Foods
must be treated properly and cooked at
the proper temperature to avoid viral
infection. Food staff/workers must

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practice good personal hygiene and perform rigorous washing of hands and
fingernails before handling food and after using the toilet.

2. Chemical Hazard in food joins two distinct groups. They are man-made
chemicals and chemicals that exist naturally.

Man-made Chemicals

These are harmful substances that are applied to foodstuffs. They are called
man-made because they are produced by humans to increase the shelf-life of a food
item, enhance its flavors, and destroy pests that are harm valuable crops. Among
them are:

 Food additives – these are used to improve the tastes and appearance of the
food including food coloring, salt, and other flavors.

 Food preservatives – these are used to increase the shelf-life of food items,
including phosphates, sodium nitrate, and others. These products should be
used properly in food preservation. If those food products are not properly
measured and used for more than what is needed, the result for the person
who ingested it would be fatal.

 Pesticides – these products are often sprayed in fresh fruits and vegetables
before harvesting. The goal is to repel pests and other insects from
destroying the fruits or vegetables. In a situation where the fruit or
vegetables are unwashed and eaten by humans when the pesticide is still
present, the outcomes can be fatal.

dailymail.co.uk analyteguru.com

wtamu.edu foodchemlinked.com

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Natural Occurring Food Chemicals

Three common naturally occurring food chemicals food allergens, shellfish

toxins, and mycotoxins, which are dangerous to humans once ingested.

1. Food allergen

For some food products, a food allergen is a chemical that triggers an

allergenic reaction to a person. It should be remembered that certain individuals are
allergic to some food types while others may not be affected by these food products.
Allergic reactions will occur after the ingestion of the allergen. Some common food
allergy symptoms are hives: lip swelling, tongue and mouth swelling, breathing
difficulties, or wheezing; vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Such symptoms
can happen in as little as five minutes. In
extreme cases, a life-threatening allergic
reaction called anaphylaxis causes
scratching and urination, throat swelling,
respiratory difficulty, reduced blood
pressure, and unconsciousness.

Eggs, peanuts, wheat proteins, tree

nuts (walnuts, macadamia), crabs, shrimps,
squids, octopus, fish, clams, mussels,
oyster, and chicken are among the foods
that typically cause allergic reactions. Many
foodalleryexhibitionwodpress.com allergens of these foods can be lethal even
though they are consumed in smaller amounts.

2. Shellfish toxins

There are also toxins to the shellfish. Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP),
Diarrhea Shellfish Poisoning (DSP), Domoic Acid Poisoning (DAP), and Neurotoxic
Shellfish Poisoning (NSP) are the most severe diseases.

The disease’s first signs are numbness in the lips, tongue, and fingertips.
When the illness progresses symptoms include
numbness in the arms, legs, and neck, lack of
muscle coordination, and difficulty in breathing
and muscular paralysis during advanced stages
of the poisoning.

Such toxins are derived from toxic algae

called dinoflagellates. These dinoflagellates are
microscopic and float freely in the water. They
have been absorbed by certain types of
newsfeed.ph shellfish while in the water. Eating such

47
contaminated shellfish will ultimately lead to toxicity caused by toxins from shellfish.
Among the shellfish which are common sources of dinoflagellates are mussels,
clams, oysters, and scallops.

In the case that the poisoning is confirmed, avoid consuming these kinds of
shellfish until a health authority will declare that they are safe. Similar poisoning in
the Philippines is known as the “Red Tide." Red tide is named for red-colored
dinoflagellates that have been found in the sea, causing the water to turn red. They
are consumed by shellfish and when eaten in large amount can be fatal to humans.

3. Mycotoxins

The population of mycotoxins is

the fungi, molds, yeast, and mushrooms.
In an event that they grow from food
items, this organism produces a
chemical compound called mycotoxins.
Most common foods containing
mycotoxins are milk, meats, or eggs
from animals that had been fed
contaminated grains, cereals, corn,
peanuts, and walnuts. newsfoodmagazine.com

Symptoms of this type of poisoning include pre-stage haemorrhage,

damaged liver, fluid build-up in the body, intestine injury, spleen injury, thymus
injury, cancer, and death.

Mycotoxins' most common prevention is to keep nuts, corn, and maize

products dry. If these types of food products are exposed to water or humidity, the
best option will be to discard them particularly away from animals that might eat
them and become contaminated.

3. Physical Hazard

These are risks from foreign items that are either involuntary or deliberately
mixed in the food. Among them are broken glasses, fragments in foods of metal
obtained when opening a canned food
item, tiny sharp bone fragments that
can cause damage in the mouth area,
and others.

Physical hazards are a

common sign of bad food handling
practices rendering food safety
workers not properly briefed or
trained. These food items were
medcrave.com
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properly washed to prevent physical hazards, thoroughly check food items for the
presence of those hazards.

Another important aspect is that the employees who are indirectly in contact
with the food should be adequately qualified to avoid combining global hazards with
food products in their work. Eventually, when they work in the kitchen, they
discourage food service workers from wearing jewelry, particularly hand jewellery,
except for a simple band.

Apply Your Knowledge

As the deep fat fryer was being refilled by a new employee, some
excess cooking oil was spilled on the floor. Because of the slippery floor, the cook fell
later that morning. The cook was in severe pain and could not get back to work.

1. What caused the accident?

________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

2. What treatment should be extended to the cook?

________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

3. How can fells such as this be prevented?

________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________

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 Assess Your Knowledge

Part 1: Short Quiz

Select the best answer from among the given choices. Write the letter of your choice
on the blank provided on the left.

________1. Bacteria are one of the most common causes of foodborne disease
in a food establishment because:

a. Under ideal conditions, they can grow very rapidly.

b. Bacteria are found naturally in many foods.
c. Bacteria can be easily transferred from one source to another.
d. All of the above.

________2. It refers to single-celled microorganisms that require food, moisture,

and warmth to multiply.

a. Bacteria
b. Parasite
c. Virus
d. Prion

________3. Which of the following is NOT considered a potentially hazardous

food group?

a. Red meats
b. Fish and shellfish
c. Poultry and eggs
d. Dried grains and spices

________4. Which of the following groups of hazards are most likely to cause a
foodborne disease outbreak?

a. Bacteria and viruses

b. Parasites and molds
c. Vibrio spp. and Shigella spp.
d. Chemical and physical hazards.

________5. What bacteria can survive the temperature within arange of 32oF
(0oC) to 70 oF (21 oC)?

a. Mesophilic bacteria
b. Psychrophilic bacteria
c. Thermophilic bacteria
d. All of the above

50
 ________6. Which of the following bacteria produce a toxin that is mist likely to
cause death if consumed?

a. Campylobacter jejuni
b. Clostridium botulinum
c. Shiga toxin-producing E. coli
d. Listeria monocytogenes

________7. It is caused by eating food that contains a harmful chemical or toxin

produced by bacteria or other sources.

a. Infection
b. Toxin-mediated infection
c. Intoxication
d. All of the above

________8. Which of the following group is NOT susceptible to foodborne

illness?

a. The very young

b. Young adults
c. The elderly
d. Pregnant or lactating women

________9. If a utensil is sanitary it:

a. Is free of visible soil

b. Has been sterilized
c. Is a single-service item
d. Has had disease-causing germs reduced to a safe level

________10. Which of the following is not the source of food contamination?

a. Air
b. Water
c. Soil
d. None of the above

Part 2: Journal Writing

1. What is your opinion on canned food or preserved food consumption? Are

these foods useful for human consumption and safe for health? Why? (See
Journal Rubrics in Unit 1, p.9.). You may add additional paper for your
reflections.
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________

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 __________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________

Part 3: Research

Find out recent reports in the web on 2019 Novel Coronavirus (Covid-19).
Based on the description of the incident or outbreak, answer the following questions
to the best of your ability: (Please see Rubrics for Research Paper in Unit 1, p.10.)

1. What brought about the incident or outbreak?

2. How was it controlled?
3. Who were responsible in investigating the case?
4. Were there remedial actions taken in preventing their occurrence? Were
the community given guidelines to control the hazards?

References

Environmental sanitation. Retrieved from https://www.who.int

McSwane, D., Rue, N., & Linton, R. (2008). Essentials of food safety and sanitation.
New Jersey: Pearson Education.

Orsorno, R., & Bajao, G. (2019). Risk management as applied to safety, security, &
sanitation. Manila: Wiseman’s Books Trading.

Perdigon, G., Claudio, V., & Chavez, L. (2006). Food, water and environmental
sanitation & safety for hospitality and industry and institution. Manila: Merriam-
Webster Bookstore.

Somoray, A. M. (2020). Risk management as applied to safety, security, & sanitation.

Manila: Unlimited Books Library Services & Publishing.

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