CLASSIFICATION OF FOOD-BORNE HAZARDS

1. Biological Hazards
2. Chemical Hazards
3. Physical Hazards

BIOLOGICAL HAZARDS
These are living things that need the right kind of environment to grow and multiply. An
understanding of their growth will make one realize the importance of sanitation in the
prevention of any outbreak of illness

Microorganisms Causing Food-borne Illness

1. Bacteria 4. Fungi
2. Virus 5. Protozoa
3. Parasites

BACTERIA
 Are commonly involved in food-borne illnesses than any other microorganisms.
 Are one-celled organisms that are found everywhere including the skin, face, nose, mouth,
throat, hands, hair, perspiration and soiled clothing. They are also present in wounds/cuts,
boils, pimples, burns, infected eyes and ears, and in cough and sneeze droplets.
 Bacteria exist in a vegetative state. Vegetative cells grow, reproduce and produce wastes
just like other living organisms.
 Some bacteria have the ability to form spores. Spores help bacteria survive when their
environment is too hot, cold, dry, acidic, or when there is not enough food.
  Spores are not able to grow or reproduce however, when conditions become
suitable for growth, the spore will geminate, it can return to the vegetative state and
begin to grow again.

Conditions Favorable to Bacterial Growth

1. Food
2. Acidity
3. Temperature
4. Time
5. Oxygen
6. Moisture

Food
 Is the most important condition needed for bacterial growth, a suitable food supply
such as sugar, flour, noodles, rice and others may have some bacteria

Acidity
 The pH symbol is used to designate the acidity or alkalinity of a food. It is a medium
that is slightly acidic or neutral which is best for bacterial growth.

 Bacteria grows best at a slightly acidic and slightly neutral environment (pH 4.6 to
7.5)

 A food with a pH below 7 is acidic and one with a pH above 7 is alkaline. The
higher the pH, the lower the acidity, the lower the pH the higher the acidity.

 Some bacteria can develop a “spore” such as acidophilic bacteria, where it could
grow and multiply in an acidic environment

 Bacteria such as E-Coli can grow in unpasteurized apple tart that has a pH value 4.0

If the pH is: Below 4.6 – bacteria will not grow

Between 4.6 to 7.0 - bacteria will thrive

Between 7.0 to 0.0 - bacteria may survive

 Bacteria do not thrive in an acidic medium (pH below 4.6). most microorganisms
grow best at a pH between 6.6 and 7.5

 Many foods especially meats have a pH suitable for bacterial growth by adding an
acidic substance to food like vinegar, lemon or calamansi juice can be protection
against the growth of bacteria
Temperature
 S.

 Holding food in the temperature danger zone for more than three hours provides
ample opportunity for bacteria to multiply

Psychrophilic bacteria grow within a temperature range of 32°F (0°C) to 70°F

(21°C). These microorganisms are especially troublesome because they are capable
of multiplying at both refrigerated and room temperature (spoilage organism)

Mesophilic bacteria grow at temperatures between 70°F (21°C) and 110°F (43°C),
with most rapid growth at human body temperature (98.6°F, 37°C).

Thermophilic bacteria – grows best above 110 °F (43°C)

How to Control Temperature to the Growth of Bacteria

1. Cold foods, must be stored 41°F or below
2. Hot foods, must be held at 140°F and above
3. Control the temperature of food during storing, preparing, cooking, holding, re-
heating, serving
4. Check internal temperature regularly
5. Cook foods at a required internal temperature with a food thermometer
6. Keep foods out of Temperature Danger Zone

Time
 Under ideal conditions, bacterial cells can double in number every 15 to 30 minutes.
And a single bacterial cell can produce over one million cells in just five hours under
ideal conditions
 It is very important not to give bacteria an opportunity to multiply. Proper storage
and handling of food helps to prevent bacteria from multiplying.
Clostridium perfringens bacteria can double every 10 minutes
 Time and Temperature are the most critical factors affecting the growth of bacteria in
foods.
 Careful monitoring of time and temperature is the most effective way a food
establishment manager has to control the growth of disease-causing and spoilage
bacteria
A saying related to temperature control in the food industry is “Keep it hot, keep it
cold, or don’t keep it” This means all cold foods must be stored at 41°F (5°C) or below
and all hot foods held at 140°F (60°C) or above.
Oxygen
 Bacteria vary in their requirements for oxygen.
Anoerobe bacteria – cannot survive when oxygen is present because it is toxic
to them

Anaerobes grow in a vacuum-sealed bottle, packed foods, in a can or in a

large pot of food where oxygen is not available

Aerobes will grow only when supplied with free oxygen.

Facultative is responsible for most food-borne illnesses grow either with or

without the presence of oxygen

Microaerophilic organisms – can survive in a very little amount oxygen

 Controlling oxygen conditions may not be an effective way to prevent foodborne
illness. Regardless of available oxygen, some disease-causing bacteria will find
the conditions suitable for growth

How to control Oxygen

o Bacteria grow in different oxygen requirement, it is difficult to control
this condition

o Bacteria such as Clostridium Botulinum and Clostridium Perfringens

live without the presence of oxygen, it is important to cool foods in a
shallow pan

Moisture
 Moisture is an important factor in bacterial growth because they cannot ingest
food in solid form.
 The availability of water in food is described as water activity and is expressed in
Aw.
 Water Activity level – is the measure of the amount of water that is not available
for bacterial growth (0-10)

 Potentially hazardous foods (PHF) – foods that have a water activity level of .85
or higher

 Lowering water activity below 0.85 Aw reduces the ability of bacteria to grow.
 Freezing, dehydrating or mixing food with salt and sugar are ways of lowering
water activity in foods. Although bacterial activity is halted in foods with low
moisture content, the microorganisms remain alive.
  Food supplies such as sugar, flour, noodles, rice and others may have some
bacteria, but they can be safe in storage so long as they are dry

 How to Control Moisture to Control the Growth of Microorganism

o Lower the amount of moisture in food through freezing, dehydrating,
adding sugar or salt
what does the saying "Keep it hot, keep it cold, or do not keep it" means

.
Potentially hazardous foods (PHF) – foods that have a water activity level of .__________
or higher = 85 , 0 - 10 degrees F, 145 degrees F
140

PHASES OF BACTERIAL GROWTH

1. Lag Phase
Bacteria adapt themselves to growth conditions. It is the period where the individual
bacteria are maturing and not yet able to divide

2. Log Phase
Sometimes called the logarithmic phase or the exponential phase, this is the period
characterized by cell doubling

3. Stationary Phase
The growth rate slows as a result of nutrient depletion and accumulation of toxic
products. This phase is reacted as the bacteria begin to exhaust the resources that are
available to them

4. Death or Decline Phase

Bacteria run out of nutrients and die
VIRUSES
Microbes are single-celled organisms that can perform the basic functions of life –
metabolism, reproduction, and adaptation

Viruses are the simplest and tiniest of microbes, they can be as much as 10,000 times
smaller than bacteria

Viruses are even smaller than bacteria. They can’t reproduce or multiply unless they are
inside a living cell, but they can be carried on almost any surface and can survive for days
or even months.

Viruses are inactive until they enter a living cell, then they use that cell to make more
viruses and release them into the organism.

Food-borne viral diseases are usually caused by contamination from people, food contact
surfaces, or in the case of seafood, contaminated water

FUNGI
Fungi are a group or organisms and micro-organisms that are classified within their own
kingdom, the fungal kingdom, as they are neither plant or animal

Fungi draw their nutrition from decaying organic matter, living plants and even eanimals

Many pay an important role in the natural cycle as decomposers and return nutrients to
the soil, they are not all destructive

Molds and yeasts are examples of fungi. These organisms are associated primarily with
food spoilage rather than food-borne disease.

Some molds, however, produce toxins that can cause allergic reactions and severe disease
in those people who are susceptible.

Examples of Fungi
 Molds
 o Molds cause spoilage in food and could cause illnesses
o They grow under almost any conditions, but grow well in sweet, acidic
food with low water activity
o Freezing temperatures prevent or reduce the growth of molds, but not
destroyed
o Some molds produce called “aflatoxins”

 Yeast
o Yeast also cause food spoilage
o Yeast spoilage produce a smell or taste of alcohol. They appear in
pink color discoloration
o They also grown well in sweet, acidic foods with low water activity
level such as jellies, honey and fruit juices

PARASITES
Are organisms that can survive only by living on or inside another organism, lives in and
takes nourishment from the host. Parasites may pass from one host organism to another
and complete a different stage of their life cycle in each organism. They can usually
killed by proper cooking or by freezing

There are several types of parasites; protozoa are single celled organisms that are only
visible under a microscope, while worm cone in all sizes from threadworms, that measure
less than one centimeter, to tapeworms that grow up to 12 meters in length

Parasite grow naturally in many animals such as pigs, cats and rodents

They can be killed by proper cooking or freezing

Parasite can be acquired from

 Contaminated or unfiltered water
 Contaminated soil
 Contaminated fruits and vegetables
 Raw or rare meat
 Pets mosquitoes contact with feces
 Contact with someone with parasites

PREVENTING BIOLOGICAL
CHEMICAL HAZARDS
Some kinds of chemical poisoning are caused by the use of defective or improper
equipment or equipment that has been handled improperly. The following toxins (except
lead) create symptoms that show themselves very quickly, usually within 30 minutes of
eating poisoned food. By contrast, symptoms of lead poisoning can take years to appear.
To prevent these diseases, do not use the materials that cause them

1. Antimony
Caused by storing or cooking acid foods in chipped gray enamelware

2. Cadmium
Caused by cadmium-plated ice cube trays or containers

3. Cyanide
Caused by silver polish containing cyanide

4. Lead
Caused by lead water pipes, solder containing cyanide

5. Copper
Caused by luncheon or corroded copper utensils, acid foods cooked in unlined
copper utensils, or carbonated beverages in contact with copper tubing

6. Zinc
Caused by cooking foods in zinc-plated (galvanized) utensils
 Other chemical contamination can result from exposure of foods to chemicals used in
commercial food service establishments

Examples:
 Cleaning compounds
 Polishing compounds
 Insecticides

PHYSICAL HAZARDS
Is contamination of food with objects that may not be toxic but may cause injury or
discomfort

Examples:
 Pieces of glass from a broken container
 Metal shavings from an improperly opened can
 Stones from poorly sorted dried beans
 Soil from poorly washed vegetables
 Insects or insect parts
 hair