INTRODUCTION TO FOOD SAFETY

If you have any questions, please call (928) 402-8811.

Abbreviations used in this presentation

 Abd – Abdominal
 FBI – Foodborne Illness
 N/V – Nausea and Vomiting
 S/S – Signs and Symptoms
What is Foodborne Illness (FBI)?
 Any illness caused by food.
 May be caused by microorganisms (bacteria,
viruses, fungi, parasites), chemicals, or physical
hazards.
 Many times, your “upset” stomach is really caused
by FBI.
Who is most at risk?
 Children
 Their immune systems aren’t fully developed yet.
 Elderly, seniors
 Their immune systems aren’t as robust due to aging and
often have other diseases (like heart disease, diabetes) that
further weaken the immune system.
 Pregnant women
 Both the woman and fetus are at risk.
 Individuals with compromised immune systems (like
those with cancer, HIV, recent illnesses like the flu)
Common Causes of FBI
 Sick food worker/food handler
 Poor personal hygiene/bare hand contact
 Improper holding temperatures
 Improper cooling
 Inadequate cooking and reheating
 Cross-contamination
 Use of food from unknown sources
Sources of Food Contamination
 Air
 Water
 Soil
 Food workers/handlers
 Packaging materials
 Pests
 Food preparation surfaces
 Individual ingredients (one thing is contaminated, so
it’s all contaminated)
Potentially Hazardous Foods
(PHF)
 Foods that provide suitable conditions for rapid
growth of microorganisms.
 Include foods high in protein (like meats, poultry,
fish, milk products), plant proteins (soy, tofu),
starches (cooked rice, cooked beans), cooked
veggies (potatoes), leafy greens, cut tomatoes, raw
sprouts, garlic in oil.
 Exceptions: Low water content, high acidity (pH
4.6 or below), air cooked, hard boiled eggs with
shells.
Storing of PHF
 Must be kept hot (at least 135°F) or cold (below
41°F)
 Best way to determine if PHF is kept at the right
temperature is to measure it with a thermometer.
Thermometer Method
 Sanitize the probe using alcohol wipes, or in a
chemical sanitizing solution of 50PPM for at least one
minute, or swabbing with a chorine sanitizing solution
of 100PPM.
 Measure the internal product temperature by inserting
the probe into the thickest part or center of the product.
Take measurements at several points.
 Wait for roughly 15 seconds or until the reading is
steady to read it.
 Clean and sanitize the thermometer for later use.
Danger Zone!
 The temperatures at which microorganisms grow
the best. 41°F - 140°F. Our 2013 Food Code,
requires keeping hot foods at 135°F.
Ready-to-Eat Foods
 Foods that do not need additional cooking or
washing.
 Extra care must be taken to ensure safety of these
foods!
 Wear latex-free gloves when handling ready-to-eat
foods or use utensils to handle those foods.
Hazards
 Biological Hazards
 Microorganisms (bacteria, virus, fungi, parasites)
 Most common causes of food illnesses
 Chemical Hazards
 May be naturally occurring (think poisonous fish),
pesticides
 Physical Hazards
 Bone fragments, pieces of glass, jewelry, band-aids
Acute FBI Causes
 Infection
 Biological hazards are consumed along with food
 Typically, signs/symptoms include nausea, abd pain, fever,
diarrhea
 Intoxication
 Food that contains toxic chemical
 Include the consumption of poisonous plants, fish, or food that
is tainted with pesticides
 Toxin-Mediated Infection
 Consumption of food that produces toxins once inside of the
human body
Bacteria
 Many times doesn’t alter how something looks,
smells, or tastes.
 Potentially Hazardous Foods
 Foods of animal origin
 Foods of plant origin, consisting of raw seed sprouts
 Garlic and oil mixtures that aren’t modified
Escherichia coli - bacteria
 Infection and toxin-mediated infection
 Commonly found in intestines of warm-blooded animals
 May be found in other foods that have been contaminated with
infected fecal matter
 May also spread through food handlers and food prep
practices
 Flu-like symptoms, abd pain, N/V, watery and/or bloody
diarrhea
 May develop into HUS (Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome)
 Red blood cells are destroyed, leads to kidney failure especially in
children, and death if not treated
Listeria Monocytogenes - Bacteria
 Primarily affects the most at-risk people
 Fever, muscle aches, gastrointestinal symptoms (diarrhea,
cramping)
 Spreads to the nervous system (headaches, stiff neck, confusion,
lack of coordination, seizures)
 May lead to adverse pregnancy outcomes (miscarriage, preterm
labor, stillbirth)
 Found in soil, water
 Is killed by pasteurization and cooking, but if something is pre-
cooked, it may be contaminated after cooking
 Can grow at refrigerated temperatures!
Salmonella - Bacteria
 Lives in the intestinal tracts of birds, humans
 Typically contaminated animal source foods, cross-
contamination
 Fever, abd cramping, diarrhea
 At-risk people are at risk for other complications
because they are more easily able to get other
infections in addition to salmonella
Staphylococcus Aureus - Bacteria
 N/V, abd pain, extreme fatigue
 Humans and animals are primarily where it’s found
 Spread though droplets of saliva, coughing,
sneezing
 Food handlers contamination – need to wash
hands!
 Temperature Abuse – kept in the danger zone too
long!
Spore-Forming Bacteria
 Rod-shaped bacteria that form spores.
 Spores – inactive forms of bacteria that’s able to survive
harsh conditions for long time periods
 Commonly found in soil
 Can survive for several months
 When conditions are favorable again, the spores will
sprout and bacteria will grow
 Commonly found in spices, vegetables
 Not unusual for animals to eat feed that has been
contaminated with spores
Clostridium botulinium – Spore-Forming

 AKA – Botulism
 Associated mostly with home canned foods
 Inadequately cooked (didn’t get hot enough, long enough)
 Grows at room temperature
 Produces a neurotoxin…Deadly!!
 Fatigue, headache, dizziness, vision problems, difficulty
breathing, which progress to paralysis of limbs, trunk, and
respiratory muscles
 Can be destroyed if boiled for 20 minutes
 If you have any bloated cans, do not use!
Viruses
 Hepatitis A
 Causes liver disease
 Can be symptom free for up to six weeks, contagious
for one week before symptoms show and two weeks
after symptoms show
 Food handling – again, washing hands is so important!
 Jaundice, fatigue, abd pain, loss of appetite, nausea,
diarrhea, fever
Norovirus
 AKA – Stomach Flu, Stomach Bug, Gastroenteritis
 N/V, diarrhea, abd cramping, sometimes fever,
chills, headache, fatigue
 Contagious from time of symptoms to at least three
days after recovery (even up to two weeks)
 Very easy to spread, especially in food
establishments.
Chemical Contamination
 MSG, pesticide residue, mercury
 Vomiting is the most common symptom
 Not very common
Prevention of FBI
 Proper temperature handling and cooking is key!
 Personal hygiene
 Wash hands after using the restroom, between different
working tasks, stay home if you are sick and notify
your supervisor
 Avoiding cross-contamination
 Properly sanitize food prep surfaces, store raw meats
below other foods like veggies
Questions?
 Please call Gila County Division of Health &
Emergency Services at (928) 402-8811 and ask for
the Environmental Health Department.