Food Poisoning
Food Safety and Food Poisoning
What is food poisoning? It is an acute illness, usually sudden, brought about by eating contaminated or poisonous food. The symptoms of food poisoning are:
1. sickness – vomiting
2. Diarrhea
3. Fever
The main causes of food poisoning are:
1. Bacteria – the commonest
2. Viruses – which are smaller than bacteria, are normally found in water
3. Poisonous plants – toadstools, red kidney beans (insufficiently cooked)
Bacteria are tiny bugs that live in the air, in water, in soil, on and in people, in and on food. Some bacteria causes illness. They are called PATHOGENIC bacteria. Some bacteria cause food to rot and decay, they are called SPOILAGE bacteria. Warmth. They love body temperature of 73 degrees but can happily grow at 15 degrees. Time. Each bacteria grows by splitting in half. Food. They like high protein foods for example, poultry, cooked meat, dairy produce, shellfish, cooked rice, stews and gravies.
Moisture. They need water and most foods have enough water or moisture to let the bacteria thrive.
Once the right conditions (5 – 63c) return, the spore comes out of its protective casing and becomes a growing, food poisoning bacteria again.
Bacteria and food poisoning
We have established that the presence of bacteria is one of the most common causes of food poisoning – the presence of poisonous chemicals can also cause food poisoning. There are a number of potentially toxic chemicals present in food. Toxic food poisoning is mainly caused by Staphylococci in the UK and more rarely in this country, Clostridium Botulinum.
Foods most commonly affected by Staphylococci are:
• Meat pies
• Sliced meats
• Synthetic cream
Staphylococci are also present in skin wounds and infections and find their way into foods via the the hands of an infected food handler. Food poisoning from Clostridium botulinum – known as botulism – is extremely serious. Foods most commonly affected by clostridium botulinum are:
• Inadequately processed canned meat, vegetables and fish.
YEASTS & MOULDS – microscopic organisms some of which are desirable in food and contribute to its characteristics. Moulds can grow where there is too little moisture for yeasts and bacteria to grow. Yeasts are single celled plants or organisms larger than bacterial, that grow on foods containing moisture and sugar. Yeasts are destroyed by heat.
VIRUS – microscopic particles transmitted by food which may cause illness. Unlike bacteria, viruses cannot multiply or grow in food.
High standards of hygiene and through cooking of foods must be applied. Raw and cooked meat must be stored at correct temperature and cross contamination must be avoided.
SALMONELLA – is present in the intestines of animals and human beings. Foods affected include poultry, meat, eggs and shellfish. • washing hands and equipment and surfaces after handling raw poultry
• not allowing carriers of the disease to handle food.
Control of Bacteria
There are three methods of controlling bacteria:
1. Protect food from bacteria in the air by keeping foods covered. To prevent cross contamination, use separate boards and knives for cooked and uncooked foods Use different coloured boards for particular foods. Store cooked and uncooked foods separately. 3. To kill bacteria, subject bacteria to a temperature of 77c for 30 seconds or a higher temperature for less time. Certain bacteria develop into spores and can withstand higher temperatures for longer periods of time. The main food hygiene regulations of importance to the caterer are: Food Safety (General Food Hygiene) Regulations 1995 and Food Safety (Temperature Control) Regulations 1995. These implemented the EC Food Hygiene directive (93/43 EEC). They replaced a number of different regulations including the Food Safety (General) Regulations of 1970. The regulations place two general requirements on owners of food businesses:
• To ensure that all food handling operations are carried out hygienically and according to the ‘Rules of Hygiene’.
• To identify and control all potential food safety hazards, using a systems approach either HACCP or Assured Safe Catering.
Catering establishments have a general obligation to supervise and instruct and provide training in food safety & hygiene commensurate with their employees’ responsibilities. Prevention of food poisoning
prevention of food poisoning
Almost all food poisoning can be prevented by:
• ensuring that high standards of cleanliness are applied to premises and equipment
• preventing accidents
• high standards of personal hygiene
• maintaining equipment in good repair and clean condition
• using separate equipment and knives for cooked and uncooked foods
• storing foods at the right temperature
• safe reheating of foods
• quick cooling of foods prior to storage
• protection of foods from vermin and insects;
• hygienic washing-up procedures;
• Knowing how food poison is caused
• carrying out procedures to prevent food poisoning.
It was only a brief overview of food safety on food poisoning.