Food Safety and Technology Overview

Food Safety and Technology

• Food safety ranks as a major consumer concern in the US and Canada due to potential hazards.
• The FDA oversees US food safety efforts and prioritizes microbial foodborne illnesses, natural toxins, food residues, food nutrients, food additives, and genetically modified foods.
• Foodborne illnesses affect roughly 76 million Americans every year, leading to ~5,000 deaths.
• Potential hazards include natural toxins in large single-food quantities.
• Residues include environmental contaminants and animal drugs.
• Genetically modified foods undergo scrutiny before entering the market.

Agencies Monitoring U.S. Food Supply

• CDC monitors foodborne diseases through FoodNet and PulseNet.
• EPA regulates pesticides and water quality standards.
• FDA ensures the safety of most interstate-sold foods, inspects plants and sets standards.
• USDA enforces standards for meat, poultry, and eggs, and conducts nutrition research and public education.
• WHO develops international standards to regulate pesticide use.

Microbes and Food Safety

• Food bioterrorism, concerns from naturally toxicants, pesticide residues, and industrial compounds, and food additives are also potential threats to safety.
• Foodborne illnesses caused by microbes are life threatening
• Foodborne illnesses do not always respond to antibiotics
• Food borne microbes can be lethal for people who are ill/malnourished, with Liver/Stomach illnesses, have compromised immune system, or are pregnant/very old/young
• The FDA counters food bioterrorism with risk-assessment systems for producers and importers.
• A foodborne illness results from microbes causing either infection or intoxication by releasing enterotoxins or neurotoxins.
• Infectious agents such as Salmonella multiply in and infect human tissues
• Staphylococcus aureus is a common cause while Clostridium botulinum is the most infamous food intoxication bacteria
• Clostridium botulinum produces a deadly toxin in anaerobic conditions, such as improperly canned foods
• Even a tiny quantity the toxin is enough to kill
• Clostridium botulinum makes seeing, swallowing, and speaking difficult, and requires immediate medical attention if ingested
• Anaerobic means without oxygen
• Warning signs of Botulism are the following: difficulty breathing/swallowing, double vision and weak muscles

Common Foodborne Illnesses

• Campylobacteriosis comes from raw poultry and has symptoms lasting several days.
• Cryptosporidiosis comes from contaminated water and has symptoms that may clear up and then return.
• Cyclosporiasis is from contaminated water and can cause diarrhea for weeks/months.
• E. Coli infections come from ground beef and can be fatal
• Gastroenteritis/Norovirus is usually transferred from person to person and has a very quick period of vomiting
• Giardiasis comes from contaminated water and can cause diarrhea/gas
• Hepatitis A can come from raw shellfish and has symptoms that can last weeks to months
• Listeriosis can come from unpasteurized products and can cause fever
• Perfringens food poisoning comes from meats and has abdominal pain and diarrhea

Food Safety from Farm to Table

• Food safety demands food handling and preparations are done correctly by domestic and national food industries, to help prevent illness
• Systematically apply effective food-safety measures from farm to table in predictable ways.
• Clearly establish priorities and practices based on known risks.
• Involve participants at all levels of food production and delivery.
• Be cost-effective and minimally disruptive of trade.
• Pasteurization heats milk to eliminate disease causing organisms

Flow of Food Safety

• Farms must use safe harvesting and storing techniques
• Processing must abide to USDA and FDA guidelines
• Transportation must be clean and have cold foods at all times
• Retail must follow FDA codes, including inspections and food safety knowledge
• Consumer must be mindful of possibilty of food bourne illnesses

Microbes and Food Safety

• An outbreak is described as two or more cases of identical organisms from a common food.
• Hemolytic-uremic syndrome and antibiotics can worsen the condition of an infection.
• Meat processing plants perform inspections of meat processing plants with Hazard Analysis Critical control point to help prevent infections from their sources.
• Salmonella contamination is controlled with the success of the HACCP.
• Wash jars, cans, and packages carefully and check for freshness after the use of batch numbering enables the recall of contaminated foods through public announcements in the media.

Food Handling

• Clean: Wash your hands
• Seperate: Do NOT cross contaminate
• Cook: Make sure to cook to proper temperature
• Chill: Refrigerate promptpy
• Most hazards are undetectable by odor, taste, or appearance.
• Nails need routine nail care to ensure no dirt gets stuck and contaminates from an individual
• Hand sanitizers that are alcohol based are more effective than others and is recommended

Safe Food Storage Times: Refrigerator (≤40°F)

• 1-2 days: Raw ground meats, breakfast or other raw sausages, variety meats; raw fish or poultry; gravies
• 3-5 days: Raw steaks, roasts, or chops; cooked meats, vegetables, and mixed dishes; ham slices; mayonnaise salads (chicken, egg, pasta, tuna)
• 1 Week: Hard-cooked eggs, bacon or hot dogs (opened packages); whole or half hams; smoked sausages
• 2-4 Weeks: Raw eggs (in shells); bacon or hot dogs (packages unopened); dry sausages (pepperoni, hard salami); most aged and processed cheeses (Swiss, brick)
• 2 Months: Mayonnaise (opened jar); most dry cheeses (Parmesan, Romano)

Problem Foods

• Meats provide moisture and nutrients that bacteria require to grow; to thwart them, control temperature.
• Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy has been linked to a human brain disorder called Prion.
• Follow the USDA safe handling label on proper sanitation of meats

Raw Eggs and Seafood

• Ensure that raw, unpasteurized eggs are not infected with Salmonella or other forms of bacteria.
• Make sure to cook eggs until yolks are solid and to cook any egg related materials before consumption, to ensure that there is no dangerous food related infection
• Seafood might also inherit a variety of worms or parasites; make sure that seafood is consumed properly within a variety of cooking measures to ensure that the product is safe to eat.

Raw Produce

• Use high levels of proper food handling techniques to make sure that produce is as clean as possible, including things such as lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, and scallions.
• Always rinse thoroughly and make sure that foods are prepared properly and that unpasteurized labels have proper warnings
• There has been a common misconception called the Biofilm, which removes and covers both protein and carbohydrates, so that the bacteria is unable to survive rinsing and proper water based cleaning.

Food Myths

• These common myths about raw seafood can lead to dangerous foodborne illnesses:
If a seafood was consumed raw in the past with no ill effect, it is safe to do so today.
• Drinking alcohol or consuming hot sauce with raw seafood will “kill the germs.”

Avoiding Illnesses When Traveling

• Always use caution whenever sanitation has appeared lacking when traveling, make sure to ask physicians with regard to taking proper medicine or supplements to help avoid getting too sick when traveling.

Proper Hand Washing

Wash your hands regularly and routinely with soap and water, scrubbing all components

• Wash regularly to ensure that there are no germs or long lasting materials from any kind of product
• Make sure to wash after any kind of contact
• Properly disenfect both towels and soaps to help reduce the risk of contamination
• Use chemicals regularly and properly, and do not expose them into the open environment
• Cook every food product properly, and make sure that all food products are made and stored properly

Advances in Microbial Food Safety

• Irradiation involves exposing foods to controlled doses of gamma rays to reduce pathogens, insects, and extend shelf life.
• Foods approved for irradiation by the FDA include fruits, eggs, flour, meats, poultry, mushrooms, and spices.
• Modified Atmosphere packaging packs foods in plastic from which air is removed and replaced with gases like carbon dioxide and nitrogen, reducing oxygen-dependent microbes and spoilage.

Modified Atmosphere Packaging

• Prevents discoloration of produce.
• Slows ripening to enhance flavor.
• Must be chilled in order to not let bacteria flourish.

Toxins Residues, and Contaminates in Foods

• The herbs belladonna and hemlock are known to be harmful, and that sassafras can contain a carcinogen that is not approved in production.
• Foods with toxins, that is, cyanognes, including lima beans, cannot be delivered with certain production materials, nor are the materials approved for use by consumers when exposed to certain conditions
• Red tide toxin, often developed in seafood and throughout processes such as making or gathering sea materials, demands care and is monitored by FDA, where these problems can sometimes result in paralysis if these materials are not checked to make sure that all is OK
• People must focus on moderation when consuming from certain source because some chemicals can affect certain consumers
• EPA and FDA regulate what kind of chemicals are introduced into a given environment for safety

Chemicals in Pesticides

• The more chemicals put into a pesticide, the less chemicals used in farms and agriculture.
• Pesticides must be reviewed every year due to the potential chemicals given off and should therefore be known ahead of use due to EPA and FDA testing for these factors and contaminants.
• Consumers can also make sure to try to and use a variety of different products in order to ensure no one product affects different chemical interactions
• Pesticides can hurt children due to the rate at which it enters the body and cannot always be filtered out or destroyed.
• Wash carefully as much as possible to help keep the chemicals out to ensure the food has been cleaned as best as possible

Reducing Pesticide Residue Intakes

• Table 12-8 Ways to Reduce Pesticide Residue Intakes states a set of bullet points to help guide individuals with limiting these harmful ingredients in their bodies
• In addition to the step, remember to eat a variety of different foods to minimize exposure to chemicals and materials.

Ways to Reduce Residue Intake

• Make sure to wash all fruits and vegetables when rinsing, make sure to cut off the fat of meat, removing skin of poultry and discarding oils and fats, and to buy certified organic when possible

Organic Foods

• Consumers say they want more freshness, more nutrients, and to avoid the other things
• Make sure that all aspects are followed under a strict set of standards with regard to product, and see Figure 12-8 provides visual help.
• Always try to seek to make sure that the nutritional value of the food source is followed in case of an organic and inorganic set of regulations.
• Seek to remove different variables when cooking; organic may be a good base for all, and it is recommended that that be heavily focused on in order to keep prices affordable

What’s been used

• Arsenic
• Cadmium
• Lead
• Mercury
• Selenium
• Chlorine
• Ethylene dichloride
• Iodine
• Acrilamide
• Lysinoalaine

Concerns

• As different types of contamination, whether through livestock raising or otherwise, it is important to follow the points for the ingredients and materials, to make sure as much as possible all food is cleaned as can be, and in a general context this can all be followed well
• The FDA suggests that all has to be adhered to standards and that the process is safe

Food Additives Safe

• Many factors must be followed, ingredients, amount, what it’s there for
• In reviewal process, FDA approves amount and purposes, what to keep safe

Additives

• *AntiMicrobial: prevents food from spoiling
• *AntiOxidants: Prevents delay in Rancidity
• *Artificial Colors: Adds artificial color
• *Flavor Enhancers: Boosts flavor
• *Bleahcing: Whiten the product
• *And a variety of other purposes in order to make sure products can succeed to make sure the materials are safe to use"