Food Sanitation and Safety Overview

Food Sanitation and Safety

• Sanitation is derived from the Latin word sanitas, meaning "health".
• Applied to the food industry, sanitation is the creation and maintenance of hygienic and healthful conditions.
• In 2019, the WHO emphasized that safe food supplies support national economies, trade, and tourism.
• World population growth, urbanization, changes in consumer habits (including travel and climate change), have intensified and industrialized agriculture and animal production, creating opportunities and challenges for food safety.
• Unsafe food containing harmful bacteria, viruses, parasites, or chemical substances cause more than 200 diseases.
• These range from diarrhea to cancer, affecting an estimated 600 million people (almost 1 in 10 globally) each year.
• 420,000 people die annually from contaminated food, resulting in the loss of 33 million healthy life years due to foodborne illness.
• Children under five years of age carry 40% of the foodborne disease burden.
• 125,000 deaths occur in this age group annually due to foodborne illnesses.
• Foodborne diseases impede socioeconomic development by straining health care systems and harming national economies, tourism, and trade.
• Food includes any substance, whether processed, semi-processed, or raw, intended for human consumption, including drinks and chewing gum. It also includes any substance used in the manufacture, preparation, or treatment of food, but excludes cosmetics, tobacco, and substances used only as drugs.
• Food hygiene and sanitation are necessary conditions and measures for food production, processing, storage, and distribution, to ensure wholesome, safe, and sound products fit for human consumption.
• A foodborne disease outbreak (FBDO) is defined by the CDC as an occurrence where at least two people experience a similar illness resulting from consuming a common food.
• Foodborne (waterborne) illness results from ingesting food or water contaminated with microorganisms or chemicals. Contamination can occur at any stage, from production to consumption.

Foodborne Illness as a Threat to the Food Service Industry

• Philippine foodborne disease outbreaks (2005-2018) involved 209 reported cases. Meat dishes were most frequently implicated.
• Food service eating facilities and households were most commonly affected by outbreaks.
• Although agents were not always identified, Salmonella, Henipaviral, Entamoeba hisolytica, Vibrio parahaemolyticus were among the causative agents implicated. Staphylococcal enterotoxins, carbamate toxin, and Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) toxin are also implicated.
• Common causes of foodborne illness include poor personal hygiene, time-temperature abuse, and cross-contamination.

Common Symptoms of Foodborne Illness

• Vomiting
• Nausea
• Stomach cramps
• Dizziness
• Diarrhea

Groups More Likely to Develop Foodborne Illness

• Pregnant women
• Young children
• Older adults with weakened immune systems (e.g., due to diabetes, liver disease, kidney disease, organ transplants, HIV/AIDS, chemotherapy, or radiation treatment)

Cost of Foodborne Illnesses to Food Enterprises

• Loss of clients and ultimately profits.
• Loss of brand reputation.
• Legal suits.
• Increased insurance premiums.
• Embarrassment.

Outbreak Locations (Philippine data 2005-2018)

• Food service facilities (schools, restaurants, hotels): 31 mortalities, 74 occurrences, 4946 cases
• Households (single/multiple): 63 mortalities, 102 occurrences, 4972 cases
• Other locations (offices, public gatherings): 3 mortalities, 33 occurrences, 3673 cases

This quiz covers the essential concepts of food sanitation and safety, highlighting the importance of hygienic conditions in the food industry. It discusses the impact of unsafe food on global health, including the statistics surrounding foodborne illnesses and their consequences. Learn how sanitation practices contribute to overall health and wellness in society.