Foodborne Illness: Bacteria and Viruses

• Foodborne illness, also known as food poisoning, occurs when a person gets sick from contaminated food.
• Harmful micro-organisms like bacteria, parasites, or viruses can cause the contamination.
• Symptoms: nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, fever, and diarrhea.

Bacteria

• Single-celled organisms.
• Most are harmless.
• Some bacteria are pathogenic which means they cause illnesss.
• Thrive in warm, damp places.
• Can double in number every 10-30 minutes.
• Bacteria shapes: Sphere-shaped (cocci), Rod-shaped (bacilli), and Spiral-shaped (spirochetes).
• Salmonella is a type of bacteria that commonly causes illness.
• Sources of Salmonella: contaminated meat, milk, juice, cheese, and veggies.
• Reptiles, amphibians, and birds can also carry the bacteria.
• Salmonella symptoms: diarrhea, fever, stomach cramps, vomiting for 4-7 days.

Viruses

• Smallest forms of life.
• Cannot reproduce outside a living host cell.
• Hepatitis A is a virus that causes liver disease.
• Sources of Hepatitis A: raw or undercooked shellfish, raw produce, contaminated water, fecal material from an infected person.
• Hepatitis A symptoms: diarrhea, dark urine, jaundice, fever, nausea, loss of appetite.

Parasites

• Tiny organisms that require a host to live.
• Toxoplasma gondii is a parasite that affects many people.
• Sources of parasites: contaminated raw meat, cutting boards, feces from infected cats, contaminated water.
• Parasite symptoms: enlarged lymph nodes, headache, muscle pain, fever, sore throat, eye disease.

Preventing Foodborne Illness

• Wash hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and water before eating or preparing food.
• Wash utensils, cookware, and surfaces with soap and water.
• Rinse fruits and vegetables with water.
• Use separate cutting boards and plates for raw produce, meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs.
• Cook food to at least 140°F.
• The danger zone where bacteria rapidly multiply is from 40°F to 140°F.
• Refrigerate perishable foods within two hours or less.
• Set refrigerator between 40°F and 32°F, and freezer at 0°F or below.
• Thaw or marinate foods in the refrigerator or microwave.
• Throw out food that is past its expiration date.