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California State University, Long Beach
Kaleidoscope Festival & Open House. April 26, 2008
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Basics of Food-borne Illness

Food-borne illness is a preventable disease carried to people through food. Symptoms of food-borne illness vary, but often include abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and cramps. Fever and infection also occur in some cases. Most symptoms appear within 12 hours and last one or more days.

The three major causes of food-borne illness are microorganisms, chemical hazards and physical hazards:

  • Microorganisms are very small living organisms including bacteria and viruses that cause about 90 percent of food-borne illness.
  • Chemical hazards include pesticides and cleaning chemicals that are accidentally introduced into foods.
  • Physical hazards include pieces of metal and glass, for instance, which may inadvertently fall into food.

Bacteria are one-celled organisms invisible to the eye; they are found everywhere. Bacteria of concern to the food service worker are found on the skin and hair; in the nose, mouth and throat; in coughs and sneezes; on soiled clothing and aprons; on the hands; around rings and watches; under fingernails; and in and around cuts, boils, burns and infections. A food service worker may introduce bacteria into food by poor personal hygiene or poor food-handling techniques. Bacteria are frequently present in some foods, such as poultry and eggs, and also may be present on equipment that has not been properly cleaned. Bacteria need the following three conditions to grow:

  1. Moist protein foods: These include meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk and dairy products, cooked rice, potatoes and beans. These foods give the bacteria food and water to live on.
  2. Temperature between 45° and I4O°F: This temperature range represents the “danger zone” in which bacteria will grow quickly. As a reference, room temperature is about 70°F. and refrigerated temperatures are below 45°F.
  3. Time to multiply: Bacteria only need three to four hours in the “danger zone” to grow to sufficient numbers to cause food-borne illness.
    It is important to know these conditions; when bacteria grow to certain numbers in foods, they cause food-borne illness.

Viruses are incomplete cells smaller than bacteria. They need to live within another cell in order to reproduce. Viruses cause colds, flu, measles, chicken pox, herpes and infectious hepatitis. Viruses are different from bacteria in that they do not multiply in food; rather, they use food as a carrier to their next victim. Therefore, it is necessary to keep viruses out of food by practicing good personal hygiene and by not handling food when sick.

A parasite of particular concern to food service workers is Trichinella, which is sometimes found in pork. It is necessary to cook pork to an internal temperature of at least 165°F to prevent the disease trichinosis.