Objective 1.01 Understand Food Safety Issues

Who’s at Risk Food poisoning or foodborne illness can affect anyone who eats food contaminated by bacteria, viruses, parasites, toxins, or other substances. But, certain groups of people are more susceptible to foodborne illness. This means that they are more likely to get sick from contaminated food and, if they do get sick, the effects are much more serious.

Which is the high risk population for foodborne illness ○ Infants and preschool-age children – Very young children are at a higher risk for getting a foodborne illness because they have not yet build up strong immune systems. – Elderly People As people age, changes occur in their organs. For example, stomach-acid production decreases as people get older. This allows more pathogens that previously may have been eaten to enter the intestines.

Which is the high risk population for foodborne illness ○ People with compromised immune systems This include people with cancer or on chemotherapy, and people with HIV/AIDS. People who have had organ or bone-marrow transplants and those on certain medication are also immune- compromised.

U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) And the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) share primary responsibility for overseeing the safety of the U.S. food supply. In addition, all states have their own laws, regulations and agencies dedicated to food safety. The federal Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is mainly responsible for investigating localized and nationwide outbreaks of foodborne illnesses.

FDA/USDA In many cases, the food safety functions of the FDA and USDA overlap; particularly inspection/enforcement, training, research, and rulemaking, for both domestic and imported food. Both USDA and FDA currently conduct similar inspections at some 1,500 dual jurisdiction establishments -- facilities that produce foods regulated by both agencies.

Differing Authorities

Questions Why are pre-school-age children at a higher risk for foodborne illness? a.They have not build up strong immune systems. b.They are more likely to spend time in a hospital c.They are more likely to suffer allergic reactions d.Their appetites have not increased since birth.