America’s Most Unwanted

What Causes Foodborne Illness?  Foods that are not stored or prepared in a clean or safe manner.  Dirty kitchen  AKA Food Poisoning  Symptoms like stomach flu –Headache –Fever –Cramps –Diarrhea –Vomitting  Pathogen-organism or substance that invades the body and damages cells  Bacteria-tiny animals with 1 cell

The Danger Zone

Is It Done Yet?

Salmonella  One of the most common causes of food borne illnesses  Raw Poultry and eggs are main food sources  Can also enter through cross-contamination

Listeria  Found mostly in raw milk  Heat kills the bacteria (all milk in US is warmed)  Brie and Camembert cheeses, hot dogs, and lunch meats are main sources  Unwashed fruits and vegetables also a source (when polluted water is used to water crops)

Staphylococci  Most common type of bacteria that produce toxin in foods  Protein rich foods and cream filled pastries are the most common sources  Moist salads (potato salad, macaroni salad)  Enters food when you sneeze or cough or hands are dirty.  Not destroyed by heat –Only way to prevent is to prevent the growth (avoid the danger zone

Clostridium Perfringens  Banquet germs  Gravy, protein rich foods, stews, soups, creamy foods  Unwashed fruits and vegetables  Cross-contamination

Botulism  Most deadly bacteria  Can grow only if no air is present  Heat kills it  Find mostly in foods canned at home

E. Coli  Most types are harmless but some do cause serious illness  Found in undercooked meat (hamburger)  Can cause death esp. in chn and elderly  Cook all raw meats thoroughly  Never eat undercooked meat

Campylobacter  2 nd most common cause of illness  Found in almost all raw poultry  Safe food handling  Cook to safe temperature  Refrigerate food promptly

Yersina Entercolytica  Found in undercooked pork  Most common in children  Raw chitterlings major source  Cook food thoroughly  Wash hands thoroughly after handling raw meats  Watch for cross-contamination

Vibrio vulnificus  Similar to V. cholera  Less severe illness and less common but underreported  Raw fish and shellfish – raw oysters

Vibrio cholera  Marine and freshwater bacterium  Severe and often deadly illness  Raw and undercooked seafood and contaminated water  6 hr to 5 day incubation  Severe diarrhea and vomiting. Loss of body fluid leads to shock and death.

Shigella  Only carried by humans and easily spread via food.  Salads, milk, dair, ground beef, poulty and unclean water  1-7 day incubation  Diarrhea, fever, cramps, vomiting, bloody stools  One species causes dysentery

Keep Food out of the Danger Zone  Fridge should degrees F  Serve food while it is hot  Keep cold foods cold until you are ready to use them  Take groceries right home after shopping  Put frozen and refridgerated foods away first  Thoroughly heat leftovers  Date frozen foods  Keep canned and dry foods in a cool dry area  Keep freezer at 0 degrees  When packing food for an outing use a cooler and keep it closed and out of the sun  Thaw frozen food in the microwave or refridgerator  Place leftovers in the fridge immediately

WHEN IN DOUBT… THROW IT OUT!!!