The Microworld Objective: Identify factors that affect foodborne bacteria (FAT TOM), characteristics of TCS foods, major foodborne pathogens, preventions, and characteristics of naturally occurring toxins.

Microworld Microorganisms: small, living organisms that can be seen only through a microscope. Pathogens: microorganisms that cause illnesses Toxins: the poisons in foodborne pathogens

What do Pathogens Need to Grow? FAT TOM: Food: The host Acidity: PH level of 4.6-7.5 Time: 4 hours or more Temperature: temperature danger zone 41-135*F Oxygen: the presence or absences of Moisture: water activity of .85 or higher

Foods Most Likely to Become Unsafe

How to Keep Foods Safe By controlling FAT TOM Operations will most likely be able to control Time and Temperature only. TCS foods: Time and Temperature Control for Safety.

Biological Pathogens Viruses Bacteria Parasites Fungi

Virus The leading cause of foodborne illness Characteristics: Can survive refrigeration Cannot grow in food, but once eaten, they can grown in a person’s intestines Can contaminate both food and water Can be transmitted from person to person, people to food, and from people to food contact surfaces.

Virus Continued Prevention: Illnesses: Keep foodhandlers who are vomiting, have diarrhea, or jaundice from working WASH YOUR HANDS Minimize bare-hand contact with ready-to-eat foods Illnesses: Hepatitis A Norovirus gastronteritis

Bacteria Characteristics: Prevention: Illnesses: Keeping food out of the temperature danger zone Grow rapidly in the right FAT TOM conditions Changing into a different form, called spores, to survive Some produce toxins in food as they grow and die Prevention: Control time and temperature Prevent cross-contamination Personal hygiene Purchase form approved, reputable suppliers Illnesses: Bacillus Cereus Listeriosis Hemorrhagic colitis Clostridium perfringens botulism

Parasites Characteristics: Prevention: Illnesses: They must be in the meat of another animal, called a host, to survive. They can use many animals as hosts They can be found in the feces of animals and people Can contaminate both food and water, particularly water used to irrigate produce Prevention: Purchase from approved and reputable suppliers Illnesses: Anisakiasis Cryptosporidiosis Ciardiasis

Fungi Characteristics: Prevention Mold: Yeast: They spoil and sometimes cause illnesses Some produce toxins Grow under almost any condition. Mostly in acidic foods with low water activity Cooler or freezer temperatures may slow their growth, but will not kill them Yeast: Spoil food quickly. Signs are a smell or taste of alcohol, and white or pink discoloration or slime Like molds grow well in acidic, high water activity foods. Prevention Throw out all moldy food, unless the mold is a natural product Cut away all moldy areas in hard cheese, salami and firm fruit and vegetables

Biological Toxins Seafood Toxins: Cannot be tasted or smelled, destroyed by freezing, or cooking. Toxins are produced by the seafood itself. Ex: pufferfish, moray eels, and freshwater minnows. Other toxins occur when predatory fish consume smaller fish that has eaten the toxin, and when shellfish eat algae that have the toxin. Prevention: purchase from approved and reputable supplier Illnesses: Srombroid poisoning Ciguarera fish poisoning Paralytic shellfish poisoning Neurotoxic shellfish poisoning Amnesic shellfish poisoning

Produce Produce has become vehicles for pathogens. Due to the growing demand for healthier alternatives year round operations are purchasing larger quantities, shipping greater distances, and purchasing from other countries. Prevention: Eat seasonally grown produce. And buy from a local or organic farm.

Questions What food items are better able to support the growth of pathogens? What two FAT TOM conditions are easiest for an establishment to control? How can an outbreak of Norovirus be prevented? What measures should be taken to prevent a seafood specific foodborne illness? How can plant toxins be prevented from getting into food?