Community Food Supply and Health Chapter 13

Chapter 13 Community Food Supply and Health The health of a community largely depends on the safety of its available food and water supply. The safety of food and water supply involves government control agencies and regulations + local and state public health officials Potential health problems related to the food supply can arise from several sources such as lack of sanitation, food borne disease, and poverty

Chapter 13 Community Food Supply and Health KEY CONCEPTS Modern food production, processing, and marketing have both positive and negative influences on food safety Many organisms in contaminated food transmit disease Poverty often prevents individuals and families from having adequate access to their surrounding community food supply.

Objectives Be able to: Identify government agencies that control food safety and health promotion Identify food technology practices that affect the quality of food and food products Describe food-borne diseases and their causes

Objectives Describe food needs and food insecurity in America and funding for programs to meet these needs Discuss food buying and handling practices for American families

Food Safety and Health Promotion Government control agencies: goal – keeping food safe Several federal agencies now help to control food safety and quality US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) The primary governing body of the American food supply Enforcement of federal food-safety regulations Main government agency responsible for food safety

Food Safety and Health Promotion FDA cont. Enforces food sanitation and quality control Controlling food additives Regulating food across state lines Maintaining the nutrition labeling of foods Consumer education Research – continues to evaluate foods and food components

Food Safety and Health Promotion Development of food labels Early development of label regulations Mid 1960’s FDA est. “truth in packaging” regulations As food processing developed and the number of items grew, the labels also needed to have more nutrition information added. Food standards: “Standard of Identity” requires that labels on foods not having an established reference standard must list all the ingredients in the order of the amount found in the product Nutrition Information: describes a food item’s nutritional value

Nutritional Information Background of present FDA label regulations: 2 factors influencing better food labels: Increase in the variety of food products entering the US marketplace Changing patterns of American food habits Current food label format: Figure 13- 2, p. 240 Nutrition Facts label + “percentage daily value” (%DV)

Nutritional Information Health claims related to Nutrition Labels: Health claims that link nutrients or food groups with risk for disease are strictly regulated To make an association between a food product and a specific disease, the FDA must: Approve the claim The food must meet the criteria set forth for that specific claim The wording on the package must be approved

Food Technology Rapid changes r/t social changes and scientific advances have affected the food-marketing system in our country Agriculture and food processing industries have developed various chemicals to increase and preserve the food supply. Concerns are being voiced about how these changes have affected food safety and the overall environment Such concerns are usually focused on pesticide use and food additives

Food Technology Agricultural pesticides Reasons for use: improve crop yield and control destructive insects Problems- 4 main areas: pesticide residue on food Gradual leaching of chemicals in to ground and wells Increased exposure of farm workers to chemicals Increased chemicals as insects develop a tolerance to them

Food technology

Food Technology Alternative agriculture Organic farming – Grown without synthetic pesticides, fertilizers, sewage sludge, bioengineering, or ionizing radiation Includes organic meat, poultry, eggs and dairy products that are from animals raised without antibiotics or growth hormones. Organic farmers can still use natural pesticides and fertilizers

Food technology

Food Technology Organic Farming cont. October 2002 – USDA recognized standards to identify certified “organic” food For a food to carry the USDA Organic Seal, the farm and processing plant where food was grown and packaged must have undergone government inspections and have met the strict organic USDA standards

Food technology Using the “organic” label is voluntary; there is a fine of up to $10,000 for those who use the label without the certification The costs of meeting FDA standards for the “organic” label can be high especially for small producers. Small farms and gardens may label organic produce as “pesticide-free” or use synonymous labeling – talk to your farmer!

Small produce stand

Food Technology Terms not synonymous with “organic”: natural, hormone-free, free range “natural” – may be used on products that contain no artificial ingredients, coloring ingredients, or chemical preservatives; and the product and its ingredients are not more than minimally processed

Food Technology “hormone-free” and “antibiotic- free” – these terms are not approved the Food Safety and Inspection Service of the USDA. “raised without hormones” and “raised without antibiotics” are allowed provided that the producer is able to supply an affidavit attesting to the production practices employed that support the claim

Food Technology Genetic modification – developing strains of genetically modified foods that reduce the need for toxic pesticides and herbicides More than 60% of processed foods contain some for of genetically modified ingredients. E.g. seedless oranges and watermelons Genetically engineered crops are tested extensively on composition, safety and environmental effects Many governmental institutions are involved in the strict regulation of genetically modified foods in commercial use

Food Technology GMO corn may be resistant to disease, have a more uniform appearance and bigger size, but they are very new foods in the human diet and environment

Food Technology Irradiation Can kill bacteria and parasites on food after harvest- kills E.coli, salmonella, campylobacter and Listeria, etc. Can help prevent food- borne illnesses Irradiation can be used to increase the shelf-life of produce

Food Technology Foods that are irradiated: Have essentially unaltered nutritional value Are not radioactive Have no harmful substances introduced May taste slightly different Foods approved for irradiation in the U.S.: meat, poultry, grains, some seafood, fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices

Food Technology Irradiation cont. Consumer rejection in the US and around the world is attributed mainly the result of altered taste and concern about unknown long-term affects on human health Irradiation also introduced trans fats into meats – a known health risk

Food Technology Food additives – Chemicals added to prevent spoilage and extend shelf-life Most common additives: sugar and salt The current variety of food market items would be impossible without additives

Food technology Why food additives? Expanding population Greater work force More complex family life These have increased the desire for more variety and convenience in foods, as well as better safety and quality

Food Technology Food additives cont. What do food additives do? Enrich foods with added nutrients Produce uniform qualities Stabilize functional factors (e.g. thickening, keeping parts separated) Preserve foods by preventing oxidation Control acidity or alkalinity to improve flavor, texture, and the cooked product. Table 13-1. p.246 chart of food additives

Food-borne Disease Prevalence of food-borne disease Public Health Service estimates 76 mil people become sick because of food-borne illness  325,000 hospitalizations Most common infections in home and community breakouts: Salmonella, campylobacter, Shigella, and cryptosporidium

Food-borne disease Food sanitation – control of food- borne disease focuses on strict sanitation and rigid personal hygiene Buying and storing food – Food should be good quality and not defective or diseased. Dry or cold storage should protect it from deterioration or decay. Food should be stored in fridge at 40 degrees F or lower

Food-borne Disease Food Sanitation cont. Be careful at critical points: CLEAN: wash hands and surfaces often SEPARATE: Do not cross-contaminate COOK: Cook to proper temperature CHILL: Refrigerate promptly

Food-borne disease Clean clothing/aprons Hand washing Preparing and serving food – follow strict measures to prevent contamination: Clean clothing/aprons Hand washing Basic rules of hygiene Persons with infectious disease should have limited access to direct food handling: Typhoid Mary

Food-borne Disease Food Contamination Food-borne illness can present itself as flulike S/S.  lethal illness Harmful bacteria to humans are “pathogens” Bacterial Food Infections Salmonellosis- caused by Salmonella Grow readily in: Milk, custard, egg dishes, salad dressing, sandwich fillings, seafood from polluted waters (such as oysters and clams); unsanitary handling of food can also spread the bacteria

Food-borne Disease Salmonellosis cont. Other safety practices: immunization, pasteurization, and sanitary regulations involving community water and food supplies as well as food handlers help control outbreaks S/S: Gastroenteritis: May develop slowly ( 72 hrs). Mild to severe diarrhea, cramps vomiting; usually lasts 4 – 7 days

Food-borne Disease Shigellosis – caused by Shigella dysenteriae bacteria Grows easily in: milk; spread by unsanitary handling of food, feces, fingers, flies S/S. Usually confined to the large intestine –Mild diarrhea to fatal dysentery in younger kids; cramping, fever, vomiting, blood or mucous in stools Incubation period 1-7 days; duration 2-7 days More common in the summer and among young children

Food-borne illness

Food-borne Disease Listeriosis – caused by the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes Widely occurs in the environment and affects high risk individuals – e.g. Elderly, pregnant women, infants, patients with suppressed immune systems Can produce rare but often fatal illness: diarrhea, flulike fever and headache, sepsis, pneumonia, meningitis, and endocarditis

Food-borne disease Tracked back to foods like: soft cheese, poultry, seafood, raw milk, commercially broken and refrigerated raw whole eggs, and meat products Mild diarrhea, fever, headaches, pneumonia – last 3 to 21 days

Food-borne Disease Ingestion of toxin  rapid development of S/S. Bacterial Food Poisoning – caused by the ingestion of bacterial toxins that have been produced in the food by the growth of specific kinds of bacteria before the food is eaten Ingestion of toxin  rapid development of S/S. 2 types of bacterial food poisoning most common: Staphylococcal Clostridial

Food-borne Disease Staphylococcal food poisoning – Most common form of food poisoning Symptoms appear suddenly Severe cramping and abdominal pain with n/v/d + Headache, fever, sweating; sometimes prostration and shock Source: usually a staph infection on the hand of a worker preparing food

Food-borne Disease Staphylococcal food poisoning cont. Foods that are particularly effective carriers for this bacteria and its toxin: Custard or cream-filled bakery goods Processed meats, ham, tongue Cheese, ice cream Potato salad, sauces, chicken salad, and other combination dishes Heating kills the bacteria but NOT the toxin

Food-borne Disease Staphylococcal food poisoning cont. Food that are particularly effective carriers for this bacteria: Custard or cream-filled bakery goods; processed meats, ham, tongue, cheese, ice cream, potato salad, sauces, chicken salad, and other combination dishes

Food-borne disease Staphylococcal food poisoning- Heating kills the bacteria but not the toxin 

Food-borne Disease Clostridial food poisoning: caused by: Clostridium Perfringens and C. Botulinum Spores are wide-spread in the environment C. Perfringens multiplies in cooked meat and meat dishes; develops its toxin in food held at warm or room temperature for extended periods of time

Food-borne disease Clostridial food poisoning Outbreaks reported in: restaurants, college dining rooms, and school cafeteria. In most cases, meat was improperly prepared or refrigerated

Food-borne Disease Clostridial food poisoning cont. C. Botulinum – causes far more serious, often fatal food poisoning (“botulism”). Mortality rates are high. Symptoms can start as mild discomfort  death in 24 hrs. Initial c/o: n/v, weakness, and dizziness The toxin progressively irritates motor nerve cells and blocks transmission of neural impulses  paralysis Found mostly in improperly canned foods Anaerobic (can live w/o oxygen); the relatively air- free can and the canning temperatures provide good conditions for toxin production Boiling for 10 minutes destroys the toxin (not the spore)

Food-borne Disease Viruses: illnesses produced by viral contamination of food are fewer than those produced by bacterial sources Include: URIs and viral infectious Hepatitis (due to fecal contamination of milk, water or food in schools, towns, and communities)

Food-borne disease Parasites – 2 worms are of serious concern in relation to food: Roundworms: Trichina or Trichinella found in pork Flatworms such as the common tapeworms in beef and pork

Food-borne disease Trichinella: Control measures: 1. Laws controlling hog and cattle food sources and pastures to prevent transmission of the parasites to the meat produced for market, and 2. avoidance of rare beef or undercooked pork as an added personal precaution

Food-borne disease Trichinella

Food-borne Disease Environmental Food Contaminants Heavy metals (lead, mercury) Chief source of lead contamination: lead in paint; children eat paint chips; water coming through lead pipes Permanent neurologic damage can occur from elevated lead exposure and levels in their body

Food and water-borne disease Natural Toxins – produced by plants or microorganisms E.g. mercury, found naturally in the environment is converted to methyl mercury (a toxin) by bacteria; can pass through the food chain to humans. Toxins contaminate large bodies of water & the fish in them Other food contaminants leach out into the ground and contaminate food- production areas and water supply (from sewage, factories, fertilizers)

Food Needs and Costs Hunger and malnutrition Worldwide malnutrition – chronic food or nutrient shortages within a population perpetuates the ‘cycle of malnutrition’ Contributing factors: Lack of sanitation Cultural inequality Overpopulation Economic and political structures that do not appropriately use resources

Food needs and costs Total kcal deficit or single nutrient deficiency. May also result from: Total kcal deficit or single nutrient deficiency. Most common deficiencies in the world today are protein-energy malnutrition, Vit A deficiency, iodine and iron - deficiency

Food Needs and Costs Malnutrition in America – “Food insecurity”: limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods or limited or uncertain ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways”

Food Needs and Costs Individuals at highest risk: African-Americans, Hispanics, single mothers, and households in central city and non-metropolitan areas Implicated factors: Land management practices Water distribution Food production and distribution policies Food assistance programs for individuals and families in need

Food needs and cost Food assistance programs - Commodity Supplemental Food Program - SNAP: food cards to last one month -Special Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Provides nutritional supplementation, education, counseling, and referrals for health care and social services to women who are pregnant or postpartum and to their infants and children under 5 Food vouchers

Food needs and costs National School Lunch, Breakfast, and Special Milk Programs – services low-income children Nutrition Services Incentive Program – provides cash or commodities for the delivery of nutritious meals to elderly persons

Food Buying and Handling Practices For many American families, the problem is spending their limited food dollars wisely. Suggested wise shopping and handling practices may help: Planning ahead – shopping list! [Controls impulse buying ] Buying wisely – read labels, look for sale items; try farmers’ markets, consumer coops, and gardens for fresh foods Storing food safely – to control food waste and prevent illness Cooking food well – use cooking processes that retain maximum food value and maintain food safety.

Food and Health Practices