Foodborne Illness

Foodborne illness Infection or intoxication caused by the transfer of microbial or chemical contaminants (substances that spoil or infect) from food or drinking water to a human. In most cases, the contaminants are bacteria, parasites, or viruses.

Foodborne Illness Stats The following statistics are estimates based on reported cases of foodborne illnesses in the United States: Gastrointestinal illnesses caused by foods 48,000,000 Diseases caused by food and resulting in hospitalizations 128,000 Deaths 3, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

How sick can I get from eating contaminated food? There are many variables. Your age, general health, and how much contaminated food you ate are all factors. The most common symptoms are diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain, but you don't necessarily get all the symptoms. At-risk people can become very ill and can even die from foodborne illness because their immune systems are less able to fight off the bacteria.

Can the symptoms of foodborne illness be mistaken for the flu? Yes. Foodborne illness often shows itself as flu- like symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or fever, so many people may not recognize that the illness is caused by bacteria or other pathogens in food. Experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that many of the intestinal illnesses commonly referred to as stomach flu are actually caused by food-borne pathogens. People do not associate these illnesses with food because the onset of symptoms often occurs 2 or more days after the contaminated food was eaten.

Food Safety A system to ensure that illness or harm will not result from eating food. Everyone along the farm-to-table continuum - farm (production), processing, transportation, retail, and table (home) - plays a role in keeping our nation's food supply safe.

Farm-to-Table Continuum A multi-step journey that food travels before it is consumed.

Bacteria (plural) or Bacterium (singular) Single-cell, independently-replicating microorganisms that lack a membrane-bound nucleus and other organelles. Harmful Bacteria: Pathogenic bacteria - those that are harmful - cause disease. They have the ability to cause disease by invading human tissue or producing toxic substances that can alter normal body functions. Ex: pneumonia, staph, strep, foodborne illness

Fungus (singular) or Fungi (plural) Simple plants called that lack chlorophyll (the green coloring that plants use to make food). Because fungi lack chlorophyll, they cannot produce their own food. Therefore, they must take carbohydrates, proteins, and other nutrients from the animals, plants, or decaying matter on which they live. They include: Yeast - single-cell fungi; can cause skin infections; Mushrooms - multi-cell fungi; Molds and Mildew - multi-cell fungi; mold and mildew spores are allergens (substances that induce allergies); Smuts - Disease-causing fungi of corn, wheat, and onion; and Rusts - Disease-causing fungi of wheat, oats, beans, asparagus, snapdragon, and hollyhock

Parasite A plant or animal that lives on or in another plant or animal, while making no beneficial contribution to that host. Some Examples of Parasites That May Contaminate Food Are: Trichinella spiralis (trichinosis), which can be found in pork and Anisakis roundworm, which can be found in fish.

Virus A non-cellular particle that consists minimally of protein or nucleic acid (DNA or RNA). In order to survive, it must replicate inside another cell, such as a bacterium or a plant and animal cell. Food Safety Implication: Food serves as a transportation device to get viruses from one host to another. Once the contaminated food is eaten, a virus can multiply in living cells and cause foodborne illness in humans. Transferred by food handler, contaminated water, seafood, cross contamination Hepatitis A, norovirus, rotovirus

pathogen Pathogen Any microorganism that is infectious or toxigenic and causes disease. Pathogens include parasites, viruses, and some fungi/yeast and bacteria. Food Safety Implication: If food is not properly handled, pathogens can contaminate food and cause foodborne illness when the food is eaten.

Perishable Food that is subject to decay, spoilage or growth of pathogenic bacteria unless it is properly refrigerated or frozen. Food Safety Implication: Perishable foods can spoil quickly and become unsafe to eat if they are not properly stored. Perishable Foods Include: Dairy Products Produce Meat Seafood Poultry