1. Food borne Illnesses

2. What are Food borne Illnesses?
Food borne illnesses are caused by eating food or drinking beverages contaminated with bacteria, parasites, or viruses.
Every year about 76 million people in the US become ill from pathogens, or disease-causing substances, in food. Of these people, about 5,000 die. Symptoms mimic the flu so a lot of cases aren’t reported.

3. Causes
Harmful bacteria are the most common cause of food borne illnesses. Some bacteria may be present on foods when you purchase them.
Raw foods are the most common source of food borne illnesses because they are not sterile.
Examples include raw meat and poultry that may have become contaminated during slaughter. Seafood may become contaminated during harvest or through processing

4. Symptoms
In most cases, symptoms resemble the flu and may last a few hours or even several days. Symptoms can range from mild to serious and include:
abdominal cramps
nausea
vomiting
diarrhea
fever
dehydration

5. Facts
When food is cooked and left out for more than 2 hours at room temperature, bacteria can multiply quickly.
Most bacteria grow undetected because they don’t produce a bad odor or change the color or texture of the food so we are unaware.
Freezing food slows or stops bacteria’s growth but does not destroy the bacteria.
Refrigeration also can slow the growth of some bacteria. Thorough cooking is needed to destroy the bacteria.

6. “Danger Zone”
Bacteria multiply rapidly between 40°F to 140°F even food that has been cooked to safe levels beforehand.
To keep out of this danger zone, keep cold foods cold and hot foods hot.
For example, when you cook a raw chicken to at least 180°F, it is safe to eat. However when you leave that same cooked chicken out on the counter for several hours it may reach the temperature danger zone and be no longer safe to consume, even if you reheat it.
“When in doubt, THROW IT OUT!”

7. How are food borne illnesses prevented?
Wash your hands with warm, soapy water before and after preparing food for 20 seconds.
Keep raw meat, poultry, seafood, and their juices away from ready-to-eat foods like salads.
Cook foods properly and at a high enough temperature to kill harmful bacteria.
Refrigerate foods within 2 hours or less after cooking because cold temperatures will help keep harmful bacteria from growing and multiplying.
Clean surfaces well before and after using them to prepare food.

8. Common Food borne Illnesses
1) Salmonella
2) Staphylococcus
3) Clostridium perfringens
4) Clostridium botulinum

9. Remember… 1) “When in doubt, throw it out”
2) “Danger Zone”40°F to 140°F
3) Refrigerate foods within 2 hours or less after cooking
4) ALWAYS wash your hands!