Introduction Normally when people step in a food stall or a kiosk, what will come up first in their mind? Yes!

Its totally about food. What is the menu for today and so on. But have we ever thought about the hygiene of the stall we entered? Never. Then, take a few minutes just to have a look around the stall. Suprised with what you see? Feeling relieved or you are getting on your nerved? On 3rd November 2011, we had experienced something awesome at a kiosk. Usually as we enter a stall or even a kiosk, we only have a sit and ordered without even turn around seeing the surrounding but not for that day. We had given a task to see the standard of hygiene that had been practiced by the stall or kiosks owner and the workers. For the first time, we were focusing to the surrounding of the kiosk we used to go during a period of time then the food became second. The kiosk used to sell variety of cakes, nasi lemak, soup noodles, sardine roll, doughnut, waffle, beverages and so on. The kiosk is well known among the UPSIs students and even the staffs. This is because the kiosk provided a lot of food with a affordable prices which is cheaper than the other.

However, when we started to do our observation, we almost get on our nerves when we saw the clean dishes on the top of the bin. Luckily the bin was well covered and the content in the bin did not split out. Then, we could see there were only few foods that not have covered on it. Looking towards the positive sides, the owner of the kiosk and her workers attires are good.

During this short time visit, we could highlighted few things that might be useful for us in the future: Why is it important to ensure food safety and controlling microbe? We live in a microbial world, and there are many opportunities for food to become contaminated as it is produced and prepared. Many foodborne microbes are present in healthy animals (usually in their intestines) raised for food. Meat and poultry carcasses can become contaminated during slaughter by contact with small amounts of intestinal contents. Similarly, fresh fruits and vegetables can be contaminated if they are washed and irrigated with water that is contaminated with animal manure or human sewage.

Later in food processing, other foodborne microbes can be introduced from infected humans who handle the food, or by cross contamination from some other raw agricultural product. In the kitchen, microbes can be transferred from one food to another food by using the same knife , cutting board or other utensil to prepare both without washing the surface or utensil in between. A food that is fully cooked can become recontaminated if it touches other raw foods or drippings from raw foods that contain pathogens. The way the food is handled after it is contaminated can also make a difference in whether or not an outbreak occurs. Many bacterial microbes need to multiply to a larger number before enough are present in food to cause disease. In a nutshell, it is essential to make sure the food we are going to eat is safe to avoid food contamination that will cause us to have an ill. Old people says that prevention is better than cure. What is happening infection? in food

consumed, the bacterial cells themselves continue to grow and illness can result.

Common food-borne pathogens The major kinds of pathogens are bacteria, viruses, protozoans, and fungi. Bacteria and viruses are commonly responsible for most cases of food-borne illness. Bacteria Bacteria are single-cell microorganisms that do not have the complex array of organelles that plant and animal cells contain. Some bacteria can live without oxygen, such as canned or vacuum-packed foods. Other types of bacteria transform into inactive resistant forms called spores when living conditions are less than ideal. If the environment becomes more hospitable, the spores revert to the active bacteria state. Many kinds of bacteria are pathogens that cause food-borne illness, including forms of Campylobacter, Clostridium, Escherichia, Listeria, Salmonella and Staphylococcus. Some types of pathogenic bacteria do not cause infections when they are consumed in food, but these microbes produce toxins that cause food intoxication.

Food infection is more prevalent symptoms include diarrhea, stomach cramps, fever and chills (fever and chills are rarer in an intoxication). With an infection, remember it is the actual cells, or virus that is causing your symptoms and it takes time for the cells to reproduce and start attacking the intestine or other parts or the body as may be the case for viruses. It is caused by eating food that contains certain types of live bacteria which are present in the food. Once the food is

Viruses A virus is simply a piece of genetic material coated with protein. Viruses must invade a

living cell to produce more viruses. Unlike certain bacteria, viruses do not secrete toxins, and therefore, they do not cause food intoxication. Contaminated food, water, however, can transmit viruses to humans and cause food infection. Parasites A parasite is an organism in or a living thing, often deriving nourishment from its host. Some parasites, such as Giardia and Cryptosporidium, are protozoans, single celled microorganisms that have more complex cell structure than bacteria. Protozoans are often responsible for causing travelers diarrhea. Besides to protozoans, food-borne parasites include type of worms such as Trichinella and Anisakis. Fungi Fungi such as molds, yeast, and mushrooms are simple life forms that live on dead or decaying organic matter. Certain fungi (for example: button mushroom) are beneficial and edible. Other fungi are responsible for spoiling foods causing allergic reactions in sensitive people. Certain molds produce aflatoxins, substances that can cause severe illness, particular liver damage, and even death when consumed. Tree nuts, peanuts, and corn that are stored under warm, humid conditions can become source of aflatoxins. In Africa and Southeast Asia, people often eat foods that are contaminated with aflatoxin-producing molds. How would you contamination? avoid food

To avoid food contamination give the other meaning of preventing food-borne illnes. We cannot control the safety of foods that are prepared in restaurants or other places except in home. In order to reduce risk of foodborne illness, there are some important rules which require changing risky food selection, preparation, and storage practices. Purchasing food To reduce risk of food-borne illness: Select frozen foods and highly perishable foods when buy it. Check best by dates on packaged perishable foods. Choose meats and other animal products with latest dates. Do not buy food in damaged containers. Open egg cartons and examine eggs to make sure the eggs are in good condition. Purchase only pasteurized milk, cheese, and fruit and vegetable juices. Purchase only amount of produce needed for a weeks menus. The longer the fruits and vegetables keep, the more likely they are spoiling. Pack meat, fish, and poultry in separate plastic bags, so their drippings do not contaminate each other and your other groceries. After shopping for food, take groceries home immediately.

Refrigerate or freeze meat, fish, egg and dairy products promptly. Store whole eggs in their cartons, even if your refrigerator has a place for storing eggs. Egg cartons are designed to keep eggs fresh longer than a refrigerators egg compartment.

wooden cutting boards are made of a nonabsorbent hardwood (example: oak, maple) and has no obvious cracks. If possible, have different cutting boards and knives reserved for different foods to prevent the crossing over of pathogens.

Setting the stage for food preparation Contaminated hands and food preparation surfaces spread pathogens. To reduce the risk of food-borne illness:

Preparing food To reduce risk of getting food-borne illness: Do not use foods from containers that leak, bulge, or are severely dented or from jars that are cracked or have loose or bulging lids. If safety seals have damaged, the foods from containers might contaminated. Do not taste or use food that spurts liquid or has bad odor. Make sure read the product labels to determine whether foods need to be refrigerated after their packages are opened. Before preparing fresh produce, wash the foods under running water to remove dirt and bacteria clinging to the surface. Avoid eating moldy foods. Mold does not grow well on low-moisture foods. Thus, small amounts of mold on hard cheese and on firm fruits and vegetables can be removed by cutting away the mold along with at least 1

Wash hand thoroughly with very warm water, soapy water for at least 20 seconds before and after touching food. If clean water for hand washing is not available, use sanitizer. Use clean towel to dry hands. Reserve dish towels for drying pots, pans, and cooking utensils that are not washed and dried in a dishwasher. Before preparing food, clean food preparation surfaces, including kitchen counters, cutting boards, dishes, knives, and other food preparation equipment with hot, soapy water. You can kill most pathogens when you clean and sanitize food preparation surfaces with a solution made by adding a tablespoon of bleach to 1 gallon of water. Cutting boards with unmarred surfaces made of easy-to-clean, nonporous materials, such as plastic, marble, or glass. Make sure the

inch of food that surrounds the moldy area. Maintaining the proper temperature of foods Microbes grow well when the temperature of a high-risk food is between 40F and 140F the danger zone (table below). Temperature (F) Below 0 32 40 40 140 Above 140 Food Safe temperature freezer

Microwave cooking can result in uneven heating that does not destroy microbes in the cool spots. While cooking a food in a microwave oven, keep the dish covered, and stop the oven occasionally to stir the food to ensure even heating. Stuffed food is not recommended cooked using microwave as the temperature is not high enough to kill pathogens. Chilling food slows the growth of microbes in the items, but some bacteria can grow even at proper refrigeration temperatures. Freezing does not kill bacteria or inactive viruses in food; the process just halts the microbes ability to multiply. As frozen food thaws, the bacteria and viruses resume their activities and can cause illness. Storing and reheating food After food is cooked, careless food handling continues to set the stage for the growth of pathogens. Food-borne pathogens thrive at room temperature, temperature that is between 60F and 110F. Besides, it is suggested that cover leftovers and refrigerate or freeze them as soon as finish eating, or within 2 hours. If environmental temperatures are above 90F, refrigerate the leftovers within 1 hour. Moreover, separating the food into many shallow pans as needed to provide a surface area for faster cooling. To reduce the risk of food-borne illness, these are food storage tips: Check refrigerators temperature regularly to make sure it stays below 41F.

Safe refrigerator temperature Danger zone Unfavorable survival

Cooking foods to the proper temperature destroys food-borne viruses and bacteria, such as Norovirus and E.coli O157:H7. Using a meat thermometer is a reliable way to ensure that, poultry, thick pieces of fish, and egg- cointaining dishes have reached the proper internal temperature without overcooking. Table below indicates recommended minimum internal temperature for cooking these foods. Food Safe minimum internal temperature (F) 145 145 160 160 165 165

1. Beef steaks and roasts 2. Fish 3. Pork 4. Egg dishes 5. Chicken breasts 6. Whole poultry

Cool ground meats and poultry soon

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo

after purchasing. If this not possible, freeze the ground items. Raw fish, shellfish, and poultry are highly perishable. It is best to cook these foods or freeze them the day they are purchased. Use refrigerated ground meat and patties within 1 t o2 days and use frozen meat and patties within 3 and 4 months after purchasing them. Use refrigerated leftovers within 4 days. Reheat leftovers to 165F; reheat gravy to a rolling boil to kill pathogenic bacteria that may be present.

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Cross contamination is a threat not only during food preparation; it can also become a problem during food storage. Therefore, keep all foods including leftovers, covered while they are in the refrigerator. References Michael Doom. Food Poisoining Infection vs Food Poisoining Intoxication. Retrieved from http://www.foodpoisoningprevention. /Food_Poisoning_Infection_vs_Intoxication. com htm. National Center for Immnization and Respitory Diseases: Division of Bacterial Diseases. Retrieved from website