Sources of infection: food

DIANE ROBERTS

In the more developed countries there are some foods which
can be regarded as "safe", having been made safe by the
application of well controlled decontamination processes,
such as pasteurisation and sterilisation. Such foods include
milk, ice cream, whole egg mix in bulk, and canned foods.
Drinking and food-manufacturing water supply is
controlled by filtration and chlorination. Other foods, such
as bread, flour, jams, honey, pickles, fruits, and fats are
eliminate these organisms but sporing organisms such as
Cl perfringens will still survive.
Red meats may also be contaminated but the prevalence
of Salmonella and Campylobacter is probably lower than in
poultry.6 Comminution of meat will spread organisms
throughout the product, so minced-meat items are a greater
hazard.

regarded as safe because their composition, processing, or TABLE I-PRINCIPAL FOOD SOURCES OF THE COMMON
both provide conditions under which bacteria cannot FOOD-POISONING ORGANISMS

multiply. The various properties of foods, such as pH, water

activity (aw), and salt or sugar content, can give an indication
of whether microorganisms will grow. For example, most
pathogenic bacteria will not grow in foods with a pH of less
than 4-5, a low moisture content (aw < 0-86), or a high salt or
sugar concentration. Many of these indices are inter-reactive
and can be exploited in the preservation of foods.
However, we are constantly being encouraged to eat fresh
rather than preserved foods, and it is this wide range of foods
that may introduce into our kitchens many of the organisms
which can lead to gastrointestinal illness if these items are
not handled and stored correctly. There are three main
routes by which microorganisms reach our food-namely,
raw foodstuffs and ingredients, the foodhandler, and the
environment.

Raw food and ingredients

Meats
Foods of animal origin are the primary source of many of
the bacteria responsible for foodbome infections and
intoxications (table I). Organisms found in the live animal
can be carried through to raw meats after slaughter, may
persist through further processing, and ultimately may
appear in the final retail product if insufficient attention is
paid to hygiene and temperature control. Because there is
mass rearing for food, a large proportion of animals reach the
slaughterhouse excreting organisms, such as Salmonella and
Campylobacter, in addition to the pathogens that form part
of their normal faecal flora-namely Clostridium perfringens,
Escherichia coli, Yersinia enterocolitica, and Listeria
monocytogenes. Continuous line processing, as for example
in poultry processing establishments, increases spread from
carcass to carcass so that many contaminated carcasses are
distributed for retail or manufacturing purposes.
The rapid growth of the broiler industry has led to a more
readily available and cheaper source of meat but also has
increased infection in the birds and thus contamination of
carcasses. 60-80% of retail chickens in the UK are
contaminated with Salmonella’ and reports from other
countries indicate levels which range from 5 to 73%.2 Up to
100% of birds may contain Campylobacter3.4 and 60% may
also harbour L monocytogenes.5 Adequate heat treatment,
which ensures centre temperatures of at least 70&deg;C, will
*For example, small round structured viruses, parvovirus, hepatitis virus.
Eggs
It has long been recognised that the shell of eggs may
become contaminated with Salmonella from chicken faeces
during laying and may be transferred to the bacteria-free
contents during unhygienic breaking out. With the recent
findings in the USA and the UK that S enteritidis infected
flocks lay a small proportion of eggs which have already
become infected while in the hen’s ovary,l’ there is a more
serious problem with this food. Until the infection has been
eradicated from laying flocks, raw egg must be regarded as a
potentially hazardous food. Other European countries have
also had increasing reports of egg-associated S enteritidis
infection-in particular, Spain.’ The UK Government’s
health warning against the use of raw eggs in foods which
will not receive further heat treatment should be heeded.
Dairy products
Milk that has been treated (by pasteurisation, sterilisation,
or ultra heat treatment) is a safe product, but raw milk from a
ADDRESS: PHLS Food Hygiene Laboratory, Central Public
Health Laboratory, 61 Colindale Avenue, London NW95HT, UK
(Dr D. Roberts, PhD)