CHAPTER 2

UNDERSTANDING THE MICROWORLD

Biological Contamination

Microorganism:

 Small, living organism that can be seen only Fungi

with a microscope
How Contamination Happens
Pathogen:
People can contaminate food when:
 Harmful microorganism
 They don’t wash their hands after using
 Makes people sick when eaten or produces the restroom
toxins that cause illness
 They are in contact with a person who is
Toxin: sick
 Poison  They allow ready-to-eat food to touch
Four types of pathogens can contaminate food surfaces that have come in contact with raw
and cause foodborne illness: meat, seafood, and poultry

 They sneeze or vomit onto food or food-

contact surfaces

 They touch dirty food-contact surfaces and

equipment and then touch food

 They store food incorrectly

Bacteria Symptoms of a Foodborne Illness

Common symptoms of foodborne illness:

 Diarrhea

 Vomiting

 Fever

Viruses  Nausea

 Abdominal cramps

 Jaundice (yellowing of skin and eyes)

Onset times:

 Depend on the type of foodborne illness

 Can range from 30 minutes to six weeks

Parasites
The Big Five

These pathogens are highly infectious and can

cause severe illness:

 Salmonella Typhi

 Shigella spp.
A Acidity

 Enterohemorrhagic and shiga toxin-

producing Escherichia coli

 Hepatitis A

 Norovirus

The “Big Five”:

T Temperature

 Are often found in very high numbers in an

infected person’s feces

 Can be transferred to food easily

 Can make a person sick in small doses

General Information about Bacteria

T Time

Detection:

 Cannot be seen, smelled, or tasted

Growth:

 Will grow rapidly if conditions are correct

 Some can change into spores to keep from

O Oxygen

dying when they don’t have enough food

 Some make toxins in food as they grow and

die

Prevention:

 Control time and temperature

M Moisture

What Bacteria Need to Grow Food:

 Most bacteria need nutrients to survive

F
 TCS food supports the growth of bacteria
better than other types of food

Food o This includes meat, poultry, dairy

products, and eggs
 Acidity:  Time

 Bacteria grow best in food that o Limit how long TCS food
contains little or no acid spends in the temperature
danger zone
Temperature:
Major Foodborne Bacteria
 Bacteria grow rapidly between 41˚F and
135˚F (5˚C and 57˚C) Bacteria:
o This range is known as the  Bacillus cereus
temperature danger zone
 Listeria monocytogenes
o Bacteria grow even more rapidly
 Enterohemorrhagic and shiga toxin-
from 70˚F to 125˚F (21˚C to 52˚C)
producing E. coli
 Bacteria growth is limited when food is held
 Campylobacter jejuni
above or below the temperature danger
zone  Clostridium perfringens
Time:  Clostridium botulinum
 Bacteria need time to grow  Salmonella spp.
 The more time bacteria spend in  Shigella spp.
the temperature danger zone,
 Staphylococcus aureus
the more opportunity they have to
grow to unsafe levels  Vibrio vulnificus
Oxygen: Controlling time and temperature can keep
these bacteria from causing a foodborne
 Some bacteria need oxygen to grow, while
illness:
others grow when oxygen isn’t there
 Bacillus cereus
Moisture:
 Listeria monocytogenes
 Bacteria grow well in food with high levels
of moisture  Enterohemorrhagic and shiga toxin-
producing E. coli
 aw = water activity; the amount of moisture
available in food for bacterial growth  Campylobacter jejuni
 aw scale ranges from 0.0 to 1.0  Clostridium perfringens
 Water has a water activity of 1.0  Clostridium botulinum
The conditions you can control:

 Temperature

o Keep TCS food out of the temperature

danger zone
Bacillus cereus Listeria monocytogenes

Bacteria:Bacillus cereus (Diarrhea Illness) Bacteria:Listeria monocytogenes

Illness: Bacillus cereus gastroenteritis Illness: Listeriosis

Commonly Linked Most Common Commonly Linked Food Most Common Symptoms
Food Symptoms
Pregnant women:
Cooked vegetables Watery diarrhea Raw meat
Miscarriage
Meat products No vomiting
Ready-to-eat food such
Newborns:
Milk as:
Sepsis
 Deli-meat
Pneumonia
 Hot dogs
Commonly Linked Meningitis
Most Common Symptoms  Soft cheese
Food
Unpasteurized dairy
products
Cooked rice dishes
including: Nausea
 Fried rice Vomiting Most important prevention measure:

 Rice pudding  Control time and temperature

Other prevention measures:

Most important prevention measure:  Throw out any product that has passed its
 Control time and temperature use-by or expiration date

Other prevention measures:  Cook raw meat to minimum internal

temperatures
 Cook food to minimum internal
temperatures  Prevent cross-contamination between raw
or undercooked food and ready-to-eat food
 Hold food at the correct temperatures
 Avoid using unpasteurized dairy products
 Cool food correctly
Enterohemorrhagic and shiga toxin-producing Campylobacter jejuni
E. coli

Bacteria: Enterohemorrhagic and shiga

toxin-producing Escherichia coli including: Bacteria: Campylobacter jejuni
O157:H7, O26:H11, O111:H8, and O158:NM Illness: Campylobacteriosis
Illness: Hemorrhagic colitis
Commonly Linked
Most Common Symptoms
Commonly Most Common Food
Linked Food Symptoms

Poultry Diarrhea (May be watery or bloody)

Ground beef
(raw and Diarrhea (becomes bloody)
undercooked)
Water
contaminated with Abdominal cramps
Contaminated
Abdominal cramps the bacteria
produce

Kidney failure (in severe cases)

Meat Fever
Most important prevention measure:

 Control time and temperature Vomiting

Stews/gravies
Other prevention measures: Headaches
 Cook food, especially ground beef, to
minimum internal temperatures

 Purchase produce from approved,

reputable suppliers Most important prevention measure:
 Prevent cross-contamination between raw  Control time and temperature
meat and ready-to-eat food
Other prevention measures:
 Keep staff with diarrhea out of the
operation  Cook food, particularly poultry, to required
minimum internal temperatures
 Keep staff diagnosed with hemorrhagic
colitis out of the operation
 Prevent cross-contamination between raw
poultry and ready-to-eat food

Clostridium perfringens

Bacteria: Clostridium botulinum

Illness: Botulism

Bacteria: Clostridium perfringens Commonly Linked Most Common

Illness: Clostridium perfringens gastroenteritis Food Symptoms

Commonly Most Common

Linked Food Symptoms Incorrectly canned Initially:
food Nausea and vomiting
Meat Diarrhea

Poultry Severe abdominal pain

Reduced-oxygen
packaged (ROP)
food Later:
Dishes made
with meat and Temperature- Weakness
poultry, such as abused
stews and vegetables, such Double vision
gravies as baked potatoes Difficulty speaking and swallowing
Most important prevention measure: Untreated garlic-
and-oil mixtures
 Control time and temperature

Other prevention measures:

 Cool and reheat food correctly Most important prevention measure:

 Hold food at the correct temperatures  Control time and temperature

Clostridium botulinum Other prevention measures:

 Hold, cool, and reheat food correctly

 Inspect canned food for damage

Major Foodborne Bacteria

Preventing cross-contamination can keep Salmonella Typhi.
these bacteria from causing a foodborne
illness:

 Salmonella spp.

 Salmonella Typhi

Salmonella spp.

Bacteria:Salmonella Typhi

Illness: Typhoid Fever

Commonly Linked Most Common Symptoms

Food

Bacteria:Salmonella spp. Ready-to-eat food High fever

Illness: Salmonellosis
Beverages Weakness
Commonly Linked
Most Common Symptoms
Food Abdominal pain

Poultry and eggs Diarrhea Headache

Dairy products Abdominal cramps Loss of appetite

Rash
Produce Vomiting
Most important prevention measure:
Fever  Prevent cross-contamination

Most important prevention measure: Other prevention measures:

 Prevent cross-contamination  Exclude food handlers who have been

Other prevention measures:
 Cook poultry and eggs to minimum internal
temperatures
 Prevent cross-contamination between
poultry and
ready-to-eat food
 Keep food handlers who have been
diagnosed with salmonellosis out of the
operation
diagnosed with an illness caused by
Salmonella Typhi from the operation
 Wash hands
 Cook food to minimum internal
temperatures
Practicing personal hygiene can keep these
bacteria from causing a foodborne illness:
 Shigella spp.
 Staphylococcus aureus
Shigella spp. illness caused by Shigella spp.
from the operation

 Exclude food handlers with

diarrhea from the operation

 Wash hands

 Control flies inside and outside

the operation
Bacteria:Shigella spp.
Staphylococcus aureus
Illness: Shigellosis

Commonly
Most Common Symptoms
Linked Food

Food easily
contaminate
d by hands, Bacteria: Staphylococcus aureus
including:
Illness: Staphylococcal gastroenteritis
Salads
containing Bloody diarrhea Commonly Linked
Most Common Symptoms
TCS food Food
(potato, tuna,
shrimp,
Food requiring
macaroni,
handling during
chicken)
prepping, including:

Salads containing Nausea

Food in
contact with TCS food (egg,
contaminated Abdominal pain and cramps tuna, chicken,
water, such macaroni)
as produce

Deli meat Vomiting and retching

Fever (occasionally)

Abdominal cramps
Most important prevention measure:

 Practice personal hygiene Most important prevention measure:

Other prevention measures:  Practice personal hygiene

 Exclude food handlers who Other prevention measures:

have been diagnosed with an
 Wash hands, particularly after touching the Most important prevention measure:
hair, face, or body
 Purchase from approved, reputable
 Cover wounds on hands and arms suppliers

 Hold, cool, and reheat food correctly Other prevention measures:

Major Foodborne Bacteria  Cook oysters to minimum internal

temperatures
Purchasing food from approved, reputable
suppliers can keep these bacteria from causing General Information About Viruses
a foodborne illness:
Location:
 Vibrio vulnificus
 Carried by human beings and animals
 Vibrio parahaemolyticus
o Require a living host to grow
Vibrio vulnificus & Vibrio parahaemolyticus
o Do not grow in food

o Can be transferred through food

and remain infectious in food

Sources:

 Food, water, or any contaminated surface

Bacteria: Vibrio vulnificus  Typically occur through fecal-oral routes
Illness:Vibrio gastroenteritis
Vibrio vulnificus primary septicimia
Transfer:
Commonly Linked
Most Common Symptoms
Food  Viruses can be transferred from

o Person to person
Oysters from
Diarrhea o People to food
contaminated water
o People to food-contact surfaces

Abdominal cramps and nausea People

o Carry viruses in their feces

Vomiting o Can transfer them to their hands

after using the restroom

Prevention:
Low-grade fever and chills
 Not destroyed by normal cooking
temperatures
Vibrio vulnificus & Vibrio parahaemolyticus
  Good personal hygiene must be Nausea
practiced when handling food and food-
contact surfaces
Abdominal pain
 Quick removal and cleanup of vomit is
important

Major Foodborne Viruses

Jaundice (appears later)
Practicing personal hygiene can keep these
viruses from causing a foodborne illness:
Most important prevention measure:
 Hepatitis A
 Practicing personal hygiene
 Norovirus
Other prevention measures:

 Exclude staff who have been diagnosed

with hepatitis A from the operation

 Exclude staff who have jaundice from the

operation

 Wash hands

Hepatitis A  Avoid bare-hand contact with ready-to-eat

food

 Purchase shellfish from approved,

reputable suppliers

Norovirus

Virus: Hepatitis A

Illness: Hepatitis A

Commonly Most Common Symptoms

Linked Food
Virus: Norovirus

Ready-to-eat Fever (mild) Illness: Norovirus gastroenteritis

food
Commonly Most Common Symptoms
Linked Food
Shellfish from General Weakness
contaminated
water Ready-to-eat Vomiting
food
 Shellfish from Diarrhea Purchasing from approved, reputable suppliers
contaminated can keep these parasites from causing a
water foodborne illness:

 Anisakis simplex
Nausea
 Cryptosporidium parvum
Abdominal cramps  Giardia duodenalis

Most important prevention measure:  Cyclospora cayetanensis

 Practicing personal hygiene

Other prevention measures:

 Exclude staff who have been diagnosed

with Norovirus from the operation

 Exclude staff with diarrhea and vomiting

from the operation

 Wash hands
Anisakis simplex
 Avoid bare-hand contact with ready-to-eat
food

 Purchase shellfish from approved,

reputable suppliers

Characteristics of Parasites

Location:
Parasite:Anisakis simplex
 Require a host to live and reproduce
Illness: Anisakiasis
Source:

 Seafood, wild game, and food processed Commonly Linked

Most Common Symptoms
with contaminated water, such as produce Food

Prevention:
Raw and
 Purchase food from approved, reputable undercooked fish, Tingling in throat
suppliers including:
 Cook food to required minimum internal
temperatures  Herring

 Fish that will be served raw or undercooked  Cod

must be frozen correctly by the  Halibut
manufacturer

Major Foodborne Parasites

  Mackerel
Nausea

 Pacific salmon Coughing up worms

Weight loss

Anisakis simplex
Most important prevention measure:
Most important prevention measure:
 Purchase from approved, reputable
 Purchase from approved, reputable suppliers
suppliers
Other prevention measures:
Other prevention measures:
 Use correctly treated water
 Cook fish to minimum internal
temperatures  Keep food handlers with diarrhea out of the
operation
 If serving raw or undercooked fish,
purchase sushi-grade fish that has been  Wash hands
frozen to the correct time-temperature Giardia duodenalis
requirements.

Cryptosporidium parvum

Parasite:Giardia duodenalis

(G. lamblia or G. Intestinalis)

Parasite: Cryptosporidium parvum
Illness: Giardiasis
Illness: Cryptosporidiosis
Commonly
Commonly Linked Most Common Symptoms
Most Common Symptoms Linked Food
Food

Incorrectly
Contaminated Initially
Watery diarrhea treated water
water
Produce Fever
Produce Abdominal cramps
Later

Diarrhea
 Abdominal cramps
Diarrhea alternating
with constipation
Nausea

Most important prevention measure: Loss of weight

 Purchase from approved, reputable
suppliers
Other prevention measures:
 Use correctly treated water
 Keep food handlers with diarrhea out of the
operation
 Wash hands
Cyclospora cayetanensis
Loss of appetite
Most important prevention measure:
 Purchase from approved, reputable
suppliers
Other prevention measures:
 Purchase produce from approved,
reputable suppliers
 Keep food handlers with diarrhea out of the
operation

 Wash hands

Fungi

Fungi:

 Commonly cause food spoilage

and sometimes illness
Parasite: Cyclospora cayetanensis
Fungi
Illness: Cyclosporiasis

Commonly
Most Common Symptoms
Linked Food

Incorrectly
Nausea
treated water

Produce such
as berries, Abdominal cramps Molds Yeasts
lettuce, or basil
Mold

Basic characteristics of mold:

Mild fever
 Spoil food and sometimes cause illness

 Some produce toxins

 Grow well in almost any condition, Histamine
especially in acidic food with low water
activity

 Are only slowed not destroyed by cooler or

freezer temperatures

Prevention:

 Throw out all moldy food unless the mold is

a natural part of the food Toxin: Histamine

Yeast Illness: Scombroid poisoning

Basic characteristics of yeast: Commonly Linked Most Common

Food Symptoms
 Can spoil food quickly

 May produce a smell or taste of

alcohol as it spoils food Tuna Initially

 May look like a white or pink

Reddening of the face
discoloration or slime and may Bonito
and neck
bubble

 Grow well in acidic food with little moisture Mackerel Sweating

Prevention:
Mahimahi Headache
 Food containing yeast should be thrown out
Burning or tingling
Biological Toxins
sensation in the mouth
Origin: or throat

 Naturally occur in certain plants,

mushrooms, and seafood Possibly later

Seafood toxins:
Diarrhea Vomiting
Produced by pathogens found on certain fish

Occur in certain fish that eat smaller fish that

have consumed the toxin Most important prevention measure:

Major Fish Toxins  Purchase from approved, reputable

suppliers
Purchasing from approved, reputable suppliers
can keep these fish toxins from causing a Other prevention measures:
foodborne illness:
 Prevent time-temperature abuse during
 Histamine storage and preparation

 Ciguatoxin Ciguatoxin
  Saxitoxin

 Brevetoxin

 Domoic acid

Toxin: Ciguatoxin

Illness: Ciguatera fish poisoning

Saxitoxin
Commonly Linked
Most Common Symptoms
Food

Predatory tropical
reef fish from

Pacific Ocean, Reversal of hot and cold sensations

Western Indian
Ocean, and Caribbean Toxin: Saxitoxin
Sea: Illness: Paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP)

 Barracuda Commonly Linked

Nausea Most Common Symptoms
Food
 Grouper

 Jacks Shellfish found in

Vomiting colder waters
 Snapper
such as those of the Numbness
Pacific and New
Tingling in fingers, lips, orEngland
toes coasts:

Joint and muscle pain  Clams

Tingling in mouth,
 Mussels
face, arms, and legs
Most important prevention measure:  Scallops

 Purchase predatory tropical reef fish from  Oysters Dizziness

approved, reputable suppliers

Major Shellfish Toxins Nausea

Purchasing from approved, reputable suppliers Vomiting

can keep these shellfish toxins from causing a
foodborne illness: Diarrhea
Most important prevention measure:  Purchase shellfish from approved,
reputable suppliers
 Purchase shellfish from approved,
reputable suppliers

Domoic acid

Brevetoxin

Toxin: Domoic acid

Toxin: Brevetoxin Illness: Amnesic shellfish poisoning (ASP)

Illness: Neurotoxic shellfish poisoning (NSP) Commonly

Most Common Symptoms
Linked Food
Commonly
Most Common Symptoms
Linked Food
Shellfish found
in coastal Initially
Shellfish in
warmer waters waters of Vomiting
of Pacific
Tingling and numbness of the Northwest Diarrhea
west coast of
Florida, Gulf of lips, tongue, and throat and east coast Abdominal pain
of Canada:
Mexico, and
Caribbean Sea:
 Clams Possibly later

 Clams Dizziness  Confusion

Mussels
Memory loss
 
Reversal of hot and cold sensations Disorientation
Mussels Oysters
Seizure

 Scallops Coma
Vomiting
Oysters
Most important prevention measure:
Diarrhea  Purchase shellfish from approved,
reputable suppliers

Mushroom Toxins
Most important prevention measure:
Foodborne illnesses linked with mushrooms:

 Are caused by eating toxic wild mushrooms

 Occur when toxic mushrooms are mistaken

for edible ones

 Can be prevented by purchasing from

approved, reputable suppliers

Plant Toxins

Foodborne illnesses linked with plant toxins:

 Usually happen when plants are purchased

from unapproved suppliers

 Can happen when certain plants aren’t

cooked correctly (i.e., undercooked kidney
beans)

 Can be prevented by purchasing plants

from approved, reputable suppliers