FOOD-RELATED ILLNESSES

AND ALLERGIES
After studying this chapter, you should be able to:
•• Identify disease caused by contaminated food, their
signs, and the means by which they are spread
•• List signs of food contamination
•• State precautions for protecting food from
contamination
•• Describe allergies and elimination diets and their
uses
The most nutritious food can cause illness if it is contaminated
with pathogens (disease causing agents) or certain chemicals.
Some of the pathogens that can cause foodborne illness include:
1. bacteria
2. viruses
3. molds
4. worms
5. protozoa

The chemicals may be a natural component of specific foods,

intentionally added during production or processing or accidentally
added through carelessness or pollution.
Food poisoning- is a general
term for foodborne illness.
Foodborne infection-when
food poisoning develops as a
result of a pathogen’s
infecting someone
Food intoxication- when it is
caused by toxins produced by
the pathogen
Toxins can be produced by bacteria during food
preparation or storage or by bacteria in one’s
digestive tract.
Enterotoxins- affect mucous membranes in the
digestive tract
Neurotoxins- affect the nervous system
Typical symptoms of food poisoning:
Vomiting, diarrhea, headache and abdominal cramps
Bacteria that cause foodborne illness
1. Campylobacter jejuni
2. Clostridium botulinum
3. Clostridium perfringens
4. Cyclospora cayetanensis
5. Escherichia coli
6. Listeria monocytogens
7. Salmonella
8. Shigella
9. Staphylococcus aureus
 Campylobacter jejuni

• Is believed to be one of the most prevalent causes of diarrhea. It is

commonly found in the intestinal tracts of cattle, pigs, sheep, chickens,
turkeys, dogs and cats and can contaminate meat during slaughter.
• It can take 2-5 (or more) days to develop after infection and may last
up to 10 days.
Symptoms: Headache, muscle and abdominal pain, and nausea
Transmitted to humans via unpasteurized milk; contaminate water and
raw or undercooked meats, poultry and shellfish
 Clostridium botulinum
• Found in soil and water, on plants, and in the intestinal tracts of
animals and fish
• The spores of this bacteria can divide and produce toxin in the
absence of oxygen. (Spores are single cells that are produces
asexually, each of which is able to develop into a new organism. They
have thick, protective walls that allow them to survive unfavorable
conditions). The spores are extremely heat resistant and must be
boiled for 6 hours before they will be destroyed.
• The toxin, however, can be destroyed by boiling fro 20 minutes.
This toxin causes botulism, which is perhaps the rarest but most
deadly of all food poisonings.
Symptoms usually appear within 4 to 36 hours after eating. It
includes double vision, speech difficulties, inability to swallow, and
respiratory paralysis.
• If botulism is not properly treated, death will result in 3 to 10
days.
• Great care must be taken to prevent botulism when canning foods
at home.
• Raw honey has also been identified as a source.
• If a can bulges, clostridium botulinum may be present and can be
fatal.
A good rule of thumb is:
“If in doubt, throw it out”
where children and animals cannot reach it.
 Clostridium perfringens

Often called the “cafeteria” of “buffet germ” because it

tends to infect those who eat food that has been standing on
buffets or steam tables for long periods
• Found in soil dust, sewage and intestinal tracts of animals.
Symptoms: Nausea, diarrhea, and inflammation of the
stomach and intestine. May appear within 6 – 24 hours of
ingestion and last approximately 24 hours.
 Cyclospora cayetanensis
• Is a parasite that causes gastroenteritis.
• This bacteria is commonly found in the feces of an
infected person and can be transmitted by poor
hygiene. It has been found in an unclear water
Symptoms: Diarrhea, abdominal
cramps, decreased appetite, and a
low-grade fever.
These symptoms could last off
and on for several weeks.
• Those with compromised
immune systems, children, and
the elderly are at greatest risk of
complications.
• Cyclospora has an incubation period of 1 week,
is associated with invasion of the small intestine,
and is manifested by the preceding symptoms.
• The parasites natural ecology, infective dose, and
host range are unknown. But it is known that
Cyclospora does not multiply outside the host.
• It is strongly recommended that clean water be
used for drinking and the irrigation of produce.
• Thorough washing of fruits and vegetables and
the practice of good hygiene by food handlers
help to prevent the spread of this bacteria.
 Escherichia coli
Commonly called E.coli, is a group of bacteria that can
cause illness in humans. E coli is a very infectious strain
of this group.
• These bacteria can be found in the intestines of some
mammals, in raw milk, and in water contaminated by
animal or human feces.
• Transmitted to humans through contaminated water,
unpasteurized milk or apple juice, raw or rare ground
beef products, unwashed fruits or vegetables, and
directly from person to person.
• Plant foods can be contaminated by fertilization with raw
manure or irrigation with contaminated water.

Symptoms: Severe abdominal cramps, diarrhea that may be

watery or bloody and nausea. Sometimes can cause
hemorrhagic colitis inflammation of the colon. This in turn
can result in hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) in children,
which can damage the kidneys.
• E coli can be controlled by careful choice and cooking of
foods.
 Listeria monocytogenes

• Is a bacteria often found in human and animal intestines

and in milk, leafy vegetables, and soil.
• It can grow in the refrigerator and can be transmitted to
humans by unpasteurized diary foods such as milk, soft
cheeses, and ice creams and via raw leafy vegetables and
processed meats.
Can affect a person from 12 hours to
8 days after ingestion
Symptoms: fatigue, fever, chills, headache, backache,
abdominal pain, and diarrhea.
To prevent infection meats and poultry should be
thoroughly cooked and salad greens carefully washed.
Attention must be paid to all dairy products especially the
unfamiliar from new sources – to be certain they have been
pasteurized
 Salmonellosis

Commonly called salmonella

• It is an infection caused by the
salmonella bacteria.
• It can be found in raw meats, poultry,
fish, milk, and eggs
• It is transmitted by eating
contaminated food or by contact with a
carrier.
Symptoms: Headache, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal
cramps and fever.
Symptoms generally begin from 6 to 48 hours after eating.
In severe cases, it can result in death.
Refrigeration (40 degrees F or lower) inhibits the growth of
these bacteria, but they can remain alive in the freezer and
in dried foods. They are destroyed by heating to at least
140 degrees F for a minimum of 10 minutes.
 Shigella
Shigella bacteria are found in the intestinal tract and thus
the feces of infected individuals. The disease is called
shigellosis.
• These bacteria are typically passed on by an infected food
handler who did not wash his or her hands properly after
using the toilet.
• They are also found on plants that were fertilized with
untreated animal feces or given contaminated water
• Shigella are destroyed by heat, but infected cold
foods such as tuna, chicken, or egg salads are
common carriers

Symptoms: Diarrhea (sometimes with blood and mucus), fever,

chills, headache, nausea and abdominal cramps and can lead to
dehydration. It can occur from 1 day to a week following infection.
Some people, however, experience no symptoms.
 Staphylococcus aureus
Staphylococcus aureus bacteria are found
on human skin, in infected cuts and pimples,
and in noses and throats.
Staphylococcal poisoning is commonly
called staphylococcus (staph).
• These bacteria grow in meats, poultry, fish,
egg dishes, salads such as potato, egg,
macaron, and tuna, and cream-filled pastries.
This poisoning is transmitted by carriers and by
eating foods that contain the toxin these bacteria
create.

Symptoms: Vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps,

begin with ½ to 8 hours after ingestion of the toxin
and last from 24 to 48 hours.
• Staph is considered to be a mild illness.
 Bacteria Transmission Symptoms Prevention

Campylobacter Unpasteurized milk, Diarrhea , fever, headache, Avoid Unpasteurized milk

contaminated water, raw and abdominal pain, and and questionable water, cook
jejuni undercooked meat and nausea meat and fish thoroughly
shellfish
Clostridium Home-canned and rarely, Double vision, speech Avoid bulging cans. Boil
improperly prepared difficulty, inability to home canned green beans for
botulinum commercially canned food. swallow, and respiratory 10 minutes
paralysis
Clostridium Sometimes referred to as Diarrhea and gas pains Keep hot food hot and cold
“cafeteria germ”. Outbreaks beginning between 6 and 2 food cold. Leftovers should
perfringens occur when large quantities hours after ingestion and be heated to at least 16
of food are served at room lasting approximately 24 degrees F before serving.
temperature or from a steam hours. Wash all soil from
table. vegetables.
Meat, poultry, cooked dried
beans, and gravies are the
most common carriers.
 Continuation:

Cyclospora Feces-contaminated food Watery diarrhea, abdominal Thorough hand washing.

or water cramps, decreased appetite, Washing fruit before eating,
cayetanensis and low-grade fever. Could last using and drinking only clean
off and on for several weeks water.

Escherichia Eating contaminated foods Abdominal cramps, watery Cooked ground meat to 160
such as undercooked diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. degress F. Eat no raw ground
coli hamburger, ground poultry Onset: within 3-9 days meat. Wash all fruits and
and unpasteurized milk Duration: 2-9 days if no vegetables before eating.
and apple juice complications

Listeria Unpasteurized milk, raw Fever, chills, headache, Avoid unpasteurized milk and
and cooked poultry and backache, and occasional dairy products. Cooked ground
monocytogens meat, raw leafy vegetables. abdominal pain and diarrhea. meat to 160 degrees F. Hot foods
Onset: 12 hours to 8 days should be kept hot and cold foods
cold. Wash produce thoroughly
 Continuation

Salmonella Raw or undercooked foods Headache, abdominal pain, Do not eat raw eggs. Cooked ground
such as eggs, poultry, diarrhea, fever and nausea. beef to 160 degrees F. keep hot foods
unpasteurized milk, or Onset: 6-48 hours hot and cold foods cold. Do not eat any
other dairy products and Duration: 1-8 days unpasteurized raw or undercooked food
meats. of animal origin

Shigella Contamination of food by Severe diarrhea, nausea, Good hygiene of food handlers and
infected food handlers. headaches, chills, and sanitary food preparation. keep hot
Primarily transmitted in dehydration foods hot and cold foods cold. Always
cold salads such as tuna, Onset: 1 day to a week wash hands in hot soapy water after
chicken and potato going to the bathroom and before
preparing or eating food.

Staphylococcus Transmitted by infected Vomiting, diarrhea, Good hygiene of food handlers.

aureus food handlers abdominal cramps Always wash hands in hot soapy water
Onset: ½ - 8 hours before preparing or eating food. Keep
Duration: 1-2 days hot foods hot and cold foods cold.
MOLD
- Is a type of fungus.
- It roots go down, into the food, and
it grows a stalk upward on which
spores from.
- the green “fuzzy” part that can be
seen by the naked eye is where the
spores are found.
Some spores cause respiratory
problems and allergic reaction for
some people.
for this reason,
MOLDY FOOD
should NEVER BE
SMELLED!
Some molds produce a dangerous
mycotoxin called aflatoxin than can
cause CANCER.
Symptoms of such an infection:
• abdominal pain
• vomiting
• diarrhea
may occur from 1 day to several
months after ingestion.

It can cause liver and skin

damage and ULTIMATELY
CANCER.
 Remember: Neither cooking nor
refrigeration destroys this toxin.
• Cheese may developed mold,
and that part should be cut
away to a depth of at least an
inch.
• Bleu cheese that were
intentionally ripened by
harmless molds are safe to eat.

Fruits and Vegetables showing

signs of mold should not be
purchased.
 Trichinella Spiralis
-is a parasitic worm
that causes trichinosis.
- this disease is
transmitted by eating
inadequately cooked
pork from pigs that are
infected with the
trichinella spiralis
parasite
 Symptoms:
• vomiting
• fever
• chills
• muscle pain
- symptoms occur about 24 hours
after ingesting infected pork.
Key: cooking all pork to an internal
temperature of at least 76.6 ℃ kills
the organism and prevents disease.
- it can also be destroyed by freezing
 Dysentery
- is a disease caused by
protozoa ( tiny, one-celled
animal ).

protozoa- introduced to food by

carriers or contaminated water.
- they cause severe diarrhea
that can occur intermittenly until
the patient is treated
appropriately.
PREVENTION OF FOODBORNE ILLNESS
- most foodborne
illnessess occur because
of the ignorance or
carelessness of people
who handle food.

- CLEANLINESS is
especially important in
preventing foodborne
illness.
CROSS CONTAMINATION
- the transfer of
bacteria or other
microorganism from
one substance to
another. it can
happen during any
stage of food
production.
TYPES OF CROSS CONTAMINATION
• FOOD-TO-FOOD
- adding contamination
to non-contaminated
foods results in food-to-
food cross-contamination.
- this allows bacteria
harmful bacteria to
spread and populate.
TYPES OF CROSS CONTAMINATION
• EQUIPMENT-TO-FOOD
- is one of the most
common yet unrecognized
types of cross-contamination
- bacteria can survive for
long periods on surfaces like
countertops, utensils, cutting
boards, storage containers,
and food manufacturing
equipment.
 TYPES OF CROSS
CONTAMINATION
• PEOPLE-TO-FOOD
- humans can easily transfer bacteria
from their bodies or clothes to food
during many steps of food preparation.
Example: a person may cough into
their hand and touch raw food then
continue to prepare a meal without
washing their hands in between.
TEMPERATURE

- temperature
during preparation
and storage of food
must be carefully
observed.
TO PREVENT FOOD POISONING
● Keep kitchen and equipment
thoroughly clean.
● wash hands after blowing nose or
using bathroom.
● wear gloves if cooking with any wound
● cover and store foods to prevent
microbes or animals from reaching it.
● cook foods to appropriate
temperatures.
TO PREVENT FOOD POISONING
 limit standing time at
temperature between 4.4℃ to
60℃.
 prevent known carriers from
preparing foods.
 select only packages and jars
that were sealed by the
manufacturer.
 avoid bulging cans, foods that
look or smell odd, and foods
showing signs of molds.
 MISCELLANEOUS FOOD
POISONINGS
•Food poisoning is caused by ingesting certain
plants or animals that contain poison.

•Poisoning also can result from ingesting cleaning

agents, insectisides, and excessive amounts of
drug.
 FOOD ALLERGIES
• Allergy is an altered reaction of the tissues of some individuals to
substances that in smaller amounts are harmless to other people
• The substances causing hypersentivity are called allergens.
• Common allergens:
• Pollen
• Dust
• Animal dander (bits of dried skin
• Drugs
• Cosmetics
• foods
 FOOD ALLERGIES
•Food allergy occurs when the immune system
results to a food substance.
•Specific food Intolerance- an altered reaction to a
specific food that does not involve the immune
system.
•2% to 8% are children
•2% are adults
 Types of Allergic Reactions
• ● Sometimes allergic reactions are immediate and sometimes
several hours elapse before signs occur.
• ● Allergic individuals seem most prone to allergic reactions during
periods of stress.
• ● Typical signs of food allergies are hay fever, urticaria, edema,
headache, dermatitis, nausea, dizziness, and asthma.
• ● Allergic reaction are uncomfortable and can detrimental to
health.
• ● Allergic reaction to the same foods can differ in two individuals
• ● Allergic reaction can even differ from time to time with the
same individual.
 Treatment of Allergies
•The simplest treatment for allergies is to remove
the item that causes the allergic reaction.
• Keep a food diary for several days.
• Record all food and drink ingested.
• Record allergic reactions and record time of their
onset.
• Laboratory Test
• RAST (Radio Allergosorben Test)
• Skin test
 COMMON FOOD
ALLERGENS
• Milk •Strawberries
• Wheat •Tomatoes
• Corn
•Legumes
• Eggs
• Citruis fruit
•Tree nuts
• Chocolate •Red nuts
• Soybeans •Fish
• Pork
•Shellfish
 Treatment of Allergies
• Elimanation diet- for 1 to 2 weeks the client does
not eat any of the tested compounds that gave a
positive reaction.
• When relief found from the allergic symptoms
the client is continued on the diet and gradually
other food are added to the diet as rate of only 4
to 7 days
• Those food that produce allergic are added at the
last part until allergic reaction occurs.
• The allergies then be pinpointed and the
offending foods are eliminated from the diet.
 Treatment of Allergies
•If the elimination of the allergen results in a diet dificient in
certain nutrients, suitable substitutes for those nutrients must be
found.
•The client must be taught the food sources of the nutrients.
•The client must be taught to read the labels on commercialy
prepared foods and to check ingredients of restaurant foods
carefully.
•As in all cases of allergies and in particularly in such cases, it is
hoped that the client can become desensitized to the allergens.
 CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE HEALTH CARE
PROFESSONAL
•Some clients will need a simple instructions from
the health care professional about avoiding
microbial contamination of food supply at home.
•Clients with food allergies will require careful
training to avoid their specific allergies.
•Role playing is an effective way to help such
clients.
Conclusion:
• Infection or poisoning traced to food that is
usually caused by human ignorance or carelessness
• All fruits and vegetables should be washed before
being eaten
• Meats, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy products
should be refrigerated
• Pork should be cooked to the well-done stage
• Food should be covered to prevent contamination
by dust, insects, or animals.
• Hands that prepare foods should be clean and free
of cuts or wounds
• People should avoid foods containing natural
poisons.
Food allergies can cause many different
symptoms and unpleasant symptoms
Some of the most common food allergens
have been found from the following:
• Milk
• Chocolate
• Eggs
• Tomatoes
• Fish
• Citrus fruit
• Legumes
• Strawberries
THANK YOU FOR WATCHING!!!

Stay Healthy and Safe everyone

God bless!