THE MICROWORLD

PRINCIPLES OF FOOD SAFETY, HYGIENE & SANITATION

 Pathogens

Microorganism
● Small, living organism that can only be seen with the aid of a
microscope.

Pathogen
● Harmful (illness-causing) microorganism

Toxin
● Poison

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 Types of Pathogens

Pathogens That Can Contaminate Food and Cause

Foodborne Illness

Viruses Bacteria Parasites Fungi

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 What Pathogens Need to Grow

F
Food
A Acidity
T
Temperature

TTime
OOxygen
MMoisture

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 What Pathogens Need to Grow

Food
● Pathogens require an energy
source to grow, such as
carbohydrates or proteins
● They are commonly found in PHF
such as meat, poultry, dairy

F
products and eggs.

Food

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 What Pathogens Need to Grow

Acidity
● Pathogens grow best in food
that contains little or no acid
● pH - Measure of a food’s acidity or
alkalinity. The pH scale ranges from
0.0 to 14.0. A pH between 7.1 and
14.0 is ALKALINE while a pH
between 0.0 to 6.9 is ACIDIC. A pH
of 7.0 is NEUTRAL. Food borne
A
Acidity
microorganisms grow well in food
that has a NEUTRAL TO SLIGHTLY
ACIDIC pH (7.5-4.6)

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 What Pathogens Need to Grow

Temperature
● Pathogens grow well at
temperatures
between 41˚F and 135˚F (5˚C and
57˚C)
● This range is known as the
temperature danger zone (TDZ)
T
Temperature

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 What Pathogens Need to Grow

Time
● Pathogens need time to grow
● 4 hours or more in TDZ = growth
high enough to make someone sick
● Given the right conditions, they are
capable of doubling their
population every 20 minutes.
T
Time

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 What Pathogens Need to Grow

Oxygen
● Some pathogens need oxygen
to grow, while others grow
when oxygen isn’t there
● Aerobic - microorganisms that
need oxygen to survive.
● Anaerobic - opposite
O
Oxygen

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 What Pathogens Need to Grow

Moisture
● Pathogens need moisture
in food to grow
● Water activity (aw) - amount of
moisture available in food for
microorganisms to grow. It is
measured on a scale from 0.0 - 1.0,
with water having a water activity of
1.0. PHF typically has a water activity
M
Moisture
value of .85 or higher.

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 Food Most Likely to Become Unsafe

Food That Favors the Growth of Pathogens

Milk and dairy Meat: beef, pork, Fish Baked potatoes

products and lamb

Eggs (except those

Poultry Shellfish and
treated to eliminate
Salmonella spp.) crustaceans

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 Food Most Likely to Become Unsafe

Food That Favors the Growth of Pathogens continued

Heat-treated plant food, Tofu or other Sprouts and

such as cooked rice, soy-protein food sprout seeds
beans, and vegetables

Sliced melons and Untreated garlic-and-oil

cut tomatoes mixtures

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 Classifying Foodborne Illnesses

● Foodborne Infection
Result of a person eating food containing
pathogens, which then grow in the intestines and
cause illness.

● Foodborne Intoxication
Result of a person eating food containing
toxins that cause an illness. The toxins maybe the
result of chemical contamination

● Foodborne Mediated Infection

Result of a person eating food containing
pathogens, which then produce illness-causing
toxins in the intestines.

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 Controlling the Growth of Pathogens

The Conditions You Can Control

● Temperature
Keep PHF out of the temperature danger
zone

● Time
Limit how long PHF spends in the
temperature danger zone

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 Other Food Requiring Care

Examples of Ready-to-Eat Food

● Washed fruit and vegetables (whole
and cut)
● Deli meat
● Bakery items
● Sugar, spices, and seasonings
● Cooked food

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 General Information about Viruses

Viruses can:
● Survive cooler and freezer
temperatures
● Contaminate food and water
● Grow in the intestines, but not
in food
● Be transmitted from:
• Person to person
• People to food
• People to food-contact surfaces

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 Major Foodborne Illnesses Caused by Viruses

Viral Foodborne Illnesses

● Hepatitis A
● Norovirus gastroenteritis

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 Hepatitis A

Illness: Hepatitis A
Virus: Hepatitis A

Commonly Linked Food Most Common Symptoms

Ready-to-eat food Fever (mild)

Shellfish from contaminated water General weakness

Nausea

Abdominal pain

Jaundice (appears later)

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 Preventing Hepatitis A

Most Important Prevention Measure

● Practice personal hygiene

Other Prevention Measures

● Keep employees with jaundice out of the operation
● Keep employees diagnosed with hepatitis A out of the
operation
● Wash hands
● Minimize bare-hand contact with ready-to-eat food
● Purchase shellfish from approved, reputable suppliers

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 Norovirus Gastroenteritis

Illness: Norovirus gastroenteritis

Bacteria: Norovirus

Commonly Linked Food Most Common Symptoms

Ready-to-eat food Vomiting

Shellfish from contaminated water Diarrhea

Nausea

Abdominal cramps

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 Preventing Norovirus Gastroenteritis

Most Important Prevention Measure

● Practice personal hygiene

Other Prevention Measures

● Keep employees with diarrhea and vomiting out of the
operation
● Keep employees diagnosed with Norovirus out of the
operation
● Wash hands
● Minimize bare-hand contact with ready-to-eat food
● Purchase shellfish from approved, reputable suppliers

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 Characteristics of Bacteria That Cause Foodborne Illness

Basic Characteristics
● Most are controlled by keeping
food out of the temperature
danger zone
● Will grow rapidly if FAT TOM
conditions are right
● Some can change into spores to
keep from dying when they don’t
have enough food
● Some make toxins in food as they
grow and die

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 Major Foodborne Illnesses Caused by Bacteria

Illnesses
● Bacillus cereus gastroenteritis
● Listeriosis
● Hemorrhagic colitis
● Clostridium perfringens gastroenteritis
● Botulism
● Salmonellosis
● Shigellosis
● Staphylococcal gastroenteritis
● Vibrio vulnificus primary
septicemia/gastroenteritis

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 Major Foodborne Illnesses Caused by Bacteria

Illnesses Prevented by Controlling

Time and Temperature
● Bacillus cereus gastroenteritis
● Listeriosis
● Hemorrhagic colitis
● Clostridium perfringens gastroenteritis
● Botulism

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 Bacillus cereus Gastroenteritis

Illness: Bacillus cereus gastroenteritis

Bacteria: Bacillus cereus
(Diarrheal Illness)

Commonly Linked Food Most Common Symptoms

Cooked vegetables Watery diarrhea

Meat products No vomiting

Milk

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 Bacillus cereus Gastroenteritis

Illness: Bacillus cereus gastroenteritis

Bacteria: Bacillus cereus
(Vomiting Illness)

Commonly Linked Food Most Common Symptoms

Cooked rice dishes including:

Nausea
● Fried rice
Vomiting
● Rice pudding

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 Preventing Bacillus cereus Gastroenteritis

Most Important Prevention Measure

● Control time and temperature

Other Prevention Measures

● Cook food to minimum internal temperatures
● Hold food at the right temperatures
● Cool food correctly

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 Listeriosis

Illness: Listeriosis
Bacteria: Listeria monocytogenes

Commonly Linked Food Most Common Symptoms

Pregnant women:
Raw meat
Miscarriage
Ready-to-eat food such as: Newborns:
● Deli meat ● Sepsis
● Hot dogs ● Pneumonia
● Soft cheese ● Meningitis
Unpasteurized dairy products

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 Preventing Listeriosis

Most Important Prevention Measure

● Control time and temperature

Other Prevention Measures

● Throw out any product that has passed its use-by or expiration
date
● Cook raw meat to minimum internal temperatures
● Prevent cross-contamination between raw or undercooked
food and ready-to-eat food
● Avoid using unpasteurized dairy products

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 Hemorrhagic Colitis

Illness: Hemorrhagic colitis

Bacteria: Shiga toxin-producing
Escherichia coli, including
O157:H7, O26:H11, O111:H8,
and O158:NM

Commonly Linked Food Most Common Symptoms

Ground beef (raw and undercooked) Diarrhea (becomes bloody)

Contaminated produce Abdominal cramps

Kidney failure (in severe cases)

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 Preventing Hemorrhagic Colitis

Most Important Prevention Measure

● Control time and temperature

Other Prevention Measures

● Cook food, especially ground beef, to minimum internal
temperatures
● Purchase produce from approved, reputable suppliers
● Prevent cross-contamination between raw meat and ready-to-
eat food
● Keep employees with diarrhea out of the operation
● Keep employees diagnosed with hemorrhagic colitis out of the
operation

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 Clostridium perfringens Gastroenteritis

Illness: Clostridium perfringens gastroenteritis

Bacteria: Clostridium perfringens

Commonly Linked Food Most Common Symptoms

Meat Diarrhea

Poultry Severe abdominal pain

Meat and poultry dishes: Stews

and gravies

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 Preventing Clostridium perfringens Gastroenteritis

Most Important Prevention Measure

● Control time and temperature

Other Prevention Measures

● Cool and reheat food correctly
● Hold food at the right temperatures

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 Botulism

Illness: Botulism
Bacteria: Clostridium botulinum

Commonly Linked Food Most Common Symptoms

Initially:
Incorrectly canned food
● Nausea and vomiting
Reduced oxygen packaged (ROP)
food Later:
● Weakness
Temperature-abused food (baked
potatoes) ● Double vision

● Difficulty speaking and swallowing

Untreated garlic-and-oil mixtures

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 Preventing Botulism

Most Important Prevention Measure

● Control time and temperature

Other Prevention Measures

● Hold, cool, and reheat food correctly
● Inspect canned food for damage

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 Major Foodborne Illnesses Caused by Bacteria

Illnesses Prevented by Preventing

Cross-Contamination
● Salmonellosis

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 Salmonellosis

Illness: Salmonellosis
Bacteria: Salmonella spp.

Commonly Linked Food Most Common Symptoms

Poultry and eggs Diarrhea

Dairy products Abdominal cramps

Produce Vomiting

Fever

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 Preventing Salmonellosis

Most Important Prevention Measure

● Prevent cross-contamination

Other Prevention Measures

● Cook poultry and eggs to minimum internal temperatures
● Prevent cross-contamination between poultry and
ready-to-eat food
● Keep foodhandlers who have been diagnosed with
salmonellosis out of the operation

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 Major Foodborne Illnesses Caused by Bacteria

Illnesses Prevented by Practicing Personal Hygiene

● Shigellosis
● Staphylococcal gastroenteritis

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 Shigellosis

Illness: Shigellosis
Bacteria: Shigella spp.

Commonly Linked Food Most Common Symptoms

Food easily contaminated by

hands, including:
Salads containing TCS food Bloody diarrhea
(potato, tuna, shrimp, macaroni,
chicken)
Food in contact with contaminated
Abdominal pain and cramps
water, such as produce
Fever (occasionally)

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 Preventing Shigellosis

Most Important Prevention Measure

● Practice personal hygiene

Other Prevention Measures

● Keep foodhandlers with diarrhea out of
the operation
● Keep foodhandlers diagnosed with
shigellosis out of the operation
● Wash hands
● Control flies inside and outside
the operation

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 Staphylococcal Gastroenteritis

Illness: Staphylococcal gastroenteritis

Bacteria: Staphylococcus aureus

Commonly Linked Food Most Common Symptoms

Food requiring handling during
preparation, including:
Nausea
Salads containing TCS food (egg,
tuna, chicken, macaroni)

Deli meat Vomiting and retching

Abdominal cramps

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 Preventing Staphylococcal Gastroenteritis

Most Important Prevention Measure

● Practice personal hygiene

Other Prevention Measures

● Wash hands, particularly after touching
the hair, face, or body
● Cover wounds on hands and arms
● Hold, cool, and reheat food correctly

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 Major Foodborne Illnesses Caused by Bacteria

Illnesses Prevented by Purchasing from Approved,

Reputable Suppliers
● Vibrio gastroenteritis
● Vibrio vulnificus primary septicemia

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 Vibrio vulnificus Primary Septicemia

Illness: Vibrio vulnificus primary

septicimia
Bacteria: Vibrio vulnificus

Commonly Linked Food Most Common Symptoms

Oysters from contaminated water Low-grade fever and chills

Nausea

Diarrhea

Vomiting

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 Vibrio parahaemolyticus Gastroenteritis

Illness: Vibrio parahaemolyticus

gastroenteritis
Bacteria: Vibrio parahaemolyticus

Commonly Linked Food Most Common Symptoms

Oysters from contaminated water Diarrhea

Abdominal cramps and nausea

Vomiting

Low-grade fever and chills

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 Preventing Illnesses from Vibrio vunificus/parahaemolyticus

Most Important Prevention Measure

● Purchase from approved, reputable
suppliers

Other Prevention Measures

● Cook oysters to minimum internal
temperatures

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 Characteristics of Parasites

Parasites
● Cannot survive in food
● Need to be in the meat of another
animal to survive (cows, chickens,
pigs, fish)
● Can be found in the feces of animals
and people
● Can contaminate food and water,
particularly water used to irrigate
produce
● Will cause illness if eaten

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 Major Foodborne Illnesses Caused by Parasites

Foodborne Illnesses from Parasites

● Anisakiasis
● Cryptosporidiosis
● Giardiasis

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 Anisakiasis

Illness: Anisakiasis
Parasite: Anisakis simplex

Commonly Linked Food Most Common Symptoms

Raw and undercooked fish,

including:
Tingling in throat
● Herring ● Halibut
● Cod ● Mackerel

● Pacific salmon Coughing up worms

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 Preventing Anisakiasis

Most Important Prevention Measure

● Purchase from approved, reputable suppliers

Other Prevention Measures

● Cook fish to minimum internal temperatures
● If serving raw or undercooked fish, purchase sushi-grade fish
that has been frozen to the right time-temperature
requirements

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 Cryptosporidiosis

Illness: Cryptosporidiosis
Parasite: Cryptosporidium parvum

Commonly Linked Food Most Common Symptoms

Contaminated water Watery diarrhea

Produce Abdominal cramps

Nausea

Weight loss

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 Preventing Cryptosporidiosis

Most Important Prevention Measure

● Purchase from approved, reputable suppliers

Other Prevention Measures

● Use properly treated water
● Keep foodhandlers with diarrhea out of the operation
● Wash hands

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 Giardiasis

Illness: Giardiasis
Parasite: Giardia duodenalis
(G. lamblia or G. Intestinalis)

Commonly Linked Food Most Common Symptoms

Improperly treated water Initially

Produce ● Fever
Later
● Diarrhea
● Abdominal cramps
● Nausea

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 Preventing Giardiasis

Most Important Prevention Measure

● Purchase from approved, reputable suppliers

Other Prevention Measures

● Use properly treated water
● Keep foodhandlers with diarrhea out of the operation
● Wash hands

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 Fungi

Fungi
● Commonly cause food spoilage
and sometimes illness

Fungi

Molds Yeasts

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 Basic Characteristics of Mold

Molds
● Spoil food and sometimes cause
illness
● Grow well in acidic food with little
moisture
● Are not destroyed by cooler or
freezer temperatures
● Can produce toxins such as
aflatoxins

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 Basic Characteristics of Yeast

Yeast
● Can spoil food quickly
● May produce a smell or taste of
alcohol as it spoils food
● May look like a white or pink
discoloration or slime and may
bubble
● Grow well in acidic food with little
moisture

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