TOPIC 1B

FOOD CONTAMINATION AND FOOD POISONING

• Food Contamination
• Food Poisoning and foodborne
diseases
• Safety Issues
 LESSON LEARNING OUTCOMES

❑Causes of food contamination, food poisoning and food borne

diseases
❑Prevention against contamination, food poisoning and food borne
diseases
❑Food safety issue
 FOOD CONTAMINATION

Food contamination refers to the

presence of harmful substances or
organisms (hazards) in food.

Types of hazards:
i.biological
ii.chemical
iii.physical
i. Biological Hazards

▪ Bacteria:
▪ e.g: E. coli 0157:H7 in beef
▪ Salmonella in chicken and eggs
▪ Viruses:
▪ e.g: Hepatitis A in contaminated water
▪ Mould:
▪ e.g: Aspergillus flavus (carcinogenic aflatoxin)
▪ Poisonous mushroom
▪ Parasites:
▪ e.g: Taenia solium in pork
Biological Hazards can be controlled by:

a. Controlling and monitoring storage & processing

temperature
• Heating to kill microbes ;
e.g: >74°C for poultry and eggs
>68°C for ground beef
• Avoid danger zone = 5 – 63°C

b. Preventing cross-contamination (good employee

practices)
c. Following cleaning and sanitation program
 CROSS CONTAMINATION QUICK FACTS

• Occurs from raw foods to

ready-to-eat foods by
means of the hands,
utensils and equipment.

• Can be prevented using

separate equipment for
different types of food
• Some examples of cross-
contamination that are usually
caused by food handlers:

i. mixing leftovers with other food

ii. putting chopping boards on top of

dustbins or on the floor can cause
bacteria and fungi to grow on the
board.

iii. keeping uncontained food in the

freezer can contaminate the ice

iv. unorganized refrigerators can cause

cross-contamination between raw
foods and ready-to-eat foods.
https://ag.purdue.edu/foodsci
/Fenglab/?p=8024
II. CHEMICAL HAZARDS

• A toxic substance that is produced naturally, or intentionally or

non-intentionally added into food

i. Naturally-occurring
e.g: toxic produced by other living organisms (horseshoe crab)

ii. Intentionally
e.g: nitrates in meat, pesticide/hormone/ antibiotic residues

iii. Non-intentionally
e.g: any unwanted substance (cleaning agents, lubricants,
pesticides)
 CONTROL OF CHEMICAL
HAZARDS
a. Proper storage and handling practices

- Store chemicals separately from food products and

packaging materials

-Thorough cleaning and rinsing

- Use only approved chemicals for cleaning and sanitizing

- Pest control should be performed by professionals

b. Adequate employee training and in-house testing

c. Good manufacturing practices

d. Good husbandry (farm)practices

 III. PHYSICAL HAZARDS

A hard foreign object that can cause illness or

injury. It may be:

• Inherent in the food or ingredients

• Contaminant during processing
i. Inherent in the food or ingredients

e.g:
• bone fragments
• feathers from carcass

ii. Contamination during processing

e.g: stones, rocks, dirt in vegetables

metal from processing equipment
jewelry, hair
 Control of physical
hazards
a. Good hygiene practices

b. Good manufacturing practices

 2.2 FOOD POISONING AND FOOD BORNE
DISEASES

Food poisoning is an illness caused by

eating food that contains toxins

Food borne diseases is any illness resulting

from the consumption of contaminated
food, pathogenic bacteria, viruses, parasites
or chemical/natural toxins
 What influences the occurrence of
food-borne diseases/illnesses?

1. Food handlers and poor personal hygiene

2. Improper holding or storage temperatures
3. Inadequate cooking & food preparation
4. Contaminated equipment/cross contamination
5. Food from an unsafe source
6. Time-temperature abuse
Common Infectious Microbes That
Cause FOOD Borne Diseases are…
 https://ag.purdue.edu/foodsci/Fenglab/?p=8006
https://ag.purdue.edu/foodsci/Fenglab/?p=7978
Escherichia coli

Disease/Bacteria Source of Illness Symptoms

Hemolytic Uncooked meat, Onset:
Uremic produce and raw From 8-44 hrs after consumption of
Syndrome (HUS) milk. contaminated food.

Symptoms:
Fever, abdominal spasms, shivering,
aqueous diarrhea, vomiting and
dehydration.

E. Coli O157:H7 Symptoms: Stools with blood, leading

cause of renal failure in children, can
cause damage to the brain. Mortality
rate is very high.
Leads to the occurrence of
Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS) in
children.
 SALMONELLA

Disease/Bacteria Source of Illness Symptoms

Salmonellosis Raw and undercooked Non-typhoid Infections

eggs, undercooked poultry (gastroenteritis)
Salmonella and meat, dairy products,
seafood, and produce. Onset: Generally 8-12 hours
after eating.
Individuals carrying this
organism but exhibiting no Symptoms: Abdominal pain
symptoms of illness could and diarrhea, and sometimes
contaminate produce due nausea and vomiting.
to poor hygiene practices. Symptoms last a day or less
and are usually mild. Can be
more serious in older or
debilitated people.
STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS

Disease/Bacteria Source of Illness Symptoms

Staphylococcal Most outbreaks are due to Onset:

food poisoning human food handling. 1 to 6 hours.
High-protein foods are more
Staphylococcus commonly associated with toxin Symptoms:
aureus production. Such foods include
meats, poultry, egg products, Severe nausea, acute
tuna, potato and macaroni abdominal pain,
salads, and cream filled pastries. vomiting and diarrhea.
Usually not a problem in raw
produce due to competition by
natural microflora.
 BACILLUS CEREUS

Disease/Bacteria Source of Illness Symptoms

Bacillus cereus The short-incubation form is most B. cereus causes two
often associated with fried rice types of food-borne
that has been cooked and then illnesses:
held at warm temperatures for
several hours. Other sources: Short incubation period
macaroni and cheese made of 1-6 hrs.
from powdered milk Symptoms: nausea and
vomiting and
abdominal cramps

The long-incubation poisoning is Long incubation period

frequently associated with meat of 8-16 hrs.
or vegetable-containing foods Symptoms: abdominal
after cooking. cramps and profuse
and watery diarrhea
 SALMONELLA TYPHI
Disease/Bacteria Source of Illness Symptoms

Typhoid fever The most common source is Onset: 24-72 hrs

drinking water tainted by urine
Salmonella typhi and feces of infected individuals. Symptoms:
Severe headache,
Poor hygiene of patients can nause and loss of
lead to secondary infection, as appetite.
well as consumption of shellfish
from polluted bodies of water. Other symptoms
include constipation or
The encounter of humans to S. diarrhea, enlargement
typhi is made via fecal-oral route of the spleen, possible
from infected individuals to development of
healthy ones. meningitis, and/or
general malaise.
 CLOSTRIDIUM BOTULINUM

Disease/Bacteria Source of Illness Symptoms

Botulism Canned low-acid foods,
including canned meat and
Clostridium seafood, smoked and processed
botulinum fish; root vegetables
Onset: 12-48 hours
after eating.
Symptoms: Impaired
swallowing, speaking,
respiration, and
coordination; dizziness
and double vision
 CLOSTRIDIUM PERFRINGENS

Disease/Bacteria Source of Illness Symptoms

Clostridium Poorly prepared meat and Onset: 6-20 hrs
perfringens poultry.
(formerly known Symptoms: abdominal
as C. welchii) Meat prepared too far in cramping and
advance of consumption. diarrhea; vomiting and
fever are unusual.
 LISTERIA https://ag.purdue.edu/foodsci/Fenglab/?p=8027

MONOCYTOGENES
Disease/Bacteria Source of Illness Symptoms
Listeriosis, Unpasteurized dairy products, Onset: 48-72 hrs
meningitis undercooked meat, poultry and
encephalitis seafood, surimi , coleslaw and Symptoms:
raw produce. Fever, headache,
nausea, and vomiting.
Listeria Primarily affects
monocytogenes Much more resistant to heat, salt, pregnant women and
nitrite, and acidity than many their fetuses, newborns,
other microbes. They survive and the elderly, people with
grow at low temperatures. cancer, and those with
impaired immune
systems.

Can cause fetal and

infant death.
 SHIGELLA

Disease/Bacteria Source of Illness Symptoms

Shigellosis Found in lettuce, green peas, Onset: 1-7 days
(bacillary milk, dairy products, poultry, and
dysentery) potato salad. Symptoms: Abdominal
cramps, diarrhea, fever,
Shigella Food becomes contaminated sometimes vomiting
when a human carrier does not and blood, pus, or
wash hands and then handles mucus in stool.
produce.
 CAMPYLOBACTER

Disease/Bacteria Source of Illness Symptoms

Campylobacteriosis Bacteria on poultry, cattle, Onset: 2-5 days
, Campylobacter and sheep contaminate meat
and milk of these animals. Sympthoms:
enteritis
Diarrhea, abdominal
Raw poultry, meat, and
unpasteurized milk. cramping, fever, and
Campylobacter sometimes bloody
jejuni stools
 HEPATITIS A (HAV)

Disease/Bacteria Source of Illness Symptoms

Hepatitis It is transmitted by the Onset: 2-6 weeks
fecal-oral route an it
travels through Symptoms:
Hepatitis A contaminated food or Sufferers especially children
drinking water.
will exhibit no symptoms at all.
Poor hygiene practices Also these symptoms are not
deadly.

The symptoms that can return

over the following the weeks
include fatigue, fever,
abdominal pain, nausea,
diarrhea, appetite loss,
depression, jaundice, weight
loss and itching.
Factors Affecting Microbial Growth

Visible soil and food residue as

Food
sources of growth
pH Many pathogens grow well at pH 4.6-7.5

Temperature Avoid danger zone: 5-63 C

Time Avoid staying at danger zone for ≥ 4 hrs
Aerobes vs anaerobes
Oxygen
Needs of packaging and MAP/CAP
Moisture Aw≥ 0.8
 HIGH RISK FOODS

High-risk foods are foods that are likely to be the

vehicles of food poisoning organisms. They are ready-
to-eat food and under favorable conditions support the
growth and multiplication of pathogenic bacteria.

Such foods are usually high in protein and

carbohydrates and require strict temperature control
and protection from contamination.
 TYPES OF HIGH RISK FOODS

•Cooked meat and poultry

•Milk/dairy products
•Egg products
•Shellfish and other sea-foods
•Farinaceous dishes including; cooked rice,
pasta, couscous
Farinaceous dishes
including; cooked
rice, pasta
 2.3 FOOD SAFETY ISSUES

Common safety issues

• Hygiene status of ready-to-eat food

• Formaldehyde in fish

• Foreign matters

• Boric acid in pasta

• Residue of veterinary drugs

• Residue of pesticides
 EMERGING FOOD SAFETY
ISSUES

• Tapioca ball-Taiwan
• Melamine in milk crisis – China
• DEHP in food products – Taiwan
• E.coli O104:H4 in sprouts – Germany
• BPA in plastics-worldwide
Penang: Noodle factory owner fined RM22,500
over boric acid

A noodle factory owner pleaded guilty at the

Magistrate's Court here today to six charges related
to adding boric or benzoic acids to several types of
noodles produced by his factory, and was ordered
to pay RM22,500 in fine. Gooi Soon Chye, 45, was
charged for allegedly adding boric acid in his "hor
fun", "koay teow" and yellow noodles, as well as
allegedly adding benzoic acid in his "bee tai bak",
"hor fun" and "koay teow" noodles.
He committed the offences at his premises, Teoh Guan Hup Food Stuff
Industries, at 91M, West Jelutong, at six different times between 11.05am
and 11.35am, on May 19 this year.

The preservatives are prohibited from being used in the food, and is in
contravention with Regulation 20(3), read with Regulation 63 of the Food
Regulations 1985. The offences, under Section 13B(2)(d) of the Food Act
1983, carries a maximum RM20,000 fine or up to five years
imprisonment or both.

Gooi, who appeared at court unrepresented, pleaded for a lower fine. State
Health Department's head of Legal and Inspectorate Unit Idris Mohamed,
who prosecuted the case, told the court that such preservatives had
adverse effects on society.

Magistrate Mohd Firdaus Abdul Wahab then fined Gooi a total of RM22,500,
failing which he will have to spend 22 months in jail. It is learnt that Gooi
had been charged with similar offences between 2005 and 2009.
Two Factories Found Using Dangerous Chemicals To
Produce Quality Bird's Nests

Two swiftlet nest processing factories have been identified to

use dangerous chemicals to make the nests look reddish and be
categorised of the best quality to cheat buyers.

Deputy Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Chua Tee

Yong said the action of the factories concerned had been
detected by China, the main importer of the bird's nests.

He said China had filed a complaint with the ministry over the
use of the chemical, which is believed could cause cancer, by the
factories concerned.
Fake Creamer Seized From Warehouse

Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry (KPDNKK) officers

yesterday raided a warehouse and seized 1,000 sacks of fake creamer.

Perlis KPDNKK director Mohd A. Aruwan Abdul Aziz said the fake creamer
weighing 25kg was valued at RM96,000.

"The raid at 2.30pm also led to the seizure of 70 packages of mixed creamer
carrying the label of a popular manufacturer.

"The packages weighing 300g each is worth RM4,480. The warehouse is

believed to have been used to process the fake creamer," he told reporters
here Thursday.

Aruwan said a 57 year-old man had also been detained. The raid followed a
tip-off from the public.
The case is investigated under Section 3(1)(a) of the Trade Description Act
1972 which carries a three years' jail sentence and RM100,000 fine.

The creamer meant for the Thai market is believed to be from overseas
including China, raising concerns of melamine which is harmful to the health.
Tainted Vinegar Suspected in 11 Deaths in China
BY HELENA BOTTEMILLER | AUG 25, 2011

Food Safety Scandals Continue Despite Government Crackdown Efforts

China continues to earn scary food safety headlines. This week, police in northwest China are blaming 11 deaths
and 120 illnesses on vinegar contaminated with antifreeze. According to official Chinese media, the tainted
vinegar was consumed at a Ramadan meal in Sangzhu, after a day of fasting. Authorities believe the vinegar was
stored in containers that used to hold highly toxic antifreeze. A six-year-old is among the dead and as many as six
people are still hospitalized four days after consuming the chemicals, according to Xinhua.

The drumbeat of food safety scandals has continued steadily over the past few years, especially after food issues
grabbed the spotlight in the infamous melamine catastrophe, which sickened 300,000 and killed six infants.

Just in the last few months hundreds have been seriously sickened by clenbuterol-tainted pork, over a dozen
noodle makers were ordered to stop production because they were using ink, industrial dyes and paraffin wax as
ingredients, and 16 tons of pork were pulled from the marketplace for containing sodium borate, a chemical that
seemingly transforms cheap pork into darker, higher-value "beef.“
Chinese officials also arrested 12 people for involvement in a 40-ton bean sprout debacle--farmers were using
sodium nitrite (a known carcinogen), urea, antibiotics and a plant hormone called 6-benzaledenine to make the
sprouts grow faster and look shinier.

Exploding watermelons and glow-in-the-dark pork scandals, both caused by excessive chemical use, grabbed
international media headlines as well.

Chinese authorities say police have investigated 1,200 criminal cases concerning "the illegal adding of non-
edible materials in food" and destroyed key elements of black market food production as part of the latest
crackdown, which led to 2,000 arrests and 5,000 business shutdowns.
China's Ministry of Health says 45 people died from food poisoning, mostly from toxic chemicals, in the first six
months of 2011.

http://www.standardsusers.org/standardsusers/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3142:tainted-vinegar-suspected-in-11-deaths-in-
china&catid=103:news&Itemid=87, accessed July 8, 2013
 FOOD SAFETY/FRAUDULENT
ISSUES??
• Recycled cooking oils - domestic
• Fake food– China
• Noodles
• Eggs
• Rice
• Beef
• Walnut
• Bean sprout
• ….
Vietnam discovers illegal use of industrial chemicals in
food

City officials are alarmed about food processors' excessive use

of industrial chemicals to make products look fresh, clean or
white. Research conducted by the city's centre of experimental
analysis shows samples of food taken from markets and other
shops containing industrial chemicals typically used for
whitening or cleaning.

Commonly used foods, such as lotus rootstock, morning glory,

chicken feet and snow mushrooms, were among the foods
tested.

The chemicals, which make the food appear fresh, were also
used for seafood, especially squid, according to the centre. A 30-
minute whitening process could even make stale squid look firm,
clean and fresh, they said.
Steamed rice cakes and noodles have also been whitened with
these chemicals to attract customer attention, according to Lao
Dong (Labour) newspaper.
The industrial chemicals were used for whitening and freshening
foods because of their instant effect, he said.
Magnesium sulphate, for example, which is used to whiten fabric,
makes coconut flesh, lotus rootstock and morning glory look
whiter. People who eat these foods suffer from poisoning as well
as allergy and digestion disorders.
Kali sulphate, which is used to bleach rubber latex, leather and
wood, is used to clean and whiten pig skin and rice noodles. But
the chemical can cause dermatitis, eye and mouth infections and
intestinal contractions.
Another chemical to clean and freshen chicken feet and seafood
is hydrogen peroxide, which is typically used as an antiseptic and
to cleanse wounds. The chemical can cause stomach ulcers and
cornea inflammation. Moreover, high concentrations of it can be
carcinogenic.
 FROM THE
PICTURE IDENTIFY
UNSAFE
PRACTICES FOR
THE FOOD
PREPARATION