WEEK 1

INTRODUCTION TO FOOD BORNE

ILLNESS
 LEARNING OBJECTIVES: In this chapter the student will be able
to;

• Understand the meaning of food borne illness.

• Know the symptoms of food borne illness.
• Explain cross contamination and how it can happen
• Develop an awareness of the temperature danger zone and
understand its importance in the food service operation.
A food borne disease occurs when a person eats a
contaminated food product containing harmful
pathogens, which then grow in the intestinal tract and
cause illness. Depending on the pathogen, organism,
or chemical, food borne illness symptoms can range
from mild to severe and can last from a few hours to
several days.
Food borne illness is a disease that is caused by
consumption of food items that are contaminated by dangerous
micro-organism also known as germs or microbes. Please
take note that the word borne with an “e” means carried. Thus
simply speaking food borne illness means an illness carried by
food. This is often referred to as food poisoning by many
professional in the Hotel and restaurant industry. Nevertheless,
this term does not only constraint to contaminates foods but as
well to contaminated beverages.
A person suffering from food borne illness may experience the following
symptoms:
• Diarrhea – Also known as LBM or Loose bowel movement. This is
when a person has watery stool. This person may visit the toilet for two
to three times within an hour or even more.
• Vomiting – Also known as throwing up. This is when the person
pushes out all the food and liquid from its stomach exiting through its
mouth, this may include gastric juice that is about green or yellowish in
color.
• Nausea – This is when the person experience light headedness and
may not be able to stand straight for a long period of time.
• Muscle cramps – the person experiences tightness on the same part of
the muscle. Difficulty moving this muscles may be experience. Pain in
this cramped muscles may also be experience by the person.
• Stomach ache – Extreme pain in the abdominal area.
These maybe cause by spasm or bloating of stomach
due to some gases produced in the stomach or
intestine by the micro-organisms.
• Body weakness – Loss of strength particularly on the
extremities of the person. The person may not be able
to stand up or walk at this stage.
• Dehydration – This is the most dangerous symptoms of food
borne illness. This occurs when the person losses a
significant amount of the body fluids particularly electrolytes
during diarrhea. Electrolytes help control the fluids in the
body, maintain normal ph level and ensure the correct electric
potential between nerve cells that enable the transmission of
the nerve signals. A person experiencing dehydration may
have dry mouth with the lips starting to cracked, flushed skin
and usually have dark circles around the eyes. If the person
is not re-hydrated on the soonest possible time serious
damage to some organs may occur which may eventually
cause DEATH
The micro-organism that causes food borne illness cannot
travel on their own and contaminate food. This micro-
organism is transferred through the food via a process
called cross contamination. Cross contamination is a
process wherein an infected person may not be the only
way that a food item maybe contaminated, they could also
be contaminated through the following:
• Exposed to unsafe temperature for a long period of time.
• Improper packing of food items.
• Poor hygiene and sanitation during the preparation of
food.
• Improper re-heating of food.
• Unsafe sources and suppliers.
Exposed to unsafe temperature for a long period of time

Let us start this topic by giving an example. Suppose you bought

a fresh fish from the market in the morning, immediately placed
in the freezer of the refrigerator. On the next day, the fish is
frozen, you get it thawed. (thawing is the process of defrosting
frozen meats or fish/ goods) The fish is not deteriorated.
Why did the fish frozen in the freezer did not deteriorate
compared to the one just place on top of the table?
Temperature danger Zone

The main explanation of the above is that at certain temperature, certain

micro-organism particularly bacteria are active and are capable of
multiplying. This temperature where bacteria are active and capable of
multiplying. This temperature where bacteria are active and are capable of
multiplying. This temperature where bacteria are active is between 5 to 60
°C. Thus, the main objective in order to keep the food safe from
contamination is to keep it away from the temperature danger zone. The
fish that was stored inside the freezer did not deteriorate because the
temperature inside the freezer is between 0 to negative 20 °C. At this
temperature the micro-organism cannot multiply and affect food items both
raw and cooked.
Therefore, this is the main reason why you would see some
flame at the bottom part of a chaffing dish. (a stainless steel
shallow pan with a with a source of heat beneath) on a
buffet table. The flame is not just to keep the food warm but
to ensure that the temperature of the food item is always
outside on the temperature danger zone. (in this case 60°C.
According to experts, you can only leave a food safe for
consumption in the water danger zone for about 4 hours
beyond that time, most big hotels would discard the food in
order to avoid food borne illness. For them, it is cheaper to
discard dangerous food items than to face law suits and
damage claim, not to mention ruin the company’s
reputation from individual who had been sick by eating
contaminated food from their establishment.
Improper Packing of food items

Certain food items are pre packed when they arrive in the
supermarket. Some of them need to be cooked such as instant
noodles, hotdogs ,and cereals while other are ready to eat such as
sardines, corned beef and beef loaf. Most ready to eat items usually
comes in cans or in sealed jars. Canning is the process of preserving
food by heating and sealing them in airtight containers should be very
clean and free of micro-organism before the food items are place
inside these containers. If not, the food inside the containers are
already contaminated with deadly micro-organism that cause food
borne illness.
Further, the containers should be tightly sealed to
avoid other micro-organism from coming inside the
containers and spoil the food items. In the Philippines,
the Bureau of food and drugs (BFAD) of the
department of Health is the government body in
charge of inspecting and regulating big food
manufacturing plants to make sure that a high degree
of hygiene standards is being followed and practiced
by these plants.
Another important consideration to be considered in
packed food is that, they should contain an EXPIRY
DATE. And expiry date is a date written on the package
of the food item stating an exact date when the food
items expired, thus not suitable for human consumption.
There are a number of reasons why food items are not fit
for human consumption once it reached its expiry date.
One major reason is that at this time the packing item of
the food particularly canned items is when the cans start
to gather rust inside and outside of the can.
Second the preservatives or either natural or
chemical preservatives contain in some canned
food items may start to wear off and render
ineffective, thus in turn food deterioration or food
items may start to wear off and render ineffective,
thus turn food deterioration or food spoilage takes
place. Third, the main ingredient may have actually
reached the stage that it would start to deteriorate.
Lastly, in dealing with packed frozen food items delivered
to your establishment, the following items need to be
considered;

• Make sure that the frozen items are as much as

possible wrapped in vacuum packed plastic
containers. Vacuum packing the food would
discourage the growth of micro organism due to the
absence of oxygen and moisture.
• Make sure that the plastic seal is still intact. This means that
the food items inside that pack had not been cross
contaminated due to a broken pack.
• If the above consideration are met, then try to see if the plastic
bag have some frozen ice inside the bag. Particularly, an ice
that is colored red as a sign of blood leaching ( leaching is the
process when soluble materials from a food particularly meat
and vegetables escape due to improper handling, this
materials would come in a liquid form and would froze outside
of the food item. If this is present, perhaps this means the
following;
 • The meat had been frozen and thawed before thus the
leaching occurs, then it had been re-frozen back to look like
that it had been properly stored.
• Adding salt to the food items when freezing them. Salt
dehydrates the cell, thus forming a liquid part then turning
into colored (depending on the color of the vegetable or
meat) ice inside the pack.
 Thus in order to avoid food borne illness brought about by improper
packing of food items the following considerations are useful;

• Make sure your package food comes from a well-respected company in

the food manufacturing business.
• Check the expiry date.
• Check packaging of food items. Make sure there are no cracks on the
jars, seal is not broken and still intact, no dent on canned items.
• Labelling should be in tact and not tampered
• Canned items should be free from rust
• Buy from trusted retail outlets such as department stores
 Quiz 1
Identification
1. It is a kind of disease occurs when a person eats a contaminated food product
containing harmful pathogens, which then grow in the intestinal tract and cause
illness
2. This is the most dangerous symptoms of food borne illness. This occurs when the
person losses a significant amount of the body fluids particularly electrolytes
during diarrhea.
3. Extreme pain in the abdominal area. These maybe cause by spasm or bloating of
stomach due to some gases produced in the stomach or intestine by the micro-
organisms.
4. Loss of strength particularly on the extremities of the person. The person may not
be able to stand up or walk at this stage.
5. Also known as throwing up. This is when the person pushes out all the food and
liquid from its stomach exiting through its mouth, this may include gastric juice that
is about green or yellowish in color.
1. This is when the person experience light headedness and may not be
able to stand straight for a long period of time.
2. Also known as LBM or Loose bowel movement. This is when a person
has watery stool. This person may visit the toilet for two to three times
within an hour or even more.
3. A date written on the package of the food item stating an exact date
when the food items expired, thus not suitable for human consumption.
4. The food borne illness is a disease that is caused by consumption of
food items that are contaminated by dangerous micro-organism also
known as?
5. The temperature where bacteria are active and are capable of
multiplying is between what °C.?
Poor hygiene and sanitation during the preparation of food
Food preparation is the pre-requisite before cooking. It is at this stage
that the person starts to prepare the needed things before cooking. In
the culinary terms this is referred as mise en place, which actually
means putting things in order ( before cooking like slicing, peeling etc.
) by placing all the necessary things in proper order and perspective
before the actual cooking of food. It is at this stage that the person
cooking would start;
• Cutting the meat into portions
• Weighing accurately all the needed ingredients
• Peel and slice the ingredients
• Properly wash the needed ingredients
• Clean and prepare the needed equipment for doing the cooking
In order to prepare the food in the most hygienic manner we would
seriously take this following consideration;
• The person preparing the food – The person preparing the food
would be dressed appropriately wearing a complete chef uniform.
The uniform should have been properly washed and disinfect from
the workplace so contamination from the outside environment.
Further, the person should wash their hands before starting to
work. Nails should be cut short in order to avoid harboring
dangerous micro-organism in the long nails. The person preparing
the food should avoid touching any part of the face and hair as
these places are high risk. Lastly wearing of hands jewelleries.
• The area where the food is prepare – The area
where the food is prepare should be strictly
restricted only to the kitchen staff. Other personnel
should not be allowed to enter the preparation and
cooking room. This is done in order to avoid
contaminated people from outside the preparation
area brought in unwanted micro-organisms that
may contaminate the food.
• The area must also be free from pest and rodents such as
cockroaches, rats and other insects. Insects and rodents
may dangerously contaminate the food items through their
droppings or through the dangerous micro-organism that
they carry in their body. Once these creatures got into
contact with the food items secretly, they leave on the food
items various micro-organism that may seriously infect
human ingesting these contaminated foods. Thus, the
preparation area should be enclosed enough that the
insects and rodents would find it next to impossible to enter
such area.
 Working areas as well as the tools and equipment being used in the
preparation area should be thoroughly cleaned and stored in places that
they are free of contaminants as well as insects and rodents.

Dangerous cleaning chemicals should not be stored inside the food

preparation area they may be mistaken as food ingredients that may
cause multiple fatalities.

Lastly, proper waste disposal of garbage inside the preparation area

should be constantly made in order not to expose the prepared food into
these things that may contaminate the food.
IMPROPER REHEATING OF FOOD
Reheating of leftover food is very common among many people
here in the Philippines. However, serious things should be
considered in reheating food items. First, leftover food items
should be properly stored in a freezer or chiller and freezer is
that these food items should have been properly cooled first.
Putting hot or warm items inside the freezer or chiller would not
only destroy the freezer or chiller but would take a long time to
lower down the temperature of the food item, thus making it still
susceptible to food spoilage. Second, when reheating food
items, make sure that the entire food items are left reheating
that is still not consumed, cooling and reheating them again for
the second time would pose a serious hazard in food
UNSAFE SOURCES AND SUPPLIERS
In the food service industry, it is very important that you buy
your raw ingredients from relialable and safe sources
particularly from suppliers who had obtained a very reputable
status in food service industry. This is very important because
obtaining raw ingredients means that their products had
undergone high sanitation standards and is considered safe.
INRODUCTION TO BACTERIA
BACTERIA
This is the most famous type of micro-organism that cause the food borne
diseases. Generally, bacteria that cause food borne diseases are classified
into two major groups, spore forming bacteria and non spore forming
bacteria.
A spore is a thick walled dehydrated structure that can resist extreme
dryness and very high temperatures for long periods of times. Spore are not
harmful when except for clostridium botulism that can cause infant
botulism. However when these spores come into contact with food items at
a proper temperature, they began to multiply and can cause serious illness
to a person ingesting the bacteria.
 SPORE FORMING BACTERIA
Clostridium perfrigens – this is a type of bacteria that
requires little oxygen in order to survive. Food items that
are known to have been contaminated with these types of
bacteria are the following;
• Improperly cooled or heated spices or gravy
• Improperly heated or cooled meats and gravy
• Insufficiently cooked meats
 Bacillus Cereus – This is another spore forming bacteria that is
mostly found on the following;
• Rice
• Corn
• Cornstarch
• Soy beans
• Tofu
• Flour
• Pasta
• Potatoes
 Common symptoms cause by this bacteria are vomiting
and diarrheal. Abdominal crams and nausea are also
associated with this type of bacteria.
In order to avoid this bacteria, make sure that the
following food items must be stored properly. Once
cooked, the temperature danger zone items must be
stored properly. Once cooked, the temperature danger
zone should be followed strictly.
 Clostridium botulism – this type of bacteria is able to produce
NERUOTOXIN. A neurotoxin is a substance that destroy damages or
impairs the functioning of the nerve tissues. This is very deadly to
humans.
Most common symptoms of this type of bacteria are the following;
• Headache
• Difficulty in swallowing
• Difficulty in breathing
• Dizziness
• Double vision
 Most common food that are found to be contaminated with this bacteria are
the following;
 Improper heating of processed canned goods such as
• Canned fish
• Canned meats and meat products ( sausages, luncheon meats, etc)
• Canned vegetable ( green peas, water chestnuts)
 Garlic that is stored in oil
 Onions that are store in butter
In order to avoid this type of bacteria the following should be taken into
consideration.
NON SPORE FORMING BACTERIA
Escherichia Coli- also known as E. Coli. This bacteria is a Shiga toxin.
This type of bacteria is usually in the intestine of warm blooded
animals such as beef, pork even human.
E. Coli usually is a threat to people up to 16 years old and the
elderly. It can cause abdominal pain, vomiting, bloody stool, kidney
failure and eventually death. The person can experience an E. Coli
infection usually has fever and muscle aches just like having a flu.
This would be followed by LBM where the stool contains traces of
blood on it .
 Most common food items are raw meats particular undercooked beef,
milk, raw fish taken from contaminated water and not properly cleaned or
stored.

The most common transmission of these micro-organism is by cross

contamination of raw meat from the slaughter house. It is when the meat
gets into contact with the intestines of the animal during the butchering of
the animal. In certain instances. Fruits and vegetables had been
contaminated with these micro-organism by some cattle ad wild animals
who grazed on these fruits and vegetables. The cross contamination occurs
when the manure of these animals gets into contact with the fruits and
vegetables.
 In order to avoid contamination these important items should
be followed;
• Make sure employees wash their hands properly after using the
toilet to avoid cross contaminated.
• Properly cooked red meat. The cooking temperature should reach
160 °C
• Wash fruits and vegetables properly before preparing them
• Avoid eating meat entrails particularly intestines of meat
 Listeria Monocytogenes – the unique characteristics of this bacteria is
that it has the ability to grow under extreme conditions such as below 5
°C. it can also survive in foods that contain high salt.

The type of micro organism is common in the following

• Seafood
• Sausages and hotdog
• Raw meats
• Raw poultry
• Raw fruits and vegetable
• Ice cream
• Milk
In order to avoid these micro-organism contaminating our food the
following should be considered;
• Practice the first in first out (FIFO) in refrigerated food items
• Store foods at the right temperature
• Store cooked foods separately from raw food items to avoid
cross contamination
Campylobacter jejuni – this type of bacteria can cause severe
abdominal pain and bloody diarrhea. These are mostly common in
raw meat, raw poultry and milk.
In order to avoid this type of infection, make sure that meats are
cooked at the proper temperature. Clean food contact area and
properly wash hands when handling meats to avoid cros
contamination.
Shigella spp. – this type of bacteria is responsible for a food borne
illness known as shigellosis. These bacteria are commonly found in
the intestines and feces of humans and warm blooded animals.
 Symptoms of this type of infecton are the following
• Fever
• Chills fatigue
• Dehydration
• Abdominal cramps
• Diarrhea
The following are the common foods are usually contaminated by this bacteria;
• Dairy products
• Milk
• Salad vegetables
• Raw chicken and poultry
• Any food contaminated by feces that contains this organism
The most important prevention is not to allow any contaminated worker to get into contact
with the food items. Proper washing of hands should be observed to all employees
particularly those who had used the toilet.
Salmonella app – this type of micro-organism is usually found in the intestines of
human and animals. Infected chickens can pass this micro-organism into their eggs.
Common symptoms of salmonella infection are the following;
• Fever
• Diarrheal
• Vomiting
• Abdominal pain
• Vomiting
• Headache
 Food items that are commonly contaminated with salmonella are the
following;
• Eggs
• Dairy products
• Milk
• Raw meat
• Poultry products
• Chocolate
• Pork
Properly cook foods in order to prevent this type of contamination. Avoid
eating suspected contaminated food items in an instance that an outbreak
occurs.
 Staphylococcus aureus – this type of bacteria produces a dangerous toxin when it came into contact with
food items. These bacteria are commonly found in the hands, hair, throat, nose and skin.
Symptoms of staphylococcus aureus includes the following;
• Acute abdominal pain (acute describes a disease that is brief, severe and quickly comes into crisis)
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
Common foods items infected buy this bacteria are the following;
Ready to eat meats such as hams, smoked meats etc.
• Cold cuts
• Luncheon meats
• Meat
• Poultry
• Vegetables
• Milk
• And dairy products
In order to avoid contamination, the following hygienic practices of workers should be
followed;
• When sneezing or coughing, cover your nose and mouth with a cream handkerchief and
immediately wash your hands before proceeding to handle foods in the workplace.
• Use a separate tasting spoon every time you taste a food and make sure the spoons are
washed immediately after using them to avoid cross contamination.
• Do not touch your mouth, eyes, ears and hair when handling food items to avoid
contamination.
• Do not pick your nose when working.
• Workers who smoke during break time should make sure to wash their hands before
handling food items.
• Workers suffering from cough and colds should not report to work .
 QUIZ 2
Identification;
1.Serious things should be considered in reheating food items. First,
leftover food items should be properly stored where?
2.Putting hot or warm items inside the freezer or chiller would not only
destroy the freezer or chiller but would take a long time to lower down
the temperature of the food item, thus making it still susceptible to
what?
3.The area where the food is prepare should be strictly restricted only to
who?
4.What are the Insects and rodents carry that may dangerously
contaminate the food items through their droppings that may is
dangerous to human body?
5.The person preparing the food would be dressed appropriately
wearing a complete what?
6. It is the pre-requisite before cooking. It is at this stage that the
person starts to prepare the needed things before cooking. 7.
Putting things in order before cooking like slicing, peeling etc. by
placing all the necessary things in proper order and perspective
before the actual cooking of food this process is called ?
8. This is the most famous type of micro-organism that cause the food
borne diseases.
9. This is a type of bacteria that requires little oxygen in order to
survive.
10. This type of micro-organism is usually found in the intestines of
human and animals. Infected chickens can pass this micro-organism into
their eggs.