Food Poisoning

 Food Poisoning

Food Poisoning 

Food poisoning is an illness caused by eating contaminated food.

 In most cases, food that causes food poisoning is contaminated by bacteria, such as salmonella or Escherichia coli (E. coli), or a virus, such as the norovirus. Some toxins can cause food poisoning within a much shorter time. In these cases, vomiting is the main symptom. 

Contamination Factors 

Biological factors Bacteria, fungi, viruses, parasites Chemical factors Cleansers, metal leaching (copper, lead, cadmium), pesticides Types of Contamination Food infection Bacteria are consumed Body reacts by raising temperature- fever Longer incubation Food intoxication Toxin contaminated food is eaten Shorter incubation

 PATHWAYS OF CONTAMINATION FOOD HANDLERS WATER PACKAGIN G 

INGREDIENT S FOOD CONTACT SURFACES VERMI N SOIL AIR Biological Factors Environmental factors of microbial growth • Time • Temperature • Moisture (Aw>0.85) • pH • Nutrients Centers for Disease Control Top 3 emerging pathogens Campylobacter jejuni Salmonella enteriditis E.coli 0157:H7 CDC estimates 6.5-33 million Food borne illness cases each year Campylobacter cause 1-6 million cases/year Salmonella causes 2-4 million illnesses/year E.coli causes about 21,000 cases each year The symptoms The symptoms will be different depending on what type of Contamination is responsible, common symptoms include: • Severe vomiting • Diarrhoea • Headache • Fever • Abdominal pain • Tiredness BACTERIA Curved s-shaped gram (-) rods, motile with a single polar flagellum at one or both ends. Grow with 10% CO2 / 5% O2 . Some species / strains require additional H2 in the atmosphere C. jejuni will grow at 42o C and this is used as a selection criterion. The organism is unusually thin (0.2 - 0.9 µ) Campylobacter jejuni Infection Incubation: 2-5 days Symptoms: diarrhea, vomiting, headache, fever, muscle pain Foods: poultry, dairy products, water Sources: intestinal tracts of wild/ domestic animals BACTERIA A rod-shaped, gram negative, non-motile bacteria, that does not form spores. S. enteritidis are considered facilitative anaerobes. Salmonella enteriditis Infection Incubation: 12- 36 hours Symptoms: abdominal cramps, headache, fever, nausea, diarrhea Foods: poultry, meat, eggs and egg products, sliced melons Sources: water, soil, insects, animals, and humans BACTERIA E. Coli is a common kind of bacteria that lives in the intestines of animals and humans and most are harmless. The most dangerous strain of E. Coli is called 0157:H7 because it produces a very powerful poison in foods or drinks. Eating unwashed greens such as spinach, or green onions or undercooked beef can cause the infection. Escherichia coli Infection Incubation: 3-4 days Symptoms: diarrhea, vomiting, mild fever Foods: undercooked ground beef, unpasteurized cider Source: Human and bovine intestinal tract BACTERIA A Gram-positive rod-shaped bacterium. It is the agent of listeriosis, a serious infection caused by eating food contaminated with the bacteria. The disease affects primarily pregnant women, newborns, and adults with weakened immune systems. Listeria monocytogenes Infection Incubation: 3 to 70 days Symptoms: flu-like, meningitis, encephalitis, spontaneous abortion Foods: unpasteurized milk, ice cream, readyto-eat, lunchmeats Sources: soil, water, damp environments, domestic/ wild animals. BACTERIA Clostridium perfringens is a rod-shaped Grampositive Has an optimal growing temperature of 37 C. Non-motile pathogen that produces endospore. Is a pathogen responsible for many gastrointestinal illnesses with severity ranging from mild enterotoxaemia to fatal gas gangrene. Clostridium perfringens Infection Incubation: 10- 12 hours Symptoms: abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea Fever, headache, vomiting usually absent Foods: Stews, gravies, beans Sources: soil, animal and human intestinal tracts BACTERIA A Gram-positive, rod-shaped C. botulinum is an anaerobic spore-former, which produces oval, subterminal endospores. Produces several exotoxins. The best known are its neurotoxins, subdivided in types A-H Clostridium botulinum Intoxication Incubation: 4 hours to 8 days Symptoms: vomiting; constipation; difficulty with vision, swallowing, speaking; paralysis, death Foods: baked potatoes, sous vide, garlic/ oil mixtures, low-acid canned foods Sources: present on almost all foods, soil, water BACTERIA Found in the human respiratory tract and on the skin. It is a common cause of skin infections (e.g. boils), respiratory disease (e.g. sinusitis), and food poisoning. Often produce potent protein toxins, and expressing cell-surface proteins that bind and inactivate antibodies. Staphylococcus aureus Intoxication Incubation: 1 to 7 hours Symptoms: nausea, retching, abdominal cramps, diarrhea Foods: ready-to-eat, reheated foods, dairy products, protein foods Source: skin, hair, nose, throat, infected sores, animals BACTERIA A Gram-positive, rod-shaped, facultative anaerobes, beta hemolytic bacterium. Some strains are harmful to humans and cause food borne illness. Bacillus can produce protective endospores. Its virulence factors include cereolysin and phospholipase C. Bacillus cereus Intoxication Incubation: 30 min. to 6 hours or 6 to 15 hours (diarrheal) Symptoms: nausea, vomiting, watery diarrhea Foods: rice products, starchy foods, casseroles, puddings, soups Source: soil and dust, cereal crops VIRUSES A form of viral hepatitis transmitted in food. HAV is present in the faeces of infected persons and is most often transmitted through consumption of contaminated water or food. Hepatitis A Infection Incubation: 10-50 days Symptoms: sudden fever, vomiting, jaundice Foods: water (ice), shellfish, ready-to-eat, fruit juices, vegetables Source: human intestinal/ urinary tracts VIRUSES A genus of genetically diverse single-stranded RNA Non-enveloped viruses in the Caliciviridae family. Norwalk virus Infection Incubation: 10-50 hours Symptoms: nausea, diarrhea, headache, mild fever Foods: water, shellfish, raw vegetables and fruits Source: human intestinal tract, water VIRUSES It is a genus of double-stranded RNA virus in the family Reoviridae. Is the most common cause of severe diarrhea among infants and young children. Rotavirus Infection Incubation: 1-3 days Symptoms: vomiting, diarrhea, mild fever Foods: ready-to-eat, water and ice Sources: human intestinal tract, water FUNGI Usually spoil foods, sometimes illness Sweet, acidic, low Aw foods Some produce aflatoxins (peanuts) Gorgonzola, bleu, Brie, Camembert cheeses, mushrooms Molds FUNGI Spoil food Produce CO2 and alcohol Prefer sweet, acidic, Aw foods jellies, syrup, honey, fruit juice Yeasts PARASITES A nematode parasite Responsible for the disease trichinosis. It is sometimes referred to as the "pork worm" due to it being found commonly in undercooked pork products. Trichinella spiralis Incubation: 2-28 days Symptoms: flu-like, swelling around eyes, extreme sweating, hemorrhaging Foods: undercooked pork, game Source: domestic pigs, bear, walrus Roundworm PARASITES A genus of parasitic nematodes People who produce immunoglobulin  E in response to this parasite may  subsequently have an allergic reaction Including anaphylaxis, after eating fish  that have been infected  with Anisakis species. Anisakis simplex Roundworm Incubation: hours to 2 weeks Symptoms: tickle in throat, coughing up  worms Foods: undercooked, improperly frozen  seafood Source: marine fish- bottom feeders PARASITES A flagellated protozoan parasite Colonizes and reproduces in the small  intestine Causing giardiasis. Remains to the lumen of the small  intestine. Anaerobes.  Giardia lamblia Protozoan Incubation: 3-25 days Symptoms: fatigue, nausea, gas, weight  loss, abdominal cramps Foods: water, ice, raw vegetables Source: beavers, bears, dogs, cats,  humans PARASITES One of several protozoal species that  cause cryptosporidiosis A parasitic disease of  the mammalian intestinal tract. Cryptosporidium parvum Incubation: 1-12 days Symptoms: severe diarrhea, may have no  symptoms Foods: water, raw foods, unpasteurized  cider, ready-to-eat Source: humans, cattle, barn-wash Protozoan PARASITES One of several protozoal species that  cause cryptosporidiosis A parasitic disease of  the mammalian intestinal tract. Cyclospora cayetanensis Incubation: days to weeks Symptoms: watery diarrhea, weight loss,  bloating, cramps, vomiting, muscle aches Foods: water, marine fish, raw milk, raw  produce Source: humans, water Protozoan Treatment The symptoms of food poisoning go away in 2 to 3 days,  and you do not need treatment, you feel normal again. The goal of treatment is to replace fluids and  electrolytes lost through vomiting and diarrhea. If  dehydration is severe and cannot be managed at home,  you may need treatment in the hospital, where fluids  and electrolytes may be given to you by inserting a  needle into your vein. Try to stay with your normal diet as much as possible.  Doctors believe that eating a normal diet will also help  you feel better faster. Prevention You can prevent food poisoning by being  careful when preparing and storing food. Wash  your hands and working surfaces while  preparing food, cook foods to safe  temperatures, and refrigerate foods promptly.  You should also take extra care if you are  pregnant, have an impaired immune system.