Unit 6: Safety and Security of Food (Keeping Foods Safe/Eliminating Global Hunger)
(Cohort 4 Video)
Reading: Chapter 14: "Safeguarding and Securing the Food Supply"
What are common routes of transmission and S/S for foodborne illnesses such as the bacterial
contaminants Campylobacter, E. coli, Listeria, Shigella, Yersinia, Vibrio, Salmonella; the viral
contaminants such as norovirus and hepatitis A and other microbial parasites such as Trichinella and
Cryptosporidium.
Campylobacter- undercooked poultry; abdominal pain, diarrhea, headache, and fever
Escherichia coli- indicative of fecal contamination; severe abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea,
and sometimes fever
Listeria- Found in raw milk, soft cheeses, raw meats, and poultry, it can also contaminate raw soil
grown vegetables such as lettuce; nausea, vomiting, and headache
Shigella- Poor personal hygiene therefore is usually behind outbreaks, with shellfish, raw produce,
chicken, and salads; diarrhea, abdominal pain, fever, and chills
Yersinia- Swine; gastroenteritis
Vibrio- raw shellfish and seafood, gastroenteritis. V. cholerae is well known as the causative agent of
cholera
Salmonella- undercooked Salmonella-contaminated meats, poultry, or eggs, or drink Salmonella-
contaminated water; develop nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, headache, and fever
Norovirus outbreaks have been associated with contaminated water, fruits, raw oysters, and scallops
and are notorious for their association with acute gastroenteritis outbreaks on cruise ships and in
schools
Hepatitis A- fecal-oral route is possible; food handler carriers of hepatitis A;
Trichinella spiralis (roundworm of pork, also found in game, such as bear and walrus)
Cryptosporidium parvum, a protozoan found in mammals, reptiles, and birds, causes diarrhea in
humans; Major outbreaks of cryptosporidiosis have occurred in Maine (1993, unpasteurized apple
cider), Minnesota (1995, chicken salad), New York (1996, unpasteurized apple cider), and Washington
(1997, raw green onions).
Shigella and cholera causes gastroenteritis
Identify the origins and S/S of common mycotoxins and algal or shellfish/fish associated toxins.
Mycotoxins- mold-produced toxins
Glycoalkaloids- potatoes and potato products and can increase with exposure to light, heat, and
insect damage during the growing season
Shellfish toxins- amnesic shellfish poisoning (ASP), and paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP)
, Ciguatoxin- barracuda, groupers, and sea bass; S/S; nausea, oral paresthesia, and respiratory paralysis
Methylmercury - fish, shellfish, and marine mammals; is neurotoxic and possibly immunomodulating
in humans, usually over time with chronic exposure
What is a prion and how is it transmitted?
Prions- misfolded proteins with the ability to transmit their misfolded shape onto normal variants of
the same protein; Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease; bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE);
“mad cow disease”
What do agencies that work to preserve food biosecurity or food systems security deal with?
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) oversees all domestic and imported food (except meat and
poultry) sold in interstate commerce, including seafood, shell eggs, bottled water, and wine
beverages containing 7% alcohol
U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) oversees domestic
and imported meat, poultry, and related products (e.g., meat- or poultry-containing stews, pizzas,
and other frozen foods) and processed egg products (generally liquid, frozen, and dried pasteurized
egg products)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) oversees and directs prevention efforts against
foodborne and waterborne infections
In the United States, the CDC participates in the National Food Safety Initiative (NFSI) with the FDA,
USDA, and other agencies to address food safety problems, and collaborates with the EPA and the
drinking water industry to improve drinking water safety.
What is the most toxic category A agent of bioterrorism known and how would it be disseminated?
Aerosolized Botulism
Lethal dose 1 ng/kg.
What are three desired effects of using food preservatives?
Antimicrobial agents to retard microbial spoilage of foods
Metal chelators to block ripening and enzymatic processes that continue in foods after harvest
Antioxidants to retard rancidity and browning
Reading: "Basics for Handling Food Safely" from United States Department of Agriculture.
What are the four steps of the Food Safe Families campaign?
Clean — Wash hands and surfaces often.
Separate — Don't cross-contaminate.
Cook — Cook to the right temperature.
Chill — Refrigerate promptly.
How quickly does perishable food need to be returned to refrigeration after purchase?
(Cohort 4 Video)
Reading: Chapter 14: "Safeguarding and Securing the Food Supply"
What are common routes of transmission and S/S for foodborne illnesses such as the bacterial
contaminants Campylobacter, E. coli, Listeria, Shigella, Yersinia, Vibrio, Salmonella; the viral
contaminants such as norovirus and hepatitis A and other microbial parasites such as Trichinella and
Cryptosporidium.
Campylobacter- undercooked poultry; abdominal pain, diarrhea, headache, and fever
Escherichia coli- indicative of fecal contamination; severe abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea,
and sometimes fever
Listeria- Found in raw milk, soft cheeses, raw meats, and poultry, it can also contaminate raw soil
grown vegetables such as lettuce; nausea, vomiting, and headache
Shigella- Poor personal hygiene therefore is usually behind outbreaks, with shellfish, raw produce,
chicken, and salads; diarrhea, abdominal pain, fever, and chills
Yersinia- Swine; gastroenteritis
Vibrio- raw shellfish and seafood, gastroenteritis. V. cholerae is well known as the causative agent of
cholera
Salmonella- undercooked Salmonella-contaminated meats, poultry, or eggs, or drink Salmonella-
contaminated water; develop nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, headache, and fever
Norovirus outbreaks have been associated with contaminated water, fruits, raw oysters, and scallops
and are notorious for their association with acute gastroenteritis outbreaks on cruise ships and in
schools
Hepatitis A- fecal-oral route is possible; food handler carriers of hepatitis A;
Trichinella spiralis (roundworm of pork, also found in game, such as bear and walrus)
Cryptosporidium parvum, a protozoan found in mammals, reptiles, and birds, causes diarrhea in
humans; Major outbreaks of cryptosporidiosis have occurred in Maine (1993, unpasteurized apple
cider), Minnesota (1995, chicken salad), New York (1996, unpasteurized apple cider), and Washington
(1997, raw green onions).
Shigella and cholera causes gastroenteritis
Identify the origins and S/S of common mycotoxins and algal or shellfish/fish associated toxins.
Mycotoxins- mold-produced toxins
Glycoalkaloids- potatoes and potato products and can increase with exposure to light, heat, and
insect damage during the growing season
Shellfish toxins- amnesic shellfish poisoning (ASP), and paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP)
, Ciguatoxin- barracuda, groupers, and sea bass; S/S; nausea, oral paresthesia, and respiratory paralysis
Methylmercury - fish, shellfish, and marine mammals; is neurotoxic and possibly immunomodulating
in humans, usually over time with chronic exposure
What is a prion and how is it transmitted?
Prions- misfolded proteins with the ability to transmit their misfolded shape onto normal variants of
the same protein; Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease; bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE);
“mad cow disease”
What do agencies that work to preserve food biosecurity or food systems security deal with?
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) oversees all domestic and imported food (except meat and
poultry) sold in interstate commerce, including seafood, shell eggs, bottled water, and wine
beverages containing 7% alcohol
U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) oversees domestic
and imported meat, poultry, and related products (e.g., meat- or poultry-containing stews, pizzas,
and other frozen foods) and processed egg products (generally liquid, frozen, and dried pasteurized
egg products)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) oversees and directs prevention efforts against
foodborne and waterborne infections
In the United States, the CDC participates in the National Food Safety Initiative (NFSI) with the FDA,
USDA, and other agencies to address food safety problems, and collaborates with the EPA and the
drinking water industry to improve drinking water safety.
What is the most toxic category A agent of bioterrorism known and how would it be disseminated?
Aerosolized Botulism
Lethal dose 1 ng/kg.
What are three desired effects of using food preservatives?
Antimicrobial agents to retard microbial spoilage of foods
Metal chelators to block ripening and enzymatic processes that continue in foods after harvest
Antioxidants to retard rancidity and browning
Reading: "Basics for Handling Food Safely" from United States Department of Agriculture.
What are the four steps of the Food Safe Families campaign?
Clean — Wash hands and surfaces often.
Separate — Don't cross-contaminate.
Cook — Cook to the right temperature.
Chill — Refrigerate promptly.
How quickly does perishable food need to be returned to refrigeration after purchase?
