FOODBORNE

ILLNESSES
An Overview
 CDC estimates that each year

48 million people get sick

128,000 are hospitalized,
and 3,000 die.
 Foodborne Illnesses
DIARRHEAL DISEASE
FOOD POISONING
Foodborne illnesses are infections or
irritations of the gastrointestinal (GI)
tract caused by food or beverages
that contain harmful bacteria,
parasites, viruses, or chemicals.
 Highly Susceptible Populations

Young
Old
Pregnant
Immuno-compromised
 Signs and Symptoms

Upset stomach Fever Diarrhea

Dehydration
Vomiting (sometimes severe)
Complications
• DEHYDRATION
• HUS
• ARTHRITIS
• IBS
• GBS
 Ten Least Wanted
Foodborne Pathogens
Causative Agent Source of Illness Symptoms Prevention
Methods

Campylobacter Raw poultry, meat, Diarrhea, fever, Cook food

jejuni and unpasteurized abdominal pain, thoroughly, avoid
milk nausea, headache, cross-
muscle pain, & contamination,
sometimes bloody avoid
stool unpasteurized milk
Clostridium Soil & water Double vision, Practice time-
botulinum inability to swallow, temperature
speech difficulty, & control for large
progressive bulky foods, cool
paralysis of leftovers rapidly
respiratory system
 Ten Least Wanted
Foodborne Pathogens
Causative Agent Source of Symptoms Prevention Methods
Illness

E. coli O157:H7 Infected cattle Severe abdominal Cook ground beef

pain, bloody thoroughly, avoid
diarrhea, nausea, cross-contamination,
vomiting practice good personal
hygiene
Listeria Animal Nausea, vomiting, Avoid raw milk, cook
monocytogenes intestines, soil, headache, fever, foods to proper
milk, leafy backache, temperatures, avoid
vegetables, respiratory cross-contamination,
poultry, meat, distress, meningitis clean and disinfect
seafood, &
prepared,
chilled, ready-
to-eat foods
 Ten Least Wanted
Foodborne Pathogens
Causative Agent Source of Symptoms Prevention Methods
Illness

Salmonella spp. Poultry, eggs, Nausea, fever, Avoid cross-

meats, fish, headache, contamination of
milk, & products abdominal cramps, foods, ensure
made with them diarrhea, & thorough cooking of
sometimes foods, prompt &
vomiting proper refrigeration,
practice good personal
hygiene
Staphylococcus Human skin, Diarrhea, vomiting, Avoid contamination
aureus nose, throat, nausea, abdominal from hands, exclude
infected sores, & cramps, & physical food handlers with
in animals exhaustion skin infections from
preparation, ensure
proper refrigeration,
rapid cooling of
prepared food
 Ten Least Wanted
Foodborne Pathogens
Causative Agent Source of Symptoms Prevention Methods
Illness

Shigella sp. Fecally Abdominal pain, Avoid cross-

contaminated cramps, diarrhea, contamination of
food or water fever, vomiting, & foods, avoid fecal
blood, pus, or contamination by food
mucus in stool handlers, practice
good personal
hygiene, use sanitary
food & water sources,
ensure control of flies,
cool food rapidly
Toxoplasma gondii Animal feces, Enlarged lymph Avoid raw or
mammals, birds nodes in head & undercooked meat,
neck, severe thoroughly cook
headache, severe meats, practice good
muscle pain, rash personal hygiene
 Ten Least Wanted
Foodborne Pathogens
Causative Agent Source of Symptoms Prevention Methods
Illness

Vibrio vulnificus Oysters & other Diarrhea, Avoid raw or

shellfish abdominal cramps, undercooked seafood,
nausea, vomiting, avoid cross-
headache, chills, contamination
fever, blistering
skin lesions
Yersinia Domestic pigs, Fever, severe Avoid cross-
enterocolitica soil, water, wild abdominal pain, contamination,
animals, rodents possible diarrhea, thoroughly cook
headache, sore foods, sanitize food
throat, vomiting contact surface,
proper storage
procedures, use
sanitary water
supplies
 Factors Contributing to Outbreaks of Foodborne Illness in
Foodservice Establishments

Improper Cooling
Advance Preparation
0.2 Infected Person
0.5 0.1
1 0.1 Inadequate Reheating
2.5 2 2
3.5
2.5 Improper Hot Storage
30
5 Contaminated Ingredient
Unsafe Source
9
Use of Leftovers
Cross-Contamination
Inadequate Cooking
Toxic Substances
11
17 Intentional Additives
13
Improper Thawing
Contaminated Water
Mistaken for Food
Improper Dishwashing
Factors Contributing to Foodborne Illness in
the Philippines (by rank, by % outbreak,
1988-1996)
• Improper food storage temperature
• Poor hygienic practices
• Inadequate cooking
• Use of dirty utensils and equipment
• Eating of expired and sewage-
contaminated food
 Formula of
Foodborne Illness

http://www.colostate.edu/orgs/safefood/safetyworks/handbook.pdf
 HOW FOOD GETS
CONTAMINATED
PRODUCTION DISTRIBUTION

PROCESSING PREPARATION
 Cross-Contamination
• Occurs when
microorganisms
are transferred
from one surface
or food to another
Cost of Foodborne Illness in the
Food Service Industry