Contamination, Food Allergens, and Foodborne Illness

1. Contamination, Food Allergens, and Foodborne Illness

2. Foodborne Contaminants • Biological • Fish toxins • Shellfish toxins • Plant and mushroom toxins • Chemical • Toxic metal poisoning • Chemicals and pesticides • Physical • Metal shavings from cans, staples • Fingernails, hair, bandages 3-3

3. Biological Toxins • These Toxins • May be produced by pathogens found on food • May occur naturally in plants or animals • May occur as a result of an animal’s diet 3-4

4. Major Foodborne Illnesses from Fish Toxins • Some fish toxins are produced by the fish itself—cooking does not destroy • Puffer fish • Moray eels • Fresh water minnows • Some occur when predatory fish consume smaller fish that have eaten the toxin

5. Major Foodborne Illnesses from Fish Toxins • Fish Toxin Illnesses • Scombroid poisoning • Ciguatera fish poisoning 3-5

6. Major Foodborne Illnesses from Fish Toxins Illness:ScombroidpoisoningToxin: Histamine Food Involved Common Symptoms Prevention • Reddening of face and neck • Sweating • Headache • Burning or tingling in mouth or throat • Purchase fish from approved, reputable suppliers • Prevent time-temperature abuse during storage and preparation • Tuna • Bonito • Mackerel • Mahi-mahi 3-6

7. Histamine Poisoning • Caused by eating high levels of histamine in certain species of fish • Histamine produced: • By the bacteria on the fish when the fish are time-temperature abused • Cannot be destroyed by: • Freezing • Cooking • Smoking • Curing

8. Major Foodborne Illnesses from Fish Toxins Illness:Ciguatera fish poisoningToxin: Ciguatoxin Food Involved Common Symptoms Prevention • Purchase fish from approved, reputable suppliers Predatory reef fish: • Barracuda • Grouper • Jacks • Snapper • Reversal of hot and cold sensations • Nausea • Vomiting • Tingling in fingers, lips, and toes • Joint and muscle pain 3-7

9. Symptoms of ciguatera poisoning include: • Numbness and tingling of the mouth, hands or feet • Joint pain; muscle pain • Sensitivity to temperature changes • Vertigo, and muscular weakness • There also can be cardiovascular problems including: • Irregular heartbeat and reduced blood pressure.

10. Symptoms usually appear within hours after eating a toxic fish • Symptoms usually go away within a few weeks • In some cases, neurological symptoms can last for months to years • There is no antidote for CFP; symptoms can be treated most effectively if diagnosed by a doctor with 72 hours • CFP is rarely fatal.

11. Major Foodborne Illnesses from Shellfish Toxins • Shellfish Toxin Illnesses • Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) • Neurotoxic Shellfish Poisoning (NSP) • Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning (ASP) 3-8

12. Major Foodborne Illnesses from Shellfish Toxins Illness: Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) Toxin: Saxitoxin Prevention Food Involved Common Symptoms • Numbness • Tingling of mouth, face, arms and legs • Dizziness • Nausea • Vomiting • Diarrhea • Clams • Mussels • Oysters • Scallops • Purchase shellfish from approved, reputable suppliers 3-9

13. Saxitoxin • Found in toxic algae in the Pacific and New England coasts • Algae filters through the shellfish • Death due to paralysis can occur if high levels are consumed • Not destroyed by cooking or freezing

14. Major Foodborne Illnesses from Shellfish Toxins Illness: Neurotoxic Shellfish Poisoning (NSP) Toxin: Brevetoxin Prevention Food Involved Common Symptoms • Tingling and numbness of the lips, tongue, and throat • Dizziness • Reversal of hot and cold sensations • Vomiting • Diarrhea • Clams • Mussels • Oysters • Purchase shellfish from approved, reputable suppliers 3-10

15. Major Foodborne Illnesses from Shellfish Toxins Illness: Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning (ASP) Toxin: Domoic Acid Prevention Food Involved Common Symptoms Initially: • Vomiting • Diarrhea • Abdominal pain Later: (Possibly) • Confusion • Memory loss • Disorientation • Seizure • Coma • Clams • Mussels • Oysters • Scallops • Purchase shellfish from approved, reputable suppliers 3-11

16. Domoic Acid • Toxin found in algae from the Pacific Northwest and Canada • Cannot be destroyed by cooking or freezing • Can be very severe based on the amount of toxin consumed

17. Mushroom Toxins • These Toxins • Are present in certain varieties of wild mushrooms • Can cause severe illness • Are not destroyed by cooking or freezing 3-13

18. Mushroom Toxins • Most outbreaks associated with wild mushrooms collected by amateur hunters • If you serve wild mushrooms, you need written buyer specifications that: • Identify the mushroom’s common name, its Latin name, and its author • Ensure the mushroom was identified in its fresh state • Indicate the name of the person who identified the mushroom with qualifications— must be amushroom expert • There are none in the state of Nebraska!

19. Morel Mushrooms • Iowa has mushroom specialist classes • Can be purchased dry

20. Plant Toxins • Fava beans • Rhubarb leaves, jimsonweed, & water hemlock • Apricot kernels • Honey from bees that have gathered nectar from mountain laurel or rhododendrons • Milk from cows that have eaten snakeroot

21. Toxic When Raw • Fava beans • Red Kidney Beans • **Only use commercially processed honey and properly cooked beans should be used

22. Chemical Toxins • Toxic Metals Toxic metal poisoning can occur when: • Utensils or equipment containing toxic metals are used to prepare food (especially acidic food) • Lead in pewter pitchers, copper, zinc in a galvanized bucket, lead crystal • Carbonated beverage dispensers are installed improperly • To prevent this: • Use food-grade utensils and equipment to prepare and store food • Have a professional install beverage dispensers 3-14

23. Chemical Toxins • Chemicals • Store away from food, utensils, and equipment • Follow manufacturers’ directions for using them • Label them properly if they are transferred to new containers • Use only food-grade lubricants or oils on kitchen equipment or utensils Never store chemicals with food 3-15

24. Physical Contaminants • Occurs when foreign objects are accidentally introduced: • Metal shavings from cans • Staples from cartons • Glass from broken light bulbs • Blades from plastic or rubber scrapers • Fingernails, hair, and bandages • Dirt • Bones 3-16

25. Food Defense • Food Defense—the protection of food products from intentional adulteration by biological, chemical, physical or radiological agents • Food Safety— the protection of food products from unintentional contamination by agents

26. Why the Food Supply? • Economic, health, societal, psychological and political significance • Deliberate contamination could cause: • Significant public health consequences • Widespread public fear • Devastating economic impact • Loss of public confidence in the safety of food and the effectiveness of the government

27. Intentional Incidents • 1984---Oregon cult members added Salmonella bacteria to 10 restaurant salad bars to throw an election • 751 illnesses, 45 hospitalizations • January 2003---Michigan supermarket employee intentionally contaminated 200 pounds of ground beef with a nicotine-based pesticide • 92 individuals reported ill

28. Deliberate Contamination of Food • Who: • Disgruntled employees • Organized terrorist • Activist group • Individual posing as a customer • Current or former employees • Vendors • Competitors • Attacks are focused on a specific: • Food item • Process • Company • Business

29. Your job—make it as difficult as possible to tamper with food • Three Potential Threat Areas: • Human elements • Interior elements • Exterior elements

30. The Human Element • Train employees to report suspicious activities • Allow only on-duty employees in work areas • Control access to food production and food storage areas to non-employees • Verify identity of applicants • Verify references • Check ID

31. Interior Elements • Control entrances and exits to: • Food Displays • Storage areas • Kitchens • Limit access to: • Doors • Windows • Roofs • Food storage areas

32. Interior Elements • Eliminate hiding places in all areas of the operation • Inspect all food, never accept suspect food • Restrict traffic in food-prep areas • Monitor self-service areas: • Salad bars • Condiments • Exposed tableware

33. Exterior Elements • Exterior of building is well lit • Identify all delivery persons and their suppliers • Ask suppliers how they are insuring food safety • No access to the facility by non-employees

34. Allergy Facts • 2% of the U.S. population has a true food allergy (12 million) • 100 deaths per year from anaphylaxis • 1,080 food induced anaphylactic reactions per year

35. Increase in Allergy Prevalence • Food allergies have doubled in the past 5-10 years in the U.S. • Possibly Due To: • Hygiene hypothesis—early exposure to germs • Early introduction of foods • Cooking practices—roasting peanuts • Vaccines • Environment

36. Food Allergens • Common Food Allergens • Milk and dairy products • Eggs and egg products • Fish • Shellfish • Wheat • Soy and soy products • Peanuts • Tree nuts 3-17

37. Food Allergens • Symptoms of an allergic reaction include: • Itching in and around the mouth, face, or scalp • Tightening in the throat • Wheezing or shortness of breath • Hives • Swelling of the face, eyes, hands, or feet • Gastrointestinal symptoms • Loss of consciousness and death 3-18

38. Allergic Reactions • Do not happen the first time someone comes in contact with the allergen • Reaction gets worse with each exposure

39. Food Allergens • To protect guests with food allergies: • Be able to fully describe menu items • If you are unsure if an item is allergen free, urge the guest to order something else • Ensure that tableware and utensils used to prepare the guests’ food are allergen free • You have their lives in your hands! 3-19

40. Food Allergies • More than 11 million Americans suffer from food allergies and predictions are that the incidence of food allergies is on the increase! http://supermarketguru.com/page.cfm/7512

41. Food Allergy Buddy