Identification of food poisoning pathogens and four rules for kitchen safety

Understand your enemy

The world under a microscope is incredibly complex. "It took a long time for people to understand that most microorganisms are harmless and don't cause disease," says George Newke, PhD, emeritus professor of food microbiology at California State University in Davis. He adds, "But the microorganisms we want in one food often ruin another."

Below are some microorganisms that we'd better keep our distance from, yet are right around us.

There are approximately 1,500 known species of Salmonella, which are widely found in food, water, and feces, and can cause gastroenteritis and typhoid fever. They can grow over a wide temperature range and survive in frozen and dry environments. An estimated 42,000 cases of Salmonella infection occur annually in the United States, usually linked to the consumption of raw eggs and animal products.

Listeria monocytogenes is an extremely harmful bacterium that can cause meningitis and brain abscesses. It is usually found only in people with weakened immune systems, minors, pregnant women, and elderly people with poor health. This bacterium is commonly found in unpasteurized milk and uncooked cheese.

Escherichia coli, more commonly known as E. coli, is a variant of an intestinal parasite found in humans and animals. E. coli is highly contagious and, in severe cases, can cause approximately 4,000 deaths annually among American children, the elderly, or adults with pre-existing health conditions. Adults infected with this bacterium may experience bloody stools. It is commonly found in undercooked game meat but can also contaminate many other foods.

Campylobacter Jejuni is commonly found in poultry, beef, alcohol, sheep, and water, with approximately 2 million cases annually.

The annual incidence of Shigella is around 32,000 cases. One problem with this bacterium is that contaminated food utensils can transfer it to food due to improper handling.

Vibrio parahaemolyticus grows in the ocean and is often found in raw or uncooked seafood, such as raw shrimp. It has been found that some raw shellfish contaminated with it can cause fatal hepatitis in people with liver problems.

Bacteria and viruses are the most common causes of severe food poisoning, but not the only ones. Chemicals and metals can also cause poisoning. Some of these are naturally occurring in our food chain, but many more are created or added by humans.

For example, swordfish can absorb mercury, and when you eat them, the mercury enters your body.

For example, fish with high fat content, such as salmon and herring, can ingest some extremely dirty chemicals, such as polychlorinated biphenyls, dioxins, and pesticides sprayed by farmers that eventually end up in the ocean.

Why are we poisoned?

Why are more and more people getting poisoned? There are many reasons.

"We're eating out more and more often," Dr. Woodburn said. She added that things are being done on a larger scale now, "so the chances of a sudden, widespread food poisoning outbreak are increasing and more likely to be reported in the media."

Furthermore, housewives in the past generally knew how to prepare meals to ensure the health of the whole family. Dr. Woodburn says, "Now we receive less and less basic education. The worst-performing age group in terms of diet is under 35. We've become indifferent to everything." And the most cynical and ignorant are the men.

Furthermore, people's food chain-the food manufacturing and sales system that provides you with food through fast food chains or supermarkets across the country-is becoming increasingly international and complex. When food is mass-produced in one location, slaughterhouses and packaging plants, facing immense pressure, no longer perform their duties with the same care. All of this provides more opportunities for food contamination by pathogens.

Currently, calls for the federal government to inspect food for contamination are growing louder. However, contamination of meat and any other food or beverage is very difficult to detect; visual inspection, smelling, and touching are all ineffective methods.

The same situation exists in the seafood sector. In 1993, Americans consumed 3.2 times more fish and shellfish than in 1970 on average, but much of the fish sold in the U.S. market was not caught by specialized fishing companies and therefore rarely underwent professional inspection. The Food and Drug Administration inspects all U.S. fish processing plants on average every two years, while only about 20% of seafood businesses voluntarily accept individual inspections from the National Marine Fisheries Service.

Lifestyle is also a significant factor that makes men more susceptible to food poisoning. Our parents used to grill hamburgers until they were crispy and delicious, but now we prefer them rare or undercooked because they taste better.

We live in a fast-paced society and often eat fast-cooked foods such as ground beef, sausage, or ground turkey. 50% of the beef consumed by Americans is ground, and the grinding process ensures that any bacteria in the meat not only adhere to the surface of the meat that can be grilled, but are completely mixed in with it.

"Our chances of food poisoning have increased dramatically because of some crazy things people do," Dr. Newke said. The problem isn't just that food is contaminated during production; Dr. Newke points out, "Many times contamination occurs in the final stages of food preparation, when people are often careless and have no idea what they're doing."

The correct way to eat to prevent food poisoning

So what should we do? Do as described below:

Dr. Woodburn said, "Men are more prone to some unsafe practices than women because they are often new to cooking and lack experience with the kitchen setup and food handling."

You should treat self-protection as common sense-here are the four "Cs" that nutritionists often mention:

1. Cleanliness: Wash your hands before preparing food, after handling raw meat, poultry, and fish, and before meals. Keep all surfaces clean: utensils, cutting boards, tabletops, etc., especially wiping down surfaces that come into direct contact with food. Use soap; if available, water-soluble chlorine bleach is even better, as it kills bacteria.

2. Preventing Cross-Contamination: Keeping items clean prevents the spread of bacteria to other foods. Dr. Newke says, "Don't use the same cutting board you used for raw meat to cut raw salads."

3. Freeze thoroughly. Leftovers must be frozen. Similarly, cooked food, meat, milk, and eggs should also be frozen once processed. Food that is prone to spoilage should be discarded if it has not been frozen for at least 3 hours.

In addition, when freezing food, it is essential to ensure that the refrigerator is functioning properly: the temperature of the refrigerator compartment should be below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, and the temperature of the freezer compartment should be below 0 degrees Fahrenheit.

Latest Information

• Commonality: Although often unnoticed or not reported to health agencies, it is very common. It is estimated that one in ten Americans needs a dose of medication to treat food poisoning each year.

Risk factors: There is a risk of poisoning when consuming undercooked food, or food that should be hot or cold but is actually lukewarm. At home, there is a risk of poisoning if you don't thoroughly wash cooking utensils and your hands. Storing cooked food at room temperature is dangerous. The greatest danger comes from eating raw seafood.

• Affected age groups: People of all ages. Very young and elderly people with health conditions should be especially careful. The most severely affected are those with pre-existing medical conditions such as diabetes or HIV/AIDS.

• Gender differences: Both sexes are equally likely to experience food poisoning.

• Who needs help: If the poisoning symptoms do not improve after 5 or 6 hours, or if the symptoms are unusually severe, contact your family doctor immediately.

4. Cook it well. Thorough heating kills the vast majority of microorganisms. For perishable foods, heating to 145-155 degrees Fahrenheit will kill most bacteria. Ground meat should be heated to 165 degrees Fahrenheit (meat thermometers are available in most supermarkets; simply insert one into the meat and observe the temperature change). For microwave ovens, simply follow the cooking instructions, remembering to turn the food frequently to ensure even heating.

In addition to the four Cs mentioned above, there are some other things to note.