Food Poisoning - Coursework Example

Food Poisoning Food poisoning, despite it being relatively easy to avoid, it still occurs because of negligence in the part of food manufacturers, handlers and consumers. It is a social concern as one incidence may affect tens to hundreds of people to suffer from them. For example, if a contaminated batch of a popular canned meat product has been released out of the market, the disease will spread like wildfire. Nowadays, there is a higher potential for the occurrence of food poisoning by improper food manufacture and handling because more and more households rely on restaurants, food chains, and ready-to-eat products from the supermarket for their daily meals. Moreover, its effects, if not properly managed, may lead to adverse health conditions, and possibly, to death. Various guidelines in ensuring food safety both for manufacturers and handlers are thus in place to lessen the occurrences of food poisoning. Associated Microorganisms Food poisoning is caused by the presence of an increased number of microorganisms that are not usually tolerated by the body. Once inside the body through food, these microbes continue to multiply. Salmonella, Eschericia coli, Campylobacter are part of the normal flora of warm blooded animals. As such, they are found in raw meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy. E. coli O157 is an especially important pathogen as it causes bloody diarrhea, while Salmonella infection results to a non-bloody stool. On the other hand, Clostridium perfringens infection may come from improperly stored soups, stew and sauces made with meat, fish, or poultry. Clostridium botulinum is a highly pathogenic organism that usually grows in low acid food such as canned meat. Staphylococci are normal bacteria in the skin flora that causes food poisoning by improper food handling. Similarly, Hepatitis and other viruses may be transmitted from an infected person to a new host through food contact (University of Maryland Medical Center, 2008). Bacteria are the usual cause of death due to food poisoning, accounting to 72% of the total deaths associated with food contamination (parasites: 21% and viruses: 7%). Strikingly, only five pathogens account for 90% of these deaths with Salmonella causing the most bacteria-caused food poisoning death (31%) and E.coli o157: H7 being the least. In addition, Salmonella accounts for 27% of food poisoning-related hospitalizations (Mead et al.). Signs and Symptoms The ingestion of the abovementioned organisms usually cause abdominal cramps, watery and/or bloody diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, headache, fever, abdominal ingestion and gas (University of Maryland Medical Center, 2008). Despite its effects, diarrhea and vomiting are therapeutic mechanisms of the body as they aim to eliminate the bacteria present in the gastrointestinal tract. Especially prone to food poisoning are immunocompromised individuals such as children and elders. Although it has similar signs and symptoms as that of gastroenteritis, its onset is sudden and abrupt, within several hours after ingestion (University of Maryland Medical Center, 2008). Management Because diarrhea and vomiting may cause to secondary adverse effects such as dehydration and esophageal ulceration, respectively, they are the primary targets of treatment. Oral rehydration salts, or dextrose in severe cases, and anti-emetic drugs are usually given to prevent such occurrences. Prevention Because microorganisms causing food poisoning are usually transmitted by person-to-food contact and poor food preparation, personal and kitchen cleanliness are necessary to avoid food poisoning. Good practices that should be in place when preparing and handling food are as follows. First, food handlers should wash their hands thoroughly, especially after handling raw meat, fish or poultry. Second, handlers and consumers alike should wash their hands after using the toilet, smoking, blowing the nose, coughing, or sneezing. Third, thoroughly cleaning the food, as well as kitchen utensils and surface, is necessary at all times. Plastic cutting boards should be preferred as they are easier to sanitize compared to the wooden ones. Fourth, pets should be kept away from food as they are carriers of microorganisms that are part of their normal flora but causes infection to humans. Fifth, all perishable goods should be stored at 5°C or less in the refrigerator or freezer. In relation, stored food should be defrosted completely prior to cooking. Next, food should be covered properly so as to avoid flies or insects from touching the food and transferring infective microorganisms to it. Poultry, beef and eggs should also be thoroughly cooked before consumption. Finally, food beyond its expiration date, smelly, or has microbial growth should be disposed of immediately (Hicks, 2011; University of Maryland Medical Center, 2008). Controlling Food Poisoning Because of the social implications of food poisoning, it is the responsibility of government agencies in most countries to recommend and implement proper food handling and preparation measures to prevent food poisoning outbreaks. The United States Department of Agriculture has a Food Safety and Inspection Service that releases guidelines, regulations, and policies to ensure food safety. HACCP As defined by the US Food and Drug Administration (2011), the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) is a means of management planning in which food safety is addressed through the analysis and control of biological, chemical, and physical hazards from an extensive survey of food processing from raw material production, procurement and handling, to manufacturing, distribution and consumption of the finished product. 1) Principles The HACCP follows a set of principles that allow for an efficient way of ensuring food safety in every step of food processing. In order, these principles are: 1) conduct a hazard analysis, in which all the contaminants are identified, 2) determine the critical control points, which are steps in the operation that decreases the contaminants to an acceptable concentration, 3) establish critical limits, at which certain parameters (such as temperature levels) are maintained to ensure safety, 4) plan monitoring procedures that should be regularly conducted throughout the operation, 5) identify corrective actions that are employed in case certain parameters are beyond or below critical limits upon monitoring, 6) put in place verification procedures that determines whether the HACCP plan is effective or not, and 7) develop record-keeping and documentation procedures, which the team should consult in the assessment of health safety (United States Food and Drug Administration, 2009). 2). Application As guided by these principles, each food chain should assemble a team to conduct HACCP, describe products to be used and produced in every step of the chain that in turn, 1) identifies intended use of the end product, 2) constructs a flow diagram of the specific operation, as well as those preceding and following it, 3) conducts an on-site verification of the flow diagram (United States Food and Drug Administration, 2009). 3.) Uses The HACCP is a common food safety measure adopted by many organizations and countries because it has various uses. It can be used by every food chain as a guide to ensure safety of their product. As well, it can be used by the government to aid inspection by regulatory authorities. In the United States, its use in lessening the risk of food poisoning in the country was and still is adopted by the federal government as advised by the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (United States Food and Drug Administration, 2009). As well, HACCP has released food safety guidelines specific for various food products and services. For example, guidelines for juices and seafood, as well as for retail and food service have already been published (United States Food and Drug Administration, 2011). GMP As defined by the World Health Organization, Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) is a quality assurance protocol that ensures the consistent production of optimal quality products as recommended by the marketing authorization. It assures that outputs are produced by the same high quality protocols under the same conditions each time they are made (Chaloner-Larsson, et al., 1997). It aims to prevent inclusion of wrong ingredients and contamination. However, food poisoning outbreaks still occur despite the regulatory guidelines set in place. In Alaska, at least 18 people were infected with Campylobacter after ingesting raw milk (Food Safety News, 2011). Recently, 3, 908 illnesses and at least 41 deaths in Europe were due to contamination of Egyptian ferugreek sprouting seeds (European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, 2011). A single source, a sprout grower in Germany, caused food poisoning in 41 outbreak clusters already (Goetz, 2011). This is because no matter how efficient HACCP and GMP are in making food operation safe for the consumers, it’s no use if its use in all food operation is not mandated by law. It seems that only big manufactures and food chains comply to these standards because they are the ones checked on by the government agencies. The small-scale diners and other food producers do not undergo the same stringent process in ensuring food safety as one would have hoped. In addition, HACCP and GMP are not meant for households’ use in their own home. What families can do is ensure cleanliness of their home and personal hygiene. Schools can be employed in teaching the kids how to maintain proper cleanliness, but the parents should do their part in teaching these kids by example. Even if all food producers, big or small, comply to HACCP and GMP, and yet families do not practice proper personal hygiene, home cleanliness, and proper food storage, food poisoning will still continue. Education is thus vital in eradicating foodborne illnesses and deaths. References Chaloner-Larsson, G., Anderson, R., and Egan, A. (1997). A WHO Guide to good manufacturing practices (GMP) requirements [Online]. Available at: http://whqlibdoc.who.int/hq/1997/WHO_VSQ_97.02.pdf. (Accessed: August 6, 2011). European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. (2011). Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC): Update on outbreak in the EU (15 July 2011, 11:00) [Online]. Available at: http://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/activities/sciadvice/Lists/ECDC%20Reviews/ECDC_DispForm.aspx?List=512ff74f-77d4-4ad8-b6d6-bf0f23083f30&ID=1154&RootFolder=/en/activities/sciadvice/Lists/ECDC%20Reviews (Accessed: August 6, 2011). Food Safety News (2011). Raw Milk Threat Continues in Alaska [Online]. Available at: http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2011/08/outbreak-tied-to-raw-milk-continues-in-alaska/. (Accessed: August 6, 2011). Goetz, G. (2011). Outbreak: German Task Force’s Findings. [Online]. Available at: http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2011/07/outbreak-german-task-forces-final-report/. (Accessed: August 6, 2011) Hicks, R. (2011). Food Poisoning [Online]. Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/physical_health/conditions/foodpoisoning1.shtml. (Accessed: August 6, 2011). Mead, P. S., Slutsker, L., Dietz, V., McCaig, L. F., Bresee, J. S., Shapiro, C., Griffin, P. M., and Tauxe, R. V. Food-related illness and death in the United States. [Online]. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/eid/vol5no5/mead.htm. (Accessed: August 6, 2011). United States Food and Drug Administration (2011). Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) [Online]. Available at: http://www.fda.gov/food/foodsafety/hazardanalysiscriticalcontrolpointshaccp/default.htm. (Accessed: August 6, 2011). United States Food and Drug Administration (2009). Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point Principles and Application Guidelines. Available at: http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodSafety/HazardAnalysisCriticalControlPointsHACCP/HACCPPrinciplesApplicationGuidelines/default.htm. (Accessed: August 6, 2011). University of Maryland Medical Center (2008). First Aid: Food Poisoning [Online]. Available at: http://www.umm.edu/non_trauma/foodpois.htm. (Accessed: August 6, 2011). Read More