Foodborne Diseases - Research Paper Example

Nutrition Related Diseases Food and nutrients The consumption of food is meant to nourish the body and provide nutritional components, which are essential for normal growth, repair of worn out tissues and the elimination of toxins from the body. The food consumed from human has evolved over the years and varies depending on the culture and religion of people across different parts of the world. However, most food components can be classified as either of animal or plant origin with nutritional variation existing on different food types consumed. The acquisition of food has progressed from the original hunting and gathering to include commercial and subsistence farming for the purpose of sale and home use respectively (Yousuf & Taylor, 2011). The consumption of foods is motivated by the needs to supplement the nutritional components of the body and help in the boosting of the defense mechanism of the same. Nutrients are defined as the components within foods and drinks that needed for supplementing growth and survival in human beings and animals. Nutrients are classified as macro and micronutrients and are essential in the development of a healthy metabolic organism through the supply of energy among other cell needs. Macronutrients are believed to provide the bulk of the energy needed by the body while the micronutrients are essential in the provision of the cofactors and coenzymes that supplement different biological activities within the body (Simjee, 2007). Food borne and nutrient related illnesses Food borne illnesses are disease conditions caused due to the ingestion of infested food substance knowingly or unknowingly. The contamination of the food may be through viral, fungal or bacterial infection leading to the susceptibility to the spread of diseases through the microbial agents or the metabolic byproducts. Food borne diseases are caused by a number of factors related to the nature of the microorganism that has infested the food. For example, foods contaminated with bacteria lead to poisoning through enterotoxins, endotoxins and other emerging food pathogens. Fungal infection associated with damp storage has led to a number of deaths across the world due to the production of different toxins. One common toxin found in cereals is the aflatoxin produced by the Aspergillus of fungi, a toxin that affects the nervous system and lead to sudden death in both animals and human beings (Mensah, Mwamakamba, Kariuki, Fonkoua & Aidara-Kane, 2012). Nutrient related conditions on the other hand are caused by the deficiency caused by lack of a certain nutrient essential for the normal human body growth and development. Inadequate or excessive consumption of a given nutrient led to the emergence of conditions such as obesity, ricks and marasmus, which are treatable and manageable though their prevalence continues to rise. While pathogens and microorganisms that affect the normal function of the body cause food borne conditions, nutrient related conditions are associated by the lack of certain essential minerals and nutrients in the foods consumed. Death can be sudden in individuals with food borne conditions and this is influenced by the nature of the toxin and the time of exposure. Nutrient related conditions are however lifestyle in nature and take a longer period of time to become fatal and result into death (Simjee, 2007). Importance of safe food, contaminants, food additives, pathogens The impacts of food borne diseases make the adoption of safe food handling and process essential for the health of the consumers. Any approach adopted to improve the overall food quality must be based on the understanding of the impacts of poor food processing on people’s health. According to the center for disease control and prevention in the united states, food borne disease outbreaks occur frequently in the country and this is due to lack of adopting proper food handling and processing technique. The fact that food related illnesses could be prevented through the adoption of proper food handling approaches has been used to emphasize the need for adopting safe food practices. Foodborne disease outbreak present risks to different people within a population and this can only be eliminated through the adoption of safe food practices (Hajat, Harrison & Shather, 2012). Food contaminants are any foreign material, living and nonliving whose presence in food can causes disease or lead to the generation of toxins that increase the emergence of food borne disease outbreak. Contaminants on food depending on the nature of the food, the processing approach adopted and the shelf life in the case of processed foods. Contaminants can be chemical, biological or molecular in nature and their impacts on the life of the consumers may be instant or prolonged. Pathogens form part of the contaminants but are considered living microorganisms with the ability to cause diseases such as dysentery, amoeba and typhoid (Mensah, Mwamakamba, Kariuki, Fonkoua & Aidara-Kane, 2012). Food additive is any foreign substance added to processed or fresh foods to increase their flavor, lifespan or eliminate the rate of infection by microorganisms. Additives have been used for an extended period to preserve food and increase the flavor. Common additives today include salt, pepper, vinegar or even bacon and their application depends of the type of food in question. Processed foods are today packed with additives meant to increase their shelf life and make them remain fresh and consumable for a longer period of time (Simjee, 2007). Food borne illnesses As earlier indicated, foodborne illnesses are disease conditions that affect the gastrointestinal tract and caused by pathogens that are transferred through consumed foods. A number of microorganisms are responsible for the spread of food borne conditions and these include parasites, fungi, bacteria and viruses. Chemicals produced by some microorganisms and foods are considered as source of infection in foodborne conditions. Food borne conditions are characterized by specific symptoms including the presence of recurrent diarrhea, abdominal pains, vomiting and nausea. In most cases, foodborne conditions are acute and occur within a short period and disappear without detection or treatment (Hajat, Harrison & Shather, 2012). This has been attributed to the continued spread of foodborne conditions, as people tend to ignore its presence and impacts on their health. Though it is rare for foodborne conditions to create long lasting challenges, their continued infection can lead to an epidemic that can affect a large area and more people. In the United States for example, it is estimated that over 48 million people are affected by foodborne conditions and few go for medical intervention (Yousuf & Taylor, 2011). As a result, more than 3,000 citizens die due to lack of proper treatment and recognition, a factor that has been attributed to the continued spread of foodborne conditions. Epidemiologically, all groups of people are exposed to foodborne condition and this is only influenced by the sanitation levels and controls. However, people with weak immune system are more susceptible to developing food borne complications which can progress beyond the acute level (Mensah, Mwamakamba, Kariuki, Fonkoua & Aidara-Kane, 2012). Foodborne illness causing microbes Different microorganisms are responsible for the development of foodborne illnesses and they fall into the viral, fungal, bacterial and chemical classification. The determination of the exact illness cause is essential in the medical intervention process, making it essential for people to understand the kind of microorganisms that may infest their foods under different treatments and environmental conditions. Bacterial infections are considered as the leading foreign substances that increase the development of illnesses in individuals that eat such kinds of food. E. coli was attributed to a multi food poisoning in Germany and other parts of Europe, an infection that was attributed to poor processing and food storage (Hajat, Harrison & Shather, 2012). Viral food infections include the norovirus, a group of viruses that are known to affect the GIT and include the Norwalk virus, the calicivirus and the viral gastroenteritis. Other categories of microorganisms include the fungi such as Aspergillus species and other category of microorganism such as the salmonella, the shigellosis and the vibrio that causes cholera and dysentery infection (Kohlstadt, 2009). Symptoms of foodborne illnesses As conditions that affect the GIT, foodborne illnesses have common signs and symptoms that are easily identifiable either in hospitals or at home. One common symptom of this condition is persistent irritation of the GIT followed by diarrhea, nausea, dehydration, loss of appetite among others. Vomiting and diarrhea begins after around 4 days of infection and can last for a week without treatment. The extreme and persistent vomiting give room other symptoms such as cramps, the backaches and fatigue. In individuals infected by bacteria Vibrio, immediate treatment is needed due to extreme dehydration, which can cause sudden death. The incubation period of the pathogens also varies and this makes it essential for an individual to seek medical attention during the pioneer days of the infection to avoid developing complicated stages for a health condition that can actually be treated (Purayidathil & Ibrahim, 2012). Preventing foodborne illnesses Despite the severity of foodborne conditions, prevention remains the best mitigation measure that can be effectively implemented. To remain safe from bacterial and fungal infection through ingested food, different approaches must be adopted which are aimed at eliminating the infestation of the foods with the disease causing microorganisms. Clean handling of food is the first step that will keep the microorganisms at bay and ensure that the foods are safe from any pathogenic microorganisms. Foods should also be separated and stored different to prevent the transfer of pathogens from one quarter to the other. For example, raw meat cannot be stored together with groceries and fruits due to the possibility of contamination. Plastic bags should be used to separate the two to prevent the dripping of the juice from the meat to other categories of food which may lead to microorganism infestation. Cans and jars that are used for canning and packaging of processed foods must be aptly inspected before buying from the supermarkets. The increased infection rate from processed foods has led to the development of processed food safety protocol by the United Nations world health organization to help in safeguarding people against infection. Cooking must also be done thoroughly to eliminate the microorganisms that are found in raw food such as meet and other vegetables. Food storage must also be done in appropriate temperatures and under cool and dry conditions to eliminate room for the microorganisms to invade the stored foods consumptions (Gould, Walsh, Vieira, Herman, Williams, Hall & Cole, 2013). Methods of food preservation To eliminate bacterial and fungal infection, different food preservation methods have been developed and used over the years. Tradition and modern methods of storage exist that have enabled man to preserve its food and ensure that bacterial and viral infections are eliminated. Traditional methods of preservation that have been used over the years include salting and open drying which are adopted to reduce the moisture contents and eliminate room for bacterial infection. Smoking was also used for the preservation of fish and meat before the invention of the modern methods of preservation and this led to the elimination of the viral and bacterial infections (Purayidathil & Ibrahim, 2012). However, the invention of modern methods of food preservation has enabled man to enhance his food perseveration approach and significantly eliminate the spread of foodborne diseases. Today, canning is used as a long term preservation of foods such as minced meat, fish and even grains which are then made available within the stores. Refrigeration is common in homes and industries as a method of reducing the temperature of the food and restricting the actions of the microorganism, which leads to poisoning. Foods such as milk are processed under high pressure and temperature to enable those remains safe for a longer period within the shop shelf. Processing methods must also be effective for the food to remain edible for a longer period under specific conditions of temperature and pressure (Crim, Iwamoto, Huang, Griffin, Gilliss, Cronquist & Henao, 2014). Role of health agencies in food quality A number of independent food agencies have been established to monitor the quality and safety of food substances supplied across different parts of the globe. Some of these agencies are domestic while others have international scope of operation and are independent from government influence. In the United States, the food and drug agency (FDA) oversees the quality assurance of food and pharmaceutical products produced within and beyond the borders of the country but sold within. HACCP is an international standardization organization that is tasked with the role of overseeing the implementation of food safety and standards across the globe consumptions (Gould, Walsh, Vieira, Herman, Williams, Hall & Cole, 2013). Its operations are not limited to a specific country or a specific product and this enables the organization to control the adoption of safe food handling in different parts of the globe. In the united Arabs Emirates, the Abu Dhabi food control authority is governmental organization that is tasked with the quality assurance and controls of food substances manufactured and sold within the country. The United States center for disease control and prevention is an organization under the National Health Service tasked with the identification of epidemiological food conditions such as foodborne disease outbreaks and the development of approaches to mitigate the same. Nutrient related diseases Nutrient related diseases are illnesses that are associated with deficiency or excessive consumption of certain nutrients which affects the normal body functioning. Lack of specific nutrients within the body lead the development of different deficiency conditions such as goiter which affects the normal body physiology and functions. Lack of carbohydrates, proteins and vitamins in the food consumed leads to a number of diseases such as marasmus, kwashiorkor, goiter, racket among others that affects the normal development of the boy tissues and organs. Lack of carbohydrates and proteins in the diet results into conditions such as marasmus and kwashiorkor, diseases that are common in children who are malnourished and underfed (Purayidathil & Ibrahim, 2012). However, excessive consumption of the same nutrients results into other health complication such as overweight and obesity, which increases the susceptibility to other chronic illnesses such as diabetes and high blood pressure. Therefore, consumption of food nutrients should be done in moderation to eliminate deficiency and eliminate the conditions associated with excessive consumptions (Gould, Walsh, Vieira, Herman, Williams, Hall & Cole, 2013). Despite the economic progress in the united Arabs emirates, the country has high prevalence of nutrient related diseases especially those associated with increased uptake of certain nutrients. According to the world health organization, diabetes is highly prevalent in the emirates and affects the adult population as compared to the younger generation. According to WHO report, 32% of the population may have diabetes or have developed pre-diabetes conditions that increase their susceptibility to other conditions such as cancer and high blood pressure. The prevention of the nutrient related condition is the first step towards ensuring that chronic conditions such as cancer, high blood pressure and diabetes are controlled. As a result, individuals must adopt health eating habits at all times and ensure that their family diet remain regulated. The ministry and department of health within the country must also roll out an awareness program aimed at educating the people on the needs to eat healthily and eliminate certain health conditions. Conclusion Food borne and nutrient related conditions as some of the most prevalent diseases that can be prevented by the adoption of health eating habits and hygiene. Foodborne conditions are common in individuals that eat dirty and poorly processed and stored foods which are infested by pathogens. This increases their exposure to diseases such as cholera, typhoid and dysentery and affects their normal body and tissue development. Food and nutrient related illnesses can be controlled through care and practicing safe food handling and eating a balanced diet at all times. References Crim, S. M., Iwamoto, M., Huang, J. Y., Griffin, P. M., Gilliss, D., Cronquist, A. B., & ... Henao, O. L. (2014). Incidence and Trends of Infection with Pathogens Transmitted Commonly Through Food — Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network, 10 U.S. Sites, 2006-2013. MMWR: Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report, 63(15), 328-332. Gould, L., Walsh, K., Vieira, A., Herman, K., Williams, I., Hall, A., & Cole, D. (2013). Surveillance for foodborne disease outbreaks - United States, 1998-2008. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Surveillance Summaries (Washington, D.C.: 2002), 62(2), 1-34. Hajat, C., Harrison, O., & Shather, Z. (2012). A profile and approach to chronic disease in Abu Dhabi. Globalization & Health, 8(1), 18-29. Doi: 10.1186/1744-8603-8-18 Kohlstadt, I. (2009). Food and Nutrients in Disease Management. Boca Raton: CRC Press. Mensah, P. P., Mwamakamba, L. L., Kariuki, S. S., Fonkoua, M. C., & Aidara-Kane, A. A. (2012). 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