Reading about how some microbes and pathogens are spread and can be prevented are instructive for understanding some aspects of food establishment inspections, such as:
Why is handwashing important, and why is inadequate access to sinks and soap a violation?
Why is it important to clean meat department blades, knives and cutting boards? (cross-contamination)
“The most commonly recognized foodborne infections are those caused by the bacteria Campylobacter, Salmonella, and E. coli O157:H7, and by a group of viruses called calicivirus, also known as the Norwalk and Norwalk-like viruses.”
Click on the articles below to learn more about bacteria and viruses:
Campylobacter
Escherichia coli (E. coli)
Norovirus
Salmonella
This information is presented for consumer education purposes only.
“Campylobacteriosis is an infectious disease caused by bacteria of the genus Campylobacter. Most people who become ill with campylobacteriosis get diarrhea, cramping, abdominal pain, and fever within two to five days after exposure to the organism....In persons with compromised immune systems, Campylobacter occasionally spreads to the bloodstream and causes a serious life-threatening infection.
How common is Campylobacter?
Campylobacter is one of the most common causes of diarrheal illness in the United States. The vast majority of cases occur as isolated, sporadic events, not as part of recognized outbreaks. ...Many more cases go undiagnosed or unreported, and campylobacteriosis is estimated to affect over 2.4 million persons every year, or 0.8% of the population...
How do people get infected with this germ?
Most cases of campylobacteriosis are associated with eating raw or undercooked poultry meat or from cross-contamination of other foods by these items. Infants may get the infection by contact with poultry packages in shopping carts. Outbreaks of Campylobacter are usually associated with unpasteurized milk or contaminated water. ...
A very small number of Campylobacter organisms (fewer than 500) can cause illness in humans. Even one drop of juice from raw chicken meat can infect a person. One way to become infected is to cut poultry meat on a cutting board, and then use the unwashed cutting board or utensil to prepare vegetables or other raw or lightly cooked foods. The Campylobacter organisms from the raw meat can thus spread to the other foods...
What can be done to prevent Campylobacter infection?
Some simple food handling practices can help prevent Campylobacter infections.
Cook all poultry products thoroughly. Make sure that the meat is cooked throughout (no longer pink) and any juices run clear. All poultry should be cooked to reach a minimum internal temperature of 165 °F.
If you are served undercooked poultry in a restaurant, send it back for further cooking.
Wash hands with soap before preparing food
Wash hands with soap after handling raw foods of animal origin and before touching anything else.
Prevent cross-contamination in the kitchen by using separate cutting boards for foods of animal origin and other foods and by carefully cleaning all cutting boards, countertops, and utensils with soap and hot water after preparing raw food of animal origin.
Avoid consuming unpasteurized milk and untreated surface water.
Make sure that persons with diarrhea, especially children, wash their hands carefully and frequently with soap to reduce the risk of spreading the infection.
Wash hands with soap after contact with pet feces
...When outbreaks occur, community education efforts can be directed toward proper food handling techniques, and toward avoiding consumption of raw (not pasteurized) milk.
This information is presented for consumer education purposes only.
