INTRO TO FOOD SAFETY

INTRO TO AGRICULTURE AAEC – PARADISE

VALLEY SPRING 2015

WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL?•Hazards are physical, chemical or biological agents that are reasonably

likely to cause illness or injury in the absence of control. • Physical – foreign objects: metal, glass, hard plastic, pebbles, pits, shells, etc.

• Chemical – toxic chemicals, natural toxins, food allergens, etc.

• Biological – microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, parasites, and certain fungi (molds).

•Contamination is when physical, chemical, or biological hazards are introduced in or on foods.

INTRO TO FOOD SAFETY/SCIENCE

HTTP://WWW.TRAVELCHANNEL.COM/SHOWS/MYSTERIES-AT-THE-MUSEUM/VIDEO/THE-POISON-SQUAD

CHALLENGES TO FOOD SAFETY•The amount of food served and the

number of food-serving places is TREMENDOUS

•People eat at home, schools, cafeterias, fast-food restaurant, vending machines

CHALLENGES TO FOOD SAFETY •Food supplies come to the U.S. from around the

world

•Many opportunities exist for food to become contaminated• People typically eat three meals a day

•More than 750 million eating opportunities exist daily

• There are nearly 300 billion eating opportunities every year for people to become ill

FOODBORNE ILLNESS •Foodborne illness: An illness or disease transmitted to people through

food products that result from ingesting foods that contain pathogens (including bacteria, viruses and parasites) and/or their toxins and toxic chemicals.

•Pathogen: Any microorganism that is infectious or toxic and causes illness or disease. Pathogens include bacteria, viruses, parasites, and some fungi. Some pathogens produce toxins which are poisonous substances produced by bacteria and fungi.

FOODBORNE ILLNESS IMPACT •Food-borne illnesses affect 1 in 6 Americans annually

•Symptoms range from stomach aches to fever, to diarrhea, and vomiting

•48 million people become ill every year from food and 128,000 people are hospitalized

•Approximately 3000 people die annually from food-borne illnesses each year

FOODBORNE ILLNESS

FOODBORNE ILLNESS CAUSING PATHOGENS

•BACTERIA •VIRUS •PROTAZOA

GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, FOOD INDUSTRY BUSINESSES, AND ASSOCIATIONS HAVE GUIDELINES TO ASSURE FOOD SAFETY

•Producer guidelines – pork industry is the leader in meat quality assurance

•Processing guidelines

•Packaging guidelines

•Food handling guidelines