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Bacteria And Foodborne Illness Fact Book
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Foodborne illness results from eating food
contaminated with bacteria (or their toxins) or other pathogens such as
parasites or viruses. The illnesses range from upset stomach to more
serious symptoms, including diarrhea, fever, vomiting, abdominal cramps,
and dehydration. Although most foodborne infections are undiagnosed and
unreported, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that
every year about 76 million people in the United States become ill from
pathogens in food. Of these, up to 5,000 die.
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Harmful bacteria are the most common causes of
foodborne illnesses. Some bacteria may be present on foods when you
purchase them. Raw foods are not sterile. Raw meat and poultry may become
contaminated during slaughter. Seafood may become contaminated during
harvest or through processing. One in 20,000 eggs may be contaminated with
Salmonella inside the egg shell. Produce such as lettuce, tomatoes,
sprouts, and melons can become contaminated with Salmonella,
Shigella, or Escherichia coli (E. coli) O157:H7. Contamination
can occur during growing, harvesting, processing, storing, shipping, or
final preparation. Sources of contamination are varied; however, these
items are grown in the soil and therefore may become contaminated during
growth or through processing and distribution. Contamination may also
occur during food preparation in the restaurant or in the person's
kitchen.
When food is cooked and left out for more than 2 hours at
room temperature, bacteria can multiply quickly. Most bacteria grow
undetected because they do not produce an "off" odor or change the color
or texture of the food. Freezing food slows or stops bacteria's growth but
does not destroy the bacteria. The microbes can become reactivated when
the food is thawed. Refrigeration may slow the growth of some bacteria,
but thorough cooking is needed to destroy the bacteria.
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In most cases of foodborne illness, symptoms resemble intestinal flu and may last a few hours or even several days.
Symptoms can range from mild to serious and include
- Abdominal cramps
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Fever
- Dehydration
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Some people are at greater risk for bacterial
infections because of their age or immune status. Young children, pregnant
women and their fetuses, the elderly, and people with lowered immunity are
at greatest risk.
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Some micro-organisms, such as Listeria
monocytogenes and Clostridium botulinum, cause far more serious
illness than vomiting or diarrhea. They can cause spontaneous abortion or
death.
In some people, especially children, hemolytic uremic
syndrome (HUS) can result from infection by a particular strain of
bacteria, E. coli O157:H7, and can lead to kidney failure and
death. HUS is a rare disorder that affects primarily young children
between the ages of 1 and 10 years and is the leading cause of acute renal
failure in previously healthy children. The child may become infected
after consuming a contaminated food, such as meat (especially undercooked
ground beef), unpasteurized apple cider or apple juice, or raw sprouts.
The most common symptoms of infection are vomiting, abdominal
pain, and diarrhea, which may be bloody. In 5 to 10 percent of cases, HUS
develops about 2 to 6 days after the onset of illness. This disease may
last from 1 to 15 days and is fatal in 3 to 5 percent of cases. Symptoms
of HUS include fever, lethargy, irritability, and pallor. In about half
the cases, the disease progresses until the kidneys are unable to remove
waste products from the blood and excrete them into the urine (acute renal
failure). A decrease in circulating red blood cells and blood platelets
and reduced blood flow to organs may lead to multiple organ failure.
Seizures, heart failure, inflammation of the pancreas, and diabetes can
also result. However, most children recover completely.
You need
to see a doctor right away if you have any of the following symptoms, with
or without gastrointestinal symptoms:
- Signs of shock, such as weak or rapid pulse; shallow breathing;
cold, clammy, pale skin; shaking or chills; or chest pain.
- Signs of severe dehydration, such as dry mouth, sticky saliva,
decreased urine output, dizziness, fatigue, sunken eyes, low blood
pressure, or increased heart rate and breathing.
- Confusion or difficulty reasoning.
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Your doctor may be able to diagnose foodborne
illness from a list of what you've recently eaten and results from the
proper laboratory tests. Diagnostic tests for foodborne illness should
include examination of the feces. A sample of the suspected food, if
available, can also be tested for bacteria and their toxins as well as for
viruses and parasites.
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Most cases of foodborne illness are mild and can
be treated by increasing fluid intake, either orally or intravenously, to
replace lost fluids and electrolytes. In cases with gastrointestinal or
neurologic symptoms, people should seek medical attention.
In the
most severe situations, such as HUS, the patient may need hospitalization
in order to receive supportive nutritional and medical therapy.
Maintaining adequate fluid and electrolyte balance and controlling blood
pressure are important. Doctors will try to minimize the impact of reduced
kidney function. Early dialysis is crucial until the kidneys can function
normally again, and blood transfusions may be needed.
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Most cases of foodborne illness can be prevented
through proper cooking or processing of food, which kills bacteria. In
addition, because bacteria multiply rapidly between 40°F and 140°F, food
must be kept out of this "danger zone."
To prevent harmful
bacteria from growing in food, always
- Refrigerate foods promptly. If you let prepared food stand at room
temperature for more than 2 hours, it may not be safe to eat. Set your
refrigerator at 40°F or lower and your freezer at 0°F.
- Cook food to the appropriate temperature (145°F for roasts, steaks,
and chops of beef, veal, and lamb; 160°F for pork, ground veal, and
ground beef; 165°F for ground poultry; and 180°F for whole poultry).
Use a thermometer to be sure! Foods are properly cooked only when
they are heated long enough and at a high enough temperature to kill the
harmful bacteria that cause illness.
- Prevent cross-contamination. Bacteria can spread from one food
product to another throughout the kitchen and can get onto cutting
boards, knives, sponges, and countertops. So keep raw meat, poultry,
seafood, and their juices away from other foods that are ready to eat.
- Handle food properly. Always wash your hands before touching food
and after using the bathroom, changing diapers, or handling pets, as
well as after handling raw meat, poultry, fish, shellfish, or eggs.
Clean surfaces well before preparing food on them.
- Keep cold food cold and hot food hot.
- Maintain hot cooked food at 140°F or higher.
- Reheat cooked food to at least 165°F.
- Refrigerate or freeze perishables, prepared food, and leftovers
within 2 hours.
- Never defrost food on the kitchen counter. Use the refrigerator,
cold running water, or the microwave oven.
- Never let food marinate at room temperature; refrigerate it.
- Divide large amounts of leftovers into small, shallow containers for
quick cooling in the refrigerator.
- Remove the stuffing immediately from poultry and other meats and
refrigerate it in a separate container.
- Do not pack the refrigerator. Cool air must circulate to keep food
safe.
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Food irradiation is the treatment of food with
high energy such as gamma rays, electron beams, or x rays as a means of
cold pasteurization, which destroys living bacteria, to control foodborne
disease. The United States relies exclusively on the use of gamma rays,
which are similar to ultraviolet light and microwaves and pass through the
food leaving no residue or "radioactivity." Food irradiation is currently
approved for wheat, potatoes, spices, seasonings, pork, poultry, red
meats, whole fresh fruits, and dry or dehydrated products. Although
irradiation destroys many bacteria, it does not sterilize food. Even if
you're using food that has been irradiated by the manufacturer, you must
continue to take precautions against foodborne illness, through proper
refrigeration and handling, to safeguard against any surviving organisms.
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Scientists suspect that foodborne pathogens are
linked to chronic disorders and can even cause permanent tissue or organ
destruction. Research suggests that when some people are infected by
foodborne pathogens, the activation of their immune system can trigger an
inappropriate autoimmune response, which means the immune system attacks
the body's own cells. In some people, an autoimmune response leads to a
chronic health condition. Chronic disorders that may be triggered by
foodborne pathogens are
- Arthritis
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Kidney failure
- Guillain-Barré syndrome
- Autoimmune disorders
Further research is needed to
explain the link.
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Source of illness: Raw and undercooked
meat and poultry.
Symptoms: Abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea,
and vomiting.
Bacteria: Campylobacter jejuni, E. coli
O157:H7, L. monocytogenes, Salmonella.
Source of
illness: Raw (unpasteurized) milk and dairy products, such as soft
cheeses.
Symptoms: Nausea and vomiting, fever, abdominal cramps,
and diarrhea.
Bacteria: L. monocytogenes, Salmonella,
Shigella, Staphylococcus aureus, C. jejuni.
Source of
illness: Raw or undercooked eggs. Raw eggs may not be recognized in
some foods such as homemade hollandaise sauce, caesar and other salad
dressings, tiramisu, homemade ice cream, homemade mayonnaise, cookie
dough, and frostings.
Symptoms: Nausea and vomiting, fever,
abdominal cramps, and diarrhea.
Bacteria: Salmonella
enteriditis.
Source of illness: Raw or undercooked
shellfish.
Symptoms: Chills, fever, and collapse.
Bacteria: Vibrio vulnificus, Vibrio parahaemolyticus.
Source of illness: Improperly canned goods, and smoked or
salted fish.
Symptoms: Double vision, inability to swallow,
difficulty speaking, and inability to breathe. (Seek medical help right
away!)
Bacteria: C. botulinum.
Source of
illness: Fresh or minimally processed produce.
Symptoms:
Diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting.
Bacteria: E. coli
O157:H7, L. monocytogenes, Salmonella, Shigella, Yersinia
enterocolitica, viruses, and parasites.
Keeping on Top of Your Condition
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