NUTR 002 Principles Of Food Safety

Code:

NUTR 002

Hours:

Lec 1 Hr.

Prerequisite:

None.

Level/Semester:

University elective

Department offering the course:

Nutrition & Dietetics - Faculty of Health Sciences.

Place and time :

Beirut Campus, Tuesday 11.00 : 12.00, room H 811

Debbieh Campus, Thursday 3.00 : 4.00, room EB 318

Prepared by : Dr. Nada EL DARRA

2014-2015

Chapter 3 : Biological contaminants in

food

Biological contaminants in food

A living organisms come into contact with food which can invade
the human body from the gut and cause disease when the food is
eaten.
Such disease causing organisms are called pathogens or germs

90% of foodborne illness are caused by biological contamination.

Dr. Nada EL DARRA

Physical &contaminants
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Biological contaminants include four disease-causing

microorganims:

1. Bacteria

2. Viruses

3. Fungi

4. Parasites

Dr. Nada EL DARRA

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1/ Bacteria
Single-celled organisms
Tiny/very small, cannot be seen by naked eyes but we need a light
microscope
They reproduce (cell division) by binary fission
Have many morphological forms: spherical (cocci), rod shaped
(bacilli), and curved (comma)

Dr. Nada EL DARRA

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Dr. Nada EL DARRA

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Physical &contaminants
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1/ Bacteria
They can form associations such as clusters, chains (two or more cells), or
tetrads
Some bacteria are capable of forming highly resistant structures called
spores when they are subjected to unfavorable conditions of growth ex.
Depletion of nutrients, accumulation of metabolites or changes in the
moisture, temperature, pH, oxygen tension in the environment.
Bacteria spores do not growth or reproduce, and exhibit absolute
dormancy
They are much more resistant than the vegetative forms to heat,
freezing, drying, chemical disinfectants, etc
This means the spores can survive the normal processes of food storage and
preparation
Dr. Nada EL DARRA

Physical
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1/ Bacteria
The process of transferring a single vegetative bacterium to a
single spore is called sporulation
The process of transferring a single spore back to vegetative
bacterium is called germination
.Sufficient nutrition, humidity and suitable temperature are
essential for germination.
Two examples of spore-forming bacteria are Bacillus and

clostridium
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Bacillus Cereus

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Clostridium Botulinum

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1/ Bacteria
Of all the microorganisms, bacteria are the greatest threat to food
safety, because:
1. They multiply very quickly: Bacteria can double every 20 minutes
2. They can grow fast at room temperature between the temperature
5C to 60C which is called temperature danger zone
It is the best temperature for growth of microorganims
3.They can contaminate at any stage of production

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2/ Viruses
They are smaller than bacteria & cannot be seen with a light microscope,
but can be seen through an electron microscope.
Unlike bacteria, viruses cannot reproduce/growth in the food, food only
serves as a reservoir. They can replicate only inside the living cells of
organisms
They only multiply and reproduce inside the host living cell, usually a
human body and are species specific

They can survive in human intestines, water or food for months

Viral infection make up one third of cases of food poisoning.
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2/ Viruses
Transmission usually by fecal-oral route and related to poor personnel
hygiene where people do not wash their hands after using the toilet
They do not cause spoilage but they are highly contagious
They are killed by heat of cooking
Example : Hepatitis A and Norwalk viruses.

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HEPATITIS A

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3/ Fungi (singular : fungus)

a/ Yeasts
Unicellular organism much larger than bacteria
Found in the soil, on plants and on the skin and body of the man.
They multiply by budding (forming buds which grow and then
detach themselves.
They are used in a controlled way to ferment food
Yeasts are not know to cause foodborne illness but may cause food
spoilage
Yeast is easily killed by cooking

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3/ Fungi (singular : fungus)

b/Molds
Grow as single cell filaments that can branch together making a
strongly knit structure like a mat (hair like fibers) called mycelia,
that can be seen with naked eye
They multiply by producing clusters of dry spores which are blown
by the air like seeds
They are destroyed by heat
Many mold soil food and are characterize by a cottony, blue green
or grey-white appearance
Some molds can produce toxins (mycotoxins) and a few can cause
disease in plants and man
Some molds are beneficial and used in the ripening of cheese
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4/ Parasites
Parasites are organisms that live in or on other organism
without benefiting the host organisms
They are often found in the digestive systems of many
animals, for example cats, pigs, cattle etc but are also found in
water based environments such as lakes and rivers.
The most common parasites may common:
Protozoa: Entamoeba histolytica; Giardia lamblia
Trematodes: Fasciola Spp.
Cestodes : Taenia saginata and T solium; Echinococcus
Spp.
Nematodes: Trichinella spiralis
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Sources of food contamination

The original forms of the biological materials of healthy animals or
plants usually carry none or very few micro-organisms
Exposure of contamination, however starts from the point when the
natural biological materials are collected and turned into more or less
manufactured foodstuffs from the process of slaughter, harvesting of
vegetables, milking, the laying of the egg, etc.) and will continue
until the food is consumed.
The sources from where this contamination with microorganims
originate are the principles reservoirs of micro-organism in nature

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1- The human reservoirs: Food handlers

The term food handler can be applied to anyone who touches or
handles food. This includes people who process, transport, prepare,
cook and serve food at restaurants, catering services, retail stores and
at home.
The area of the mouth, nose and throat of both healthy and
diseased man are bound with micro-organisms of various kinds
especially staphylococci.
The human clean skin and hands carry some organisms. If there are
lesions on the hands such as boils, ulcers, abrasions, septic cuts, an
impressive number of Staphylococcus aureus are present.
The intestines of humans are full of microorganims some of them
are beneficial but other are pathogenic such as Salmonella and
Escherichia coli (strain O157: H7)
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2- The animal Reservoir

2.1. Livestock (Animals, birds, fish and shellfish)
Animals and birds normally carry many types of microorganims in
their digestive , respiratory, urogenital tracts and the udder, as well as
on the skin, hooves, hair and feathers
Fish and shellfish also carry normal microflora in the scales, skin,
and digestive tracts
2.2.Vermins (Rat and mice; flies)
They pick up organism from farms, sewers, garbage faeces and
animal manure which may contain intestinal pathogens of human and
animal origin
They contaminate food, equipment and utensils by the filthy
materials carried on their legs and bodies and in their faeces
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2- The animal Reservoir

2.3. Domestic/pet animals (cats and dogs)
Their hair and excreta may contaminate the foods

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3- The environment
3.1. soil
Soil can be contaminated with pathogenic microorganims through:
Animals that contribute their wastes & bodies to the soil
Sewage going onto soils
Contaminated water

Soils particles will contaminate

The surface of growing plants
The air, and the running natural wasters

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3- The environment
3.2. water
Improperly treated/polluted water can contain pathogenic and
spoilage microorganims such as Typhoid fever and cholera.
3.3. Sewage
Fresh sewage contains the flora of the intestinal tract which may
contain human enteric pathogens
The usage of untreated domestic sewage as fertilizer or for
watering the soils make it quite probable that fresh fruits and
vegetables, may become contaminated with enteric pathogens
Fish and other sea foods may be also contaminated with pathogens
through sewage going to water

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3- The environment
3.4. Air and dust
There is no natural microflora for air
Their presence in air is usually present on solid particles or
moisture droplets suspended in the air

Spores of Bacillus & clostridium spp as well as mold & yeast can
be predominantely present in the air
Food can be contaminated at any time during food preparation or
when food is left uncovered

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4-Food ingredients
In prepared foods, many ingredients or additives are included in
different quantities which could the source of microorganisms, e.g.
spices, starch, sugar and flour

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5-Equipement
Food utensils such as cutting boards, knives, spoons, bowls ad
other equipment used in food preparation, may become contaminated
during food processing and preparation.
Improper cleaning of equipment can be sources of cross
contamination

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