1 Pathogens Commonly Associated with Fresh Produce: How Can They Be Controlled? David Nyachuba, Ph.D. David Nyachuba, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Department of Nutrition, UMass–Amherst Assistant Professor, Department of Nutrition, UMass–Amherst Director of UMass Extension Food Safety Education Program Director of UMass Extension Food Safety Education Program Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) Food Safety Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) Food Safety Training Training March 4, 2009 March 4, 2009
34
Embed
Pathogens Commonly Associated with Fresh Produce: How Can They Be Controlled?
Pathogens Commonly Associated with Fresh Produce: How Can They Be Controlled?. David Nyachuba , Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Department of Nutrition, UMass–Amherst Director of UMass Extension Food Safety Education Program Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) Food Safety Training March 4, 2009. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
This document is posted to help you gain knowledge. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about it! Share it to your friends and learn new things together.
Transcript
1
Pathogens Commonly Associated with Fresh
Produce: How Can They Be Controlled? David Nyachuba, Ph.D.David Nyachuba, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Nutrition, UMass–AmherstAssistant Professor, Department of Nutrition, UMass–AmherstDirector of UMass Extension Food Safety Education ProgramDirector of UMass Extension Food Safety Education Program
Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) Food Safety TrainingGood Agricultural Practices (GAPs) Food Safety Training
March 4, 2009March 4, 2009
2
Food Safety – Everyone Can Play A Role GrowersGrowers Fresh produce handlers:Fresh produce handlers:
An agent that is reasonably likely to cause illness or injury An agent that is reasonably likely to cause illness or injury in the absence of controlin the absence of control
ContaminationContamination When harmful microorganisms, chemicals or foreign When harmful microorganisms, chemicals or foreign
objects get into food, either naturally or by accidentobjects get into food, either naturally or by accident Cross-contaminationCross-contamination
Microorganisms are transferred from one food or surface Microorganisms are transferred from one food or surface to anotherto another
Foodborne illnessFoodborne illness Illness carried or transmitted to people by foodIllness carried or transmitted to people by food
Foodborne outbreakFoodborne outbreak Incident in which Incident in which two or more peopletwo or more people experience the same experience the same
illness after illness after eating the same foodeating the same food
5
Types of Food Safety Hazards
1.1. Microbial HazardsMicrobial Hazards
2.2. Chemical HazardsChemical Hazards
3.3. Physical HazardsPhysical Hazards
6
Foodborne Illness Statistics cases: 76 million illnesses in the U.S. cases: 76 million illnesses in the U.S.
each yeareach year hospitalizations: 325,000 per yearhospitalizations: 325,000 per year deaths: 5,000 per yeardeaths: 5,000 per year
7
Cost of Foodborne Illness Cost: $10-83 billion Cost: $10-83 billion
each year*each year*
* FDA/CFSAN. 2004. Produce safety from production to consumption:2004 action plan to minimize foodborne illness associated with fresh produce consumption. http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/prodpla2.html
Infective dose varies and is thought to be dependent upon the Infective dose varies and is thought to be dependent upon the susceptibility of the individual susceptibility of the individual As few as 10 to 100 pathogenic cells can make you sick!As few as 10 to 100 pathogenic cells can make you sick!
10
Individuals More Susceptible to Foodborne Illness
The very young – The very young – infants and pre-school infants and pre-school age childrenage children
Older adultsOlder adults Pregnant womenPregnant women People taking certain People taking certain
medicines e.g. medicines e.g. antibiotics and antibiotics and immunosuppressants immunosuppressants
Those with weakened Those with weakened immune systems immune systems
11
Relative Susceptibility to Listeriosis*
Condition Relative susceptibility
Transplant 2584
Cancer-Blood 1364
AIDS 865
Dialysis 476
Cancer-Pulmonary 229
Cancer-GI/Liver 211
Cancer-Bladder/Prostate 112
Diabetes-non-insulin dep. 25
Diabetes-insulin dep. 30
Alcoholism 19
Over 65 years old 7.5
<65, no other condition 1
* Goulet & Marchetti, 1996
12
Foodborne Illness Statistics
Microbial: 94% of foodborne illnessesMicrobial: 94% of foodborne illnesses Chemical: 4%Chemical: 4% Physical:Physical: 2%2%
best in food that has a pH range of 4.6 to 7.5 (food best in food that has a pH range of 4.6 to 7.5 (food with slightly acidic pH or neutral pH)with slightly acidic pH or neutral pH)
pH of most products falls into this rangepH of most products falls into this range
Vinegar = 2.0Baking Soda = 8.1
A
Acidic Neutral Alkaline
pH 4.6 pH 7.5 pH of most food is 4.6 to 7.5 Bacteria grow best in food with pH values 4.6 to 7.5
0 7 14
17
FAT TOM
135ºF (57ºC)
41ºF (5ºC)
98.6ºF (37ºC) TemperatureDanger Zone(41 to 135ºF)
Ideal for bacterialgrowth
Temperature
– Foodborne microorganisms survive and grow well at temperatures between 41˚F and 135˚F*
* These temperatures based on current FDA Food Code/USDA Guidance. State regulations may differ.
T
18
FAT TOM
TimeTime Foodborne microorganisms need Foodborne microorganisms need
sufficient time to growsufficient time to grow Bacterial cells divide every 20 minutesBacterial cells divide every 20 minutes Storing food in TDZ for 4 hours or more would Storing food in TDZ for 4 hours or more would
result in bacterial growth and multiplication to result in bacterial growth and multiplication to dangerous levelsdangerous levels
T
19
Bacterial Multiplication
Cells divide twofold every 20 minutes
TimeT
20
FAT TOM
OxygenOxygen Some foodborne microorganisms Some foodborne microorganisms
require different levels of oxygen or no oxygen at require different levels of oxygen or no oxygen at all to growall to grow
Aerobes: require oxygen to growAerobes: require oxygen to grow• e.g. e.g. SalmonellaSalmonella, , E.coliE.coli
Facultative anaerobes: are able to grow either Facultative anaerobes: are able to grow either with or without free oxygen with or without free oxygen
• e.g. e.g. Staphylococcus aureusStaphylococcus aureus Obligate anaerobes: can survive and grow Obligate anaerobes: can survive and grow
only when oxygen is absentonly when oxygen is absent• e.g. e.g. ClostridiumClostridium spp. spp.
O
21
FAT TOM
MoistureMoisture Most foodborne Most foodborne
microorganisms microorganisms require moisture to require moisture to growgrow
The amount of The amount of moisture available in moisture available in food for this growth is food for this growth is called water called water activity (aw)activity (aw)
FAT TOM Several methods can be used to keep Several methods can be used to keep
microorganisms from growing: microorganisms from growing: Add lactic or citric acid to food to make it more Add lactic or citric acid to food to make it more
acidic*acidic* TemperatureTemperature
Refrigerate or freeze food properlyRefrigerate or freeze food properly Cook food properlyCook food properly
TimeTime Minimize time food spends Minimize time food spends
in the TDZ (41 to 135ºF)in the TDZ (41 to 135ºF) Use vacuum packaging to remove oxygen*Use vacuum packaging to remove oxygen* Add sugar, alcohol, or acid to lower food’s water Add sugar, alcohol, or acid to lower food’s water
activity*activity*
*Only food processors can use methods involving food acidification, modified atmosphere packaging, and moisture reduction
Residents of human Residents of human and animal intestinal and animal intestinal tracts…tracts… Salmonella Salmonella speciesspecies E. coli E. coli O157:H7O157:H7 Shigella Shigella speciesspecies Viruses and Viruses and
parasitesparasites
National GAPs Program
27
Sources of Pathogenic Microorganisms on Fresh Produce
human and animal feceshuman and animal feces contaminated watercontaminated water unsanitary farm environmentunsanitary farm environment unsanitary facilitiesunsanitary facilities improperly treated animal manure or biosolid improperly treated animal manure or biosolid
wasteswastes poor worker hygiene and sanitation practices poor worker hygiene and sanitation practices
during production, harvesting, sorting, during production, harvesting, sorting, packing, and transport packing, and transport
cross-contamination during transport of fresh cross-contamination during transport of fresh produce from farm to market produce from farm to market
28
An ounce of prevention is
worth a pound of cure
29
Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs)
GAPs are the basic environmental and operational GAPs are the basic environmental and operational conditions that are necessary for the production of conditions that are necessary for the production of safe, wholesome fruits and vegetables*safe, wholesome fruits and vegetables*
GAPs can enhance food safety and help prevent and GAPs can enhance food safety and help prevent and reduce the risk of foodborne illnessreduce the risk of foodborne illness
* Rangarajan, A., E.A. Bihn, R.B. Gravani, D.L. Scott, and M.P. Pritts. 2000. Food Safety Begins on the Farm: A Grower’s Guide. Cornell Good Agricultural Practices Program. Ithaca, NY.
30
Strategies for Controlling Potential Microbial Food Safety Hazards on Your Farm You should control hazards during:You should control hazards during:
Personal hygiene programPersonal hygiene program Employee food safety training programEmployee food safety training program
teach workers about food safety and their role in preventing teach workers about food safety and their role in preventing microbial contamination of fresh fruits and vegetablesmicrobial contamination of fresh fruits and vegetables
results = safer produce!results = safer produce! Provide well maintained restroom to employees and customersProvide well maintained restroom to employees and customers
handwashing stations must be equipped handwashing stations must be equipped sign should reflect all languages used on the farmsign should reflect all languages used on the farm
Record keepingRecord keeping document what your did for food safetydocument what your did for food safety Keep good records - important for tracebackKeep good records - important for traceback
32
Review
Be aware of the sources of pathogenic Be aware of the sources of pathogenic microorganisms on fresh produce microorganisms on fresh produce
GAPs can enhance food safety and help GAPs can enhance food safety and help prevent and reduce the risk of foodborne prevent and reduce the risk of foodborne illnessillness
Farm Food Safety Plan
Develop a written farm food safety planDevelop a written farm food safety plan Implement farm food safety planImplement farm food safety plan Farm food safety plan in effectFarm food safety plan in effect