CULINARY INFO
Food Hygiene III
"DISCLAIMER"
The information contained here is supplied for your interest only and further research may be required.
I have gathered it from many sources over many years. While I attempt to insure they are crossed referenced for accuracy,
I take no responsibility for mistakes - additions or corrections are welcomed.
Food
What are bacteria?
Single celled micro-organisms: this means they are a very simple life form and can only be seen with the help of a microscope. The basic structure of a cell (a cell is the smallest unit of life) includes the nucleus, cytoplasm and the cell membrane.
However, not all bacteria cause us to become ill; many bacteria are useful such as those used to make cheese and yoghurt, treat sewage and decompose dead plant and animal material. They are an important part of our own bodies. For example, in our intestinal system, bacterial help to break down waste products and manufacture vitamins.
A few bacteria can spoil food, cause it to smell "off", look slimy, change colour or produce gas in the food. Food spoilage means wastage and loss of money.
And then there are those that do make us ill when allowed to multiply out of control in food, food poisoning will occur. These bacteria are called PATHOGENS.
Dispelling a myth
So automatically blaming the restaurant that you had dinner at last night; is an extremely dangerous accusation and can unneccessarily damage a chef's or establishment's good reputation. Please think before accusing, laying blame and spreading rumours.
It is important that you realise if you suffer from food poisoning that it is NOT neccessarily the last thing eaten that caused it. Pathogens have an incubation period, a period that dictates when you will become ill. Many pathogens can lay dormant in your system for months before you will become ill.
Common symptoms of food poisoning from these pathogens can include:
Factors that determine how ill we become with food poisoning
- Age: the elderly and very young are generally most at risk
- General state of health: those with a low immune system; people already ill with influenza, A.I.D.S., H.I.V. or any form of sickness.
- Type of bacteria/toxin: some cause minor poisoning and some are lethal.
- Amount of contaminated food eaten
Common pathogens and source
Camplyobacter
Poultry, cattle, humans
Clostridium
Soil and products whose source will come into contact with the soil: fruit, vegetables, cud chewing animals, poultry and eggs
Escherichia coli (E-coli)
Humans, cattle and un-pasterised dairy products
Listeria
Humans, seafoods, cattle and un-pasterised dairy products
Salmonella
Poultry, eggs, seafoods
Staphylococcus
Humans; from skin, hair, lesions, gullet, ear, nose and throat.
Please note that this targets thier main sources only. They can be transferred to other areas, such as the drinking water system from these sources.
