Foodborne Illness

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), every year nearly 1 in 6 Americans (48 million people) get sick from eating contaminated food. This leads to about 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths. Older adults and people with chronic illness are at higher risk and are considered highly susceptible. Almost half of people aged 65 and older who have foodborne illness require hospitalization.

Symptoms of foodborne illness may appear within several hours to several weeks after eating contaminated food. They can be mild or severe, depending on the cause. The most common
symptoms include upset stomach, stomach cramps, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, fever, and dehydration. Serious long-term effects include kidney failure, chronic arthritis, brain and nerve damage, and death.

Causes of Foodborne Illness

Foodborne illness is caused by eating contaminated food. Poisonous chemicals, physical objects, and biological contamination can all make people sick.

Viruses are tiny germs that can pass from person to person through food. If a person is sick or does not wash their hands, they can spread viruses to others. Viruses do not grow on food as bacteria do.
Bacteria are tiny germs that are the most common cause of foodborne illness. Bacteria come from soil, animals, raw meat, and humans. They can grow on food very quickly and become dangerous if food is stored at the wrong temperature for a short time.
Parasites are organisms that live inside other animals. Parasites like roundworms and tapeworms can infect people who eat undercooked meat or drink contaminated water.
• Chemicals can contaminate food at any stage of processing. Pesticides from the farm, metal from storage containers, cleaners, or too-strong sanitizers from the kitchen can all make people sick.
Physical Objects like broken glass, jewelry, bandages, staples, and fingernails can fall into food and cause injury.
Fungi, including mold and yeast, can make food unsafe to eat. Molds, which look like fur growing on the food, can produce toxins. Yeast looks like round, dot-shaped patches and can help harmful bacteria to grow.
Allergens in foods can cause dangerous reactions in people with food allergies. Some foods that commonly cause allergic reactions are nuts, milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish,
tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, and soybeans. A small amount of these can be enough to cause a deadly reaction.

Sources of Foodborne Germs

The world is full of germs. Most germs are harmless, but some can make people very sick. When you understand how harmful germs contaminate food, you will be ready to prevent foodborne illness.

People: Many people touch our food before we eat it. If they are sick or their hands are not clean, they can spread diseases. Viruses like Norovirus and Hepatitis A spread from person to person in this way.
Animals: Healthy animals such as cows and chickens carry bacteria inside their bodies and on their skin. Bacteria like Salmonella, Staph, and E. Coli can contaminate meat, eggs, and milk. If we eat these foods raw or undercooked, the bacteria can make us very ill.
Storage: Bacteria multiplies quickly on food that is stored improperly. For example, C. perfringens grows in food at temperatures from 54°F – 140°F (12°C – 60°C). Botulism can grow in foods that are not canned or jarred safely.
Environment: Some dangerous bacteria live in water and soil. Fruits and vegetables can carry Listeria from the places where they grow. Vibrio lives in saltwater and can contaminate the seafood and shellfish there.

See Hepatitis A, B, C, D and E in the Common Diseases and Conditions section on page 372 for more information.
Think about the sources of foodborne germs. What steps could you take to prevent foodborne illness from each source?

Highly Susceptible Populations

Although anyone can get sick from food when handled unsafely, certain people get sick more often or have more serious illnesses. People in highly susceptible populations include people younger than 5 years old, older than 65 years old, pregnant, or immunocompromised (due to cancer, AIDS, diabetes, certain medications, or other conditions). Certain foods are more likely to cause foodborne illness in highly susceptible people. These foods include the following.

Undercooked or raw food from animals (such as beef, pork, chicken, turkey, eggs, or seafood)
Raw or lightly cooked sprouts
Unpasteurized (raw) milk and juices
Soft cheese (such as queso fresco), unless it is labeled as made with pasteurized milk

Potentially Hazardous Foods (PFHs)

Any food can become contaminated and cause foodborne illness, so safe food handling is always
necessary. However, some foods have more potential to cause foodborne illness than others.
Certain foods, called potentially hazardous foods (PFHs), are more likely to cause foodborne illness if stored at improper temperatures. These foods must be kept hot (at 135°F / 57.2°C or above) or kept cold (at 41°F / 5°C or below) to ensure safety. Common potentially hazardous foods include meat, poultry, eggs, fish, cooked starches, cooked vegetables, sprouts, cut melons, cut tomatoes, and cut leafy greens.
For more details, see Potentially Hazardous Foods (PFHs) in the Resource Directory on page 344.