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CONTAMINANTS Below is a list of common pathogens associated with improper cleaning of food production equipment. Botulism Yersiniosis C. jejuni Shigella  Listeria is a remarkably tough organism that has a high resistance to heat, salt, nitrite and acidity. Refrigeration does not kill most of the Listeria as this bacterium survives on cold surfaces and also can multiply slowly at freezing, defeating one traditional food safety defense--refrigeration.
Mortality: The overall mortality rate from listeric meningitis may be as high as 70%. From blood poisoning the mortality rate is 50%. Infections durring pregnancy can result in a mortality rate of 80% although the mother usually survives. An estimated 2,500 cases occur in the United States yearly, with 500 deaths/year. cases: Pennsylvania Company Recalls 52,000 pounds of Ready-to-Eat Meats Tainted Pre-cooked deli meet causes Listeria Outbreak Bologna Recall for Possible Listeria Contamination [PDF] Sausage Recall for Possible Listeria Contamination [PDF] Chicken Salad Recall for Possible Listeria Contamination [PDF] Other Links Center for Disease Control information on Listeria [PDF] FSIS Releases Draft Risk Assessment on Listeria [PDF] FSIS Rule To Reduce Listeria In RTE Meat and Poultry Products [PDF] Listeria Fact Sheet [PDF] E. coli 0157:H7 is a rare variety of E. coli that produces large quantities of potent toxins that cause severe damage to the lining of the intestine. Tainted ground beef has been implicated in many of the documented outbreaks, however E. coli O157:H7 outbreaks have implicated alfalfa sprouts, unpasteurized fruit juices, dry-cured salami, lettuce, game meat, and dairy products.
Mortality: Up to 15% of E. coli O157:H7 victims may develop Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS), a disease leading to permenant loss of kidney function. In the elderly E. coli O157:H7 may have a mortality rate of up to 50%. Cases: 2.3 million pound of grond beef recalled after E. coli outbreak Recall of 1.2 million pounds of ground beef after E. coli outbreak Apple Juice E. coli outbreak Solami E. coli outbreak More Information: Salmonella is the most commonly reported cause of food-borne outbreaks, accounting for 28% of such outbreaks. It is estimated that from 2 to 4 million cases of salmonellosis occur in the U.S. annually. It is estimated that approximately 600 persons die each year with acute salmonellosis. A small number of persons, who are infected with Salmonella, will go on to develop Reiter's syndrome which can last for months or years, and can lead to chronic arthritis.
Mortality: The mortality rate for most salmonellosis is 1%. There is a 15% mortality rate when salmonellosis blood poisining is present in the elderly. Cases: Salmonellosis outbreak case associated with beef jerky in New Mexico in 1995. Salmonellosis outbreak from commercially prepared ice cream Salmonellosis outbreak form powdered milk products and infant formula Detroit couple Nets $65,000 In Cannoli Food Poisoning Case More Information: "Staph" - Staphylococcus aureus is most commonly associated with skin infections and is most commonly transmitted by having close contact with infected people. Insidences where "Staph" infections are spread via food tainted by infected individuals is not uncommon. Foods that require considerable handling during preparation and that is kept at slightly elevated temperatures after preparation are frequently involved in staphylococcal food poisoning.
Morbidity Death from staphylococcal food poisoning is very rare, although such cases have occurred among the elderly, infants, and severely debilitated persons. More Information Norovirus is second only to the common cold in reports of viral gastroenteritis causes of illness in the U.S. The disease is mild and characterized by nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. The infection dose is unknown but presumed to be low.
Morbidity: Very low, but occurrences have been known to happen within at risk groups. Case: Norwalk virus aboard cruise ship "Botulism" - Clostridium Botulinum (food-borne) is a severe type of food poisoning caused by the ingestion of foods containing the potent neurotoxin formed during growth of the organism. The incidence of the disease is low, but the disease is of considerable concern because of its high mortality rate if not treated immediately and properly. An effective dose is very small; a few nanograms of toxin can cause illness. Most of the 10 to 30 outbreaks that are reported annually in the United States are associated with inadequately processed, home-canned foods, but occasionally commercially produced foods have been involved in outbreaks.
Botulinum toxin causes paralysis, which if left untreated will progresses symmetrically downward, usually starting with the eyes and face, to the throat, chest and extremities. When the diaphragm and chest muscles become fully involved, respiration is inhibited and death from asphyxia results. Morbidity: Very high as a percentage of cases. Cases: White Fish Botulism Case Yersiniosis - Yersinia Enterocolitica is found in meats and raw milk. Occurrences of the pathogen within the food supply is rare unless a breakdown occurs in food processing techniques. The Center for Disease Control estimates that about 17,000 cases occur annually in the USA. In most cases the exact cause of contamination is unkown but is likely linked to poor sanitation and improper sterilization techniques by food handlers, including improper storage.
Morbidity: Extremely rare. Cases: Dec. 1981 - Feb. 1982. Y. enterocolitica enteritis in King County, Washington caused by ingestion of tofu, a soybean curd. FDA investigators and researchers determined the source of the infection to be an non-chlorinated water supply. Manufacturing was halted until uncontaminated product was produced. June 11 to July 21, 1982. Y. enterocolitica outbreak in Arkansas, Tennessee, and Mississippi associated with the consumption of pasteurized milk. FDA personnel participated in the investigation, and presumptively identified the infection source to be externally contaminated milk containers. More Information: C. jejuni - Campylobacter Jejuni is the most common bacterial cause of diarrhea in the U.S. Campylobacter frequently contaminates raw chicken, with an estimated 20 to 100% of retail chickens being contaminated. Raw milk is also a source of infections. The bacteria are often carried by healthy cattle and by flies on farms. Non-chlorinated water may also be a source of infections.
Morbidity: Campylobacter effects over 1 million people in the U.S. every year with an estimate of 100 people dieing from infections every year. More Information Shigella spp. accounts for less than 10% of the reported outbreaks of foodborne illness in this country. An estimated 300,000 cases of shigellosis occur annually in the U.S. The number attributable to food is unknown, but given the low infectious dose, it is probably substantial.
Contamination of salads (potato, tuna, shrimp, macaroni, and chicken), raw vegetables, dairy products, and poultry is most common. These foods are usually tainted through the fecal-oral route. Unsanitary handling by food handlers are the most common causes of contamination. Cases: Outbreak associated with eating fresh parsley More Information |
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