Food Industry Hazards

Ken Settimo

How Many People Get Sick?

• 1 in 6 Americans get ill (48 million people)• 128,000 are hospitalized• 3,000 people die

Who’s more at risk?

Some people are at greater risk for experiencing a more serious illness or death.

• Infants• Young children• Pregnant woman and their unborn babies• Older adults• People with weakened immune systems

(diabetes, cancer, transplants, kidney, HIV)

What are food hazards?

• Biological• Chemical• Physical

Biological

• Bacteria (salmonella, ecoli, botulism, listeria)*• Viruses (Hepatitis A, Norovirus)• Parasites (Tapeworm)

*Bacteria is the largest concern in the biological group

Bacterial Growth(salmonella, ecoli, botulism, listeria) • Food• Acidity (ph)• Time• Temperature• Oxygen• Moisture

Viruses(Hepatitis A, Norovirus)

• Can’t reproduce and grow by themselves. Need a living host.

• Only some viruses consider humans a suitable host which can cause foodborne illnesses.

• Infected employees transmit through fecal.• Number one safeguard of viruses in food is frequent and

proper hand washing• Can survive in human intestines, contaminated water

and frozen foods for months.

Parasites(Tape worms)

• Transmitted through fecal material or consuming contaminated flesh.

• Cooking to proper temperatures or freezing for extended periods can destroy parasites.

Chemical

• Unintentional (Cleaners, Sanitizers, Pesticides)

• Naturally Occurring (Aflatoxin)

• Intentional (Preservatives, Food Additives)

Allergens

• Dairy • Peanuts• Tree Nuts• Fish• Shellfish• Soy• Eggs• Wheat

Physical Hazards

Material not normally found in food that can cause illness

• Glass (Bottles, Jars)• Metal (Nuts, bolts, damaged equipment)• Stone (Ingredients)• Plastic (packaging or raw material)• Bone (Improper processing)

What should your facility look like?

• Floor, walls and ceiling smooth and easily cleanable.

• Lights shielded• Proper plumbing• Thermometers• Ventilation for cooking• Ability to exclude weather and vermin

Video

• Funny Mouse Nolan Cheese Commercial: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-L6UWk6-Hg8

Specialized Processing Methods

• Acidifying Food• Specialized Meat Processing (Smoking, Curing,

Vacuum Packaging Cooked Meat)• Sprouting seeds or beans• Custom Processing of wild game• Molluscan shellfish display tanks

Additional Items

• Labeling (manufacture and product name, address, net weight, ingredients, allergens, lot code, expiration date and possibly safe handling instructions.

• Well water testing

Food safety is everybody’s business

• Until there’s a cure education is the key.