Sheshanth CHW3M

Ms. Gharzouzi HFA4U1

Video #1 - Food Safety

SS 1 Introduction to Food Safety

What is Foodborne Illness?

● Definition: A disease transmitted through food.

● Outbreak: If 2+ people get sick from the same food, it is considered an outbreak.
● Magnitude: Millions of cases annually, with many linked to the restaurant industry.

Why Preventing Foodborne Illness Matters

● Customer protection: To prevent illness and ensure safety.

● Business protection:
○ Financial loss: From fines, legal fees, and lawsuits (could reach millions).
○ Business closure: Temporary shutdown or permanent closure possible.
○ Reputation damage: Loss of customer trust and sales.
○ Employee morale: Low morale, absenteeism, and need for retraining.

Populations at Higher Risk

● Infants and young children: Underdeveloped immune systems.

● Pregnant women: Risk to both mother and fetus due to compromised immune systems.
● Elderly: Weakened immune systems with age.
● Compromised immune systems: Includes transplant recipients, HIV/AIDS patients, and those
undergoing chemotherapy.

How Food Becomes Unsafe

1. Time-Temperature Abuse:
○ Definition: Food left at temperatures that allow pathogens to grow.
○ Examples:
■ Food not stored or held at the correct temperature.
■ Inadequate cooking or reheating.
■ Improper cooling of food.
2. Cross-Contamination:
○ Definition: Transfer of pathogens from one surface or food to another.
○ Examples:
■ Contaminated ingredients added to food without further cooking.
■ Ready-to-eat food touching contaminated surfaces.
■ Raw foods dripping onto cooked or ready-to-eat foods.
■ Food handlers touching food with contaminated hands.
3. Poor Personal Hygiene:
○ Employees failing to wash hands properly after:
■ Using the restroom.
■ Coughing, sneezing, or smoking.
■ Handling raw food.
○ Employees working while sick (vomiting, diarrhea).
○ Handling food after touching sores, cuts, or boils.

Prevention Measures

1. Control Time and Temperature at every stage.

2. Practice Good Personal Hygiene.
3. Prevent Cross-Contamination:
○ Clean and sanitize equipment regularly.
 ○ Use separate utensils for different food items.
4. Purchase from approved suppliers only.

Key Message

● No shortcuts: Time-saving measures in food safety risk customer health, reputation, and business
survival.
● Team effort: Everyone must follow procedures at all times, no matter how busy it gets.
● Food safety is the top priority, regardless of time pressures.

Video #2 - Mad Cow Disease

Mad Cow Disease

Video #2 Mad Cow Disease

Introduction

● Mad Cow Disease is technically called Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE).

○ "Spongiform": Refers to the brain looking like a wet sponge due to tiny holes.
○ Affects brain function, leading to severe symptoms.

Symptoms in Infected Cows

● Early symptoms:
○ Personality changes, psychiatric issues, and lack of coordination.
● Progression:
○ Involuntary jerking, confusion, and memory problems.
○ Severe mental impairment, loss of movement, and speech ability.
● Fatal once enough brain damage occurs.

Cause of Mad Cow Disease

● Prions: Misfolded proteins that cause the disease.

○ Normally, proteins fold into an alpha-helix shape.
○ In BSE, a genetic mutation (Condon 1 to 9) causes proteins to misfold into beta sheets instead.
○ These prions clump into amyloids, which bind to brain cells and arteries, killing them.
○ Prions also spread, forcing nearby proteins to adopt their abnormal structure.

Progression of Disease

● Prions spread throughout the central nervous system.

● As prions accumulate, they create tiny holes in the brain and spinal cord by killing cells.
● The disease is irreversible and always fatal.

Theories on Origin

● Likely linked to Scrapie, a similar disease in sheep.

● Cattle feed practices:
○ Cattle were fed dietary supplements made from the meat and bones of infected sheep and cows.
○ Changes in processing led to uneven heating, possibly allowing prions to survive.
○ The UK banned this practice in 1987, and cases began to decline after the typical five-year
incubation period.

Outbreak and Decline

 ● Peak outbreak in the UK in 1993 with around 1,000 new cases per week.
● Since the introduction of strict regulations and practices, the number of cases drastically decreased.
○ By 2010, only 11 new cases were reported.
○ Globally, the disease is now rare.

Human Variant: Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD)

● A human variant of BSE, known as variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD), can be transmitted
through infected beef.
● Rare occurrence:
○ Only 153 cases of vCJD have ever been diagnosed globally.
○ 1 in 1 million people are affected by the regular form of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, and vCJD is
even rarer.

Current Status

● Decline in BSE cases due to better regulation.

○ Few new cases of mad cow disease and vCJD are expected in the future.
○ Safe to eat beef with low risk of contamination.

Video #3 - E.Coli

E. coli Video

Introduction

● E. coli is a large, diverse group of bacteria.

○ While most strains are harmless, some can cause illness.
○ Different strains cause different issues, including diarrhea, urinary tract infections,
respiratory illnesses, and pneumonia.
○ Some strains are used as markers for water contamination.

Toxin-Producing E. Coli

● Some types of E. coli cause illness by producing a toxin called Shiga toxin.
○ These bacteria are known as Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC).
○ The most commonly identified STEC in North America is E. coli O157
, which is often mentioned in news reports about outbreaks.

Who is at Risk?

● E. coli infections can affect people of all ages.

○ Young children and the elderly are more likely to develop severe illness.
○ Even healthy individuals, such as older children and young adults, can become seriously ill.

Symptoms of Infection

● Symptoms vary by person but commonly include:

○ Severe stomach cramps, diarrhea, and vomiting.
○ Fever is usually mild if present.
● Most people recover in 5 to 7 days, but some infections are severe and can be life-threatening.

Sources of Infection

● E. coli bacteria live in the guts of certain animals, such as cattle, goats, sheep, deer, and elk.
○ The main source of human infections is cattle.
● Infections often occur after consuming:
 ○ Contaminated food (especially undercooked meat and raw vegetables).
○ Unpasteurized milk or raw milk products.
○ Contaminated water.
● Contact with cattle or the feces of infected people can also spread the infection.

High-Risk Foods

● Some foods carry a high risk of E. coli O157 infection or other harmful pathogens.
○ Health officials advise avoiding certain high-risk foods entirely.

Prevalence in the U.S.

● It is estimated that there are around 70,000 infections from E. coli O157 each year in the United States
alone.

Conclusion

● E. coli infections can vary in severity, but they can be prevented by avoiding high-risk foods, drinking
pasteurized products, and practicing good hygiene.

Video #4 - What Is Listeria?

What Is Listeria?

Introduction

● Listeria is a dangerous bacterium with unique traits that make it particularly harmful.
○ Under a microscope, Listeria appears rod-shaped.
○ It has the ability to travel from one cell to another inside the human body without ever leaving
the cells, which helps it hide from antibodies.
○ This mechanism can lead to potentially deadly consequences, such as severe infections.

How Listeria Affects the Body

● In some people, Listeria escapes the intestines and can invade organs like the brain, leading to
meningitis, a life-threatening infection.
● In the video, a recent outbreak of Listeria is linked to 15 deaths across the U.S., with officials tracing four
strains of the bacterium to a Colorado cantaloupe farm.
○ There was also a recall involving Romaine lettuce after the FDA found Listeria in a sample.

Where Listeria is Found

● Listeria is a naturally occurring bacterium found in the environment, including soil and water.
○ Because of this, it can easily contaminate produce.

Protecting Yourself from Listeria

● Cooking is the only foolproof way to eliminate Listeria from food.

○ Washing hands and produce can help minimize, but not entirely eliminate, the risk.
○ Since Listeria can contaminate food from the ground up (through soil and water), it is almost
impossible to fully remove without cooking.
○ However, cooking isn't practical for foods like cantaloupe or lettuce.

Symptoms and At-Risk Populations

 ● For most people, Listeria infections may cause fever and stomach pain.
○ Those at highest risk need to be especially cautious, including:
■ People with weakened immune systems (due to illness or medication).
■ Elderly individuals.
■ Pregnant women, as Listeria can be deadly to the unborn child.
■ Infants and very young children.

Conclusion

● While washing and handling food carefully can reduce the risk, vulnerable populations need to take
extra precautions, especially since Listeria is prevalent in the environment and can be hard to avoid
completely.

Video #5 - What is Food Poisoning?

What Exactly Is Food Poisoning?

● While people often refer to it as "food poisoning," the medical term is foodborne illness.
○ This is because you're not being poisoned by food itself, but by something living on it.

Causes of Foodborne Illness

● Common causes include:

○ Bacteria (like E. coli, Salmonella, Campylobacter)
○ Viruses (like Norovirus)
○ Molds, toxins, parasites, and allergens
● E. coli O157
, for example, can lead to kidney failure or death if not properly treated.
● It's important to note that not all E. coli strains are harmful. Some are actually part of your natural gut
bacteria.

How Foodborne Illness Happens

● Mishandled or improperly cooked food is the most common cause.

○ Examples include:
■ Leaving food under a warmer for too long.
■ Not refrigerating food properly.
■ Being handled by someone who didn’t wash their hands or touched a dirty surface.
● Different pathogens have ideal conditions for spreading, so they behave differently based on their
environment.

Incubation Periods

● The incubation period is the time between when you eat contaminated food and when symptoms appear.
○ Some illnesses can strike days or even weeks later, making it hard to pinpoint the source.
● Common pathogens and their incubation periods:
○ C. perfringens, Salmonella, and Norovirus: 6-72 hours.
■ All cause diarrhea, but while Salmonella and Norovirus cause vomiting, C.
perfringens does not.
○ E. coli and Campylobacter: Incubate for several days before causing bloody diarrhea and
vomiting.
○ Toxoplasma: Can incubate for weeks and show no symptoms.
○ Listeria: Can live in your body for 3 to 70 days before causing flu-like symptoms.

Mistaking Foodborne Illness for the Flu

 ● People often mistake foodborne illness for the flu because symptoms can be delayed, and they may not
remember the contaminated meal.
● Most foodborne illnesses resolve on their own, but you won’t feel great during the process.

Why Foodborne Illness Causes Diarrhea

● Pathogens either:
1. Prevent the body from absorbing nutrients and water, or
2. Cause more water to be added to the intestines.
● The body responds by pushing it out as diarrhea.

How to Recover

● Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated, but avoid caffeine and dairy, as they can irritate your stomach
further.
○ Consume broth or electrolyte drinks to replenish nutrients.
● Don’t take anti-diarrhea meds—your body is trying to get rid of the infection.
● If you see blood, contact a doctor immediately.

Video #6 Importance of Hand washing

The Importance of Hand Washing

Introduction

● One of the best ways to prevent getting sick and spreading germs is by washing your hands often.

Why Hand Washing Is Important

● Proper hand washing keeps harmful germs you've touched from entering your eyes, nose, and mouth.
○ It also helps prevent you from spreading germs to others.

How Germs Get on Your Hands

● Germs can get on your hands in many ways, including:

○ Human and animal waste, so after going to the bathroom, changing a diaper, or petting an
animal, germs may be transferred to your hands.
○ Uncooked meats can carry harmful germs that spread to kitchen sinks and countertops.
○ Airborne germs travel in tiny droplets when someone coughs or sneezes, landing on surfaces
you may touch.

Steps to Proper Hand Washing

1. Wet your hands with clean, running water.

2. Turn off the tap.
3. Apply soap and lather your hands together.
○ Make sure to lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
4. Scrub for at least 20 seconds.
5. Rinse well under clean, running water.
6. Dry your hands with a clean towel or air dry.

Conclusion

● Hand washing is a simple and effective way to lower the risk of illness for everyone.
○ Wash your hands often to keep yourself and others safe.
 Research Notes
Do some research and answer the following questions

1. Why is handwashing particularly important with Covid?

● Virus Transmission: COVID-19 spreads primarily through respiratory droplets when an infected person
coughs, sneezes, or talks. However, the virus can also be transferred by touching contaminated surfaces
and then touching the face (eyes, nose, mouth).

● Inactivation of the Virus: Proper handwashing with soap and water effectively inactivates the virus.
Soap disrupts the lipid membrane of the virus, making it ineffective.

● Community Protection: Regular handwashing helps reduce the overall transmission of the virus,
protecting not only the individual but also the community, especially those at higher risk for severe
illness.

2. What is hand sanitizer? When is it NOT appropriate to use hand sanitizer?

Hand sanitizer is a liquid or gel product designed to reduce the number of germs on the skin. It typically contains
alcohol (at least 60% alcohol concentration) to effectively kill most germs.

When NOT to use hand sanitizer:

● When Hands Are Visibly Dirty or Greasy: Hand sanitizer is not effective on heavily soiled or greasy
hands; in such cases, washing with soap and water is necessary.
● After Handling Certain Materials: If you have been in contact with hazardous materials (like chemicals),
hand sanitizer should not be used.
● When Caring for Sick Individuals: While hand sanitizer can reduce germs, it may not be as effective as
proper handwashing, especially when caring for someone ill.
● Before Eating or Preparing Food: Washing hands with soap and water is recommended to remove any
contaminants before handling food.

3. What is the PROPER way to hand wash your hands?

Steps to Proper Hand Washing

1. Wet your hands with clean, running water.

2. Turn off the tap.
3. Apply soap and lather your hands together.
○ Make sure to lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
4. Scrub for at least 20 seconds.
5. Rinse well under clean, running water.
6. Dry your hands with a clean towel or air dry.