Download potentially hazardous.

An Overview of Potential
Hazards in Food Service
Operations
Food Safety Hazard
A biological, chemical, or physical
agent or condition in food that
could potentially cause an
adverse human health effect.
Is is anything in food that can
cause harm to the consumer in
the form of foodborne illness.
Foodborne Illnesses
Defined as diseases, either infectious or toxic in
nature, caused by agents that enter the body
through the ingestion of food.
There are more than 250 known foodborne
diseases. Majority are infectious and caused by
bacteria, viruses and parasites.
Other foodborne diseases are poisonings caused
by toxins and chemicals contaminating the food.
All foodborne microbes and toxins enter the body
through the gastrointestinal tract and often
cause nausea and vomiting, which are early
symptoms of a foodborne illness.
Three Categories of Food Safety Hazards:
Biological
Chemical
• Bacteria
•Parasites and helminths
•Virus
•Fungi
•Prions
•Agricultural chemicals
(pesticides)
•Natural plant toxins
•Animal toxins
•Food additives
•Medications
•Radioactive substances
•Alcohol
Physical
•Foreign objects in food
such as:
•Hair
•Pebbles
•Glass shards
•Toothpicks
•Plastic
•Metal fragments
•Fabrics
Contamination
Is the unintended presence of a harmful
substance in food.
Cross-contamination
Is the transfer of harmful substances from
one food to another through a non-food
surface, such as cooking wares,
equipment, and food workers.
Categories of Contamination:
• Inherent in Raw Material
• Contamination through Time-Temperature
Abuse
• Cross-contamination
• Poor Personal Hygiene
Inherent in Raw Material
• Raw food materials may appear clean, but
microorganisms, chemicals, even foreign objects may be
found in the raw food as it is grown, harvested, caught or
slaughtered.
• A study done on several raw food indicates that no
uncooked food should be considered completely safe
from bacterial pathogens (Snyder, 2004)
Contamination through TimeTemperature Abuse
• A food is said to have been time-temperature
abused if it has been allowed to stay long at
temperatures favorable to the growth of
microorganisms.
• This temperature is referred to as the
Temperature Danger Zone.
Contamination due to time-temperature
abuse includes:
• Failure to hold or store food at the required cold or hot
temperature.
• Failure to cook and/or reheat to temperature that will kill
harmful microorganisms; and
• Long interval between food preparation and serving
without appropriate temperature.
Cross-contamination
• Cross-contamination occurs when
microorganisms are transferred from a
contaminated food contact surface or food to a
non-contaminated food contact surface or food.
Common cross-contamination instances:
• Addition of a raw material to a cooked
ingredient without being heated or cooked;
• Contamination from the dirty apparel of food
handlers; and
• Contamination of food surfaces.
Poor Personal Hygiene
• Individuals with poor personal hygiene practices
can contaminate food and food contact surfaces.
• The most common source of foodborne illnesses
can be traced to food handlers.
Common personal hygiene violations than
can result in foodborne illnesses include:
• Failure to wash hands properly;
• Failure to follow proper hygiene habits;
• Working when sick, and;
• Lack of training in personal hygiene practices
Potentially Hazardous Foods (PHF)
• Some types of food have the ability to support
the rapid, progressive growth of infections and
toxin-producing microorganisms.
• These foods are called potentially hazardous.
Characteristics of Potentially hazardous Foods:
• History of being involved in foodborne
illness outbreaks.
• Natural potential for contamination
• High moisture that supports bacterial
growth
• High protein and carbohydrate
• Not acidic enough to inhibit the growth
of microorganisms
Classification of Potentially
Hazardous Foods:
• Animal products that are raw or heat-treated
• All cooked meat and poultry
• Cooked meat products with sauces and stocks,
especially those with tomatoes
• Dairy products like milk, cream, cheese, ice cream, and
yogurt.
• Cooked eggs and products made from eggs like
mayonaise.
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Cooked shellfish and other seafoods
Cooked rice and beans, and baked or broiled potatoes
Desserts consisting of eggs and milk
Gravies and stuffing for meat and poultry
Food products made with high-risk foods and exposed to more
handling such as meatloaf, hamburgers, salads (pasta, coleslaw,
and chicken, egg, and tuna salads)
• Chinese and Mexican dishes, some baked goods and cream fillings,
French toast, meringue, and eggnog
• Foods or plant origin that are heat-treated or consist of raw seed
sprouts
• Cut melons, and garlic and oil mixtures that are not modified in a
way to inhibit the growth of microorganisms
Symptoms of Foodborne
Illnesses:
In most cases of foodborne illnesses,
symptoms resemble intestinal flu and may
last for a few hours or even several days.
Symptoms can range from mild to
serious and include:
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Abdominal cramps
Nausea
Vomiting
Diarrhea, which is sometimes bloody
Fever
Dehydration, and
Headache
Risk Factors of Foodborne Illnesses:
Some people are at a greater risk for
bacterial infections because of their age or
an unhealthy immune system.
Individuals who are susceptible to the
effects of foodborne illnesses are:
• Infants and young children
• Pregnant women
• Elderly persons over 65 years old
• Persons with debilitating illnesses or chronic diseases
like cancer, diabetes mellitus, and tuberculosis
• Persons whose immune systems are compromised as in
cases of HIV/AIDS, those who had organ transplants
and multiple surgeries, and those undergoing radiation
and chemotherapy.
• Malnourished individuals who are anemic, and have
depleted body proteins.
• Individuals with unhealthy
lifestyles, such as poor
eating habits, alcohol and
drug abuse, and smoking
and;
• People under certain medications such as
prolonged use of antibiotics and antacids,
thereby reducing the normal beneficial
microflora of the gastrointestinal tract.
Treatment of Foodborne Illnesses:
• Most cases of foodborne illnesses are mild and can be treated by
increasing fluid intake, either orally or intravenously, to replace lost
fluids and electrolytes.
• People who experience gastrointestinal or neurologic symptoms
should seek medical attention.
• In the most severe situations, hospitalization may be
needed to receive supportive nutritional and medical
therapy.
• Maintaining adequate fluid and electrolyte balance and
controlling blood pressure are important.
Socio-Economic Effects of
Foodborne Illnesses:
• Costs that may be incurred by the sick individual or
caregiver/family.
– Loss of income
– Loss of opportunities for advancement
– Medical expenses to cover physical rehabilitation and longterm care
– Cost of child and geriatric care
– Cost of special dietary needs
– Loss of productivity
– Loss leisure and travel opportunities
– Funeral expenses
• Business and Industry Costs
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Legal liability cost
Insurance cost
Cost of recall or discarded product
Poor publicity and decline of stock value
Loss of reputation
Cost of investigation, cleaning up, and education
Loss of customers and business
• Costs to the nation and government
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Expenses for plant or on-site inspection
Legislation
Medical cost
Prosecution cost
Healthcare/ welfare benefits
Losses from tourism and food export trade
Points to remember regarding potential
hazards in food service operations:
• Foodborne illnesses are acquired from eating food or drinking
beverages contaminated with bacteria, viruses, or parasites.
• People at greater risk for foodborne illnesses include young
children, pregnant women, and their unborn child, elderly and
people with lowered immunity.
• Symptoms usually resemble intestinal flu. A doctor should
immediately be consulted if more serious problems occur or there is
no improvement in the condition.
• Treatment may range from the replacement of lost fluids and
electrolytes for mild cases of foodborne illnesses to hospitalization
for severe conditions such as hemolytic-uremic syndrome.
• Foodborne hazards can be classified as biological, chemical or
physical.
• Biological hazards can be caused by parasites, viruses, or bacteria.
• Chemical contaminants in foods can come from industrial or
agricultural sources, food processing, or the food itself.
• Toxic chemicals also come from biological sources such as molds
and algae.
• Foreign objects present in food could constitute a physical hazard to
the consumer.
• The socio-economic effects of foodborne illnesses would include
cost to the victim, the food industry, and the government.