Bacteria Major Food Poisoning Caused by Bacteria Most Important Prevention Measure Controlling time and temperature Preventing crosscontamination Practising personal hygiene Bacillus cereus gastroenteritis Listeriosis Haemorrhagic colitis Clostridium perfringens gastroenteritis Botulism Campylobacter enteritis Staphylococcal gastroenteritis Bacteria Characteristics Commonly Associated Food Most Common Symptoms Additional Prevention Measures Poultry Eggs Meat Fish Shellfish Ready-to-eat food Salad items Rice/grains Milk/dairy products Contaminated water Diarrhoea Abdominal pain Nausea Vomiting Fever Headache Handwashing Cooking Holding Cooling Reheating Approved suppliers Excluding food handlers Preventing cross-contamination Bacteria page 1
Most Important Prevention Measure: Controlling time and temperature Bacillus cereus gastroenteritis (ba-sil-us SEER-ee-us GAS-tro-EN-ter-I-tiss) Bacteria Bacillus cereus Bacillus cereus is a spore-forming bacteria found in soil. The bacteria can produce two different toxins when allowed to grow to high levels. The toxins cause different illnesses. Type Food Commonly Associated with the Bacteria Incubation Period Most Common Symptoms Additional Prevention Measures Diarrhoea illness Vomiting illness Cooked vegetables Meat products Milk Cooked rice dishes, including fried rice and rice pudding 8 20 hours 24 48 hours Watery diarrhoea Abdominal pain 1 6 hours 10 24 hours Nausea Vomiting Cook food to minimum internal Hold food at the right Cool food correctly Bacteria page 2
Most Important Prevention Measure: Controlling time and temperature Listeriosis (liss-teer-ee-o-sis) Bacteria Listeria monocytogenes (liss-teer-ee-uh MON-o-SI-TAHJ-uh-neez) Listeria monocytogenes is found in soil, water, and plants. Unlike other bacteria, it grows in cool, moist environments. Listeriosis is uncommon in healthy people, but high-risk populations are especially vulnerable, particularly pregnant women and newborns. The mortality rate is up to 25% in susceptible groups of people. Raw meat Unpasteurised dairy products Ready-to-eat food, such as cooked meats, hot dogs, and soft cheeses 24 hours to several months 48 hours to many days Pregnant women Miscarriage Newborns Sepsis Pneumonia Meningitis Throw out any product that has passed its use-by or expiration date Cook raw meat to minimum internal Avoid using unpasteurised dairy products Cleaning food premises thoroughly and correctly Bacteria page 3
Most Important Prevention Measures: Controlling time and temperature and preventing cross-contamination Haemorrhagic colitis (hem-or-ra-jik ko-li-tiss) Bacteria Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (ess-chur-ee-kee-uh KO-LI), including O157:H7, O26:H11, O111:H8, and O158:NM Shiga toxin (sometimes called rerocytotoxin)-producing E. coli can be found in the intestines of cattle. It can contaminate meat during slaughtering. Eating only a small amount of shiga toxin-producing E. coli can make a person ill. Once eaten, it produces toxins in the intestines, which cause the illness, although it can spread to other parts of the body, such as the kidneys, especially in young children. The bacteria are often in a person s faeces for weeks after symptoms have ended. Minced beef (raw and undercooked) Contaminated fresh salad ingredients 1 14 days 10 20 days Diarrhoea (eventually becomes bloody) Abdominal pain Kidney failure (in severe cases) Cook food, especially minced beef, to minimum internal Purchase salad ingredients from reputable suppliers Prevent cross-contamination between raw meat and ready-to-eat food Keep employees with diarrhoea out of the business Keep employees who have been diagnosed with haemorrhagic colitis out of the business Bacteria page 4
Most Important Prevention Measure: Controlling time and temperature Clostridium perfringens gastroenteritis (klos-trid-ee-um per-frin-jins GAS-tro-EN-ter-I-tiss) Bacteria Clostridium perfringens Clostridium perfringens is found in soil, where it forms spores that allow it to survive. It is also carried in the intestines of both animals and humans. Clostridium perfringens does not grow at refrigeration, but it grows very rapidly in food in the temperature danger zone, especially around 45 C. Clostridium perfringens is anaerobic and can grow in foods that have been heated, especially stocks, stews, etc., and then served later. People who become ill usually do not have nausea or fever. Meat Poultry Dishes made with meat and poultry, such as stews and gravies 6 24 hours 16 48 hours Diarrhoea Severe abdominal pain Cool and reheat food correctly Hold and store foods at the correct Bacteria page 5
Most Important Prevention Measure: Controlling time and temperature Botulism (BOT-chew-liz-um) Bacteria Clostridium botulinum (klos-trid-ee-um BOT-chew-LINE-um) Clostridium botulinum forms spores that are commonly found in water and soil. These spores can contaminate almost any food. The bacteria do not grow well in highly acidic food or in food with low moisture. However, they are anaerobic, grow without oxygen, and can produce a deadly toxin when food is time-temperature abused. Incorrectly canned food Reduced oxygen packaged (ROP) food Untreated garlic-and-oil mixtures Initially Nausea and vomiting Later Weakness Double vision Difficulty in speaking and swallowing Hold, cool, and reheat food correctly Inspect canned food for damage Process food product formulations correctly, especially ph Bacteria page 6
Most Important Prevention Measures: Preventing cross-contamination and proper cooking Salmonellosis (SAL-men-uh-LO-sis) Bacteria Salmonella spp. (SAL-me-NEL-uh) Many farm animals carry the bacteria naturally. How severe the symptoms are depends on the health of the person, the strain of Salmonella, and the number of bacteria eaten. For some food, such as chocolate, only a small number need be consumed. Other food requires eating larger numbers. The bacteria are often in a person s faeces for weeks after symptoms have ended. Poultry and eggs Dairy products Fresh salad ingredients 10 72 hours 24 hours to 10 days or more depending on complications Diarrhoea Abdominal pain Vomiting Fever Cook poultry and eggs to minimum internal Prevent cross-contamination between poultry and ready-to-eat food Keep food handlers who have been diagnosed with salmonellosis out of the business Bacteria page 7
Most Important Prevention Measure: Preventing cross-contamination Campylobacter enteritis (KAM-pie-lo-BAK-ter EN-ter-I-tiss) Bacteria Campylobacter jejuni (KAM-pie-lo-BAK-ter jay-june-ee) Campylobacter is carried by animals and birds and passes from their gut into sewage and water supplies. Raw poultry is a very common source with up to 70% of poultry carcasses contaminated. Special care needs to be taken at barbecues to both cook properly and prevent cross-contamination. The bacteria grow well at 37 C, which is body temperature, but do not usually grow at room below 28 C. For some people only a small number may need to be consumed to cause the illness. The bacteria can be found in the gut and faeces of humans but usually disappear from their stools within a couple of weeks. Campylobacter are now the most frequently cited cause of bacterial gastroenteritis. The World Health Organization estimates there may be over 400 million cases worldwide each year. Undercooked poultry Raw milk Foods contaminated by raw poultry during preparation, such as salads 1 10 days 4 10 days Headache Fever Diarrhoea (may be bloody) Abdominal pain Nausea Handwashing, especially when working between raw and cooked food Buying from reputable suppliers to minimise the bacteria on raw poultry Training staff in good hygiene Cook food, particularly poultry, to required minimum internal cooking Bacteria page 8
Most Important Prevention Measure: Practising personal hygiene Staphylococcal gastroenteritis (STAF-ul-lo-KOK-al GAS-tro-EN-ter-I-tiss) Bacteria Staphylococcus aureus (STAF-uh-lo-KOK-us OR-ee-us) Staphylococcus aureus can be found in humans particularly in the hair, nose, throat, and infected wounds. It is often transferred to food when people carrying it touch these areas on their bodies and then handle food without washing their hands. If allowed to grow to large numbers in food, the bacteria can produce toxins that cause the illness when eaten. Because cooking cannot destroy these toxins, preventing bacterial growth is critical. Food that requires handling during preparation, including Salads containing high-risk food (egg, tuna, chicken, and macaroni) Cooked meats (sliced ham, turkey, etc.) Cream and custard items 1 6 hours 8 24 hours Nausea Vomiting and retching Abdominal pain Wash hands, particularly after touching the hair, face, or body Cover wounds on hands and arms Hold, cool, and reheat food correctly Bacteria page 9