Food-borne Infections and Intoxications in relevance to Public Health 1* Praveen
Kumar Praveen, 2Subha Ganguly, 3Parveez Ahmad Para, 4Nirupama Dalai, 5Shashank Shekhar
1.Assistant
Professor, Dept. of Veterinary Public Health & Epidemiology, 2.Associate Professor, Dept. of Veterinary Microbiology, 3.Assistant Professor, Dept. of Livestock Product Technology, Arawali Veterinary College (Affiliated with RAJUVAS, Bikaner)Bajor, Sikar, Rajasthan 332001. 4. Assistant Professor, Dept. of Veterinary Physiology & Biochemistry, College of Veterinary Science, OUAT, Bhubaneshwar, Orissa 5. M.V.Sc, Animal Genetics & Breeding, WBUAFS. *Email id:
[email protected]
FOOD Food is the substances which one or more utilizable form of basic substances, which are required for carrying out the functions. In a general way, it is involved in the functioning of the body processes. Food Surveillance Problems of food-borne infections and food protection are related to many different environmental factors and to social and technological changes. Food-borne infections involve the interchain of production, processing and distribution of food. The level of community sanitation is important and the role of food habits and culture is increasingly being recognized in both developed and developing countries. Investigation of food-borne infections should take all these factors into account. Rapid urbanization, technological advances, international shipment of foods, centralization of food processing, long chain of food distribution and changing food habits have all modified the conventional approaches to the epidemiology of food-borne infections. Serious attention must be given to problems that arises in developing countries where food habits are changed through the influence of modern food technology. The inhabitants of such countries have learned to live with their environment. But new types of foods e.g; processed, precooked and ready to eat food and different ways of handling them introduces new risk. In such situations, food hygiene problems are likely to occur, since the necessary technology is seldom available and there may be little hygienic knowledge, food surveillance and control. FOOD-BORNE INFECTIONS AND INTOXICATIONS There are so many food-borne infections and intoxications present in our environment. Some of these important foodborne infections and intoxications are discussed here. Bacteial Infections Salmonella Salmonellosis is the most frequently reported food-borne infection of humans. Food habits and the way in which food is prepared play a major role in the occurrence of Salmonellosis. Contaminated eggs, poultry, meat, unpasteurized milk or juice, cheese, contaminated raw fruits and vegetables are the main sources of infection. The serotypes principally responsible for human morbidity are Salmonella typhimurium, Salmonella hydelberk, Salmonella enteritidis and Salmonella panama. The incubation period of Salmonella is 12-72 hrs. Symptoms includes diarrhea, fever, abdominal cramps, vomiting. Duration of illness is 47 days. Prevention and Control i. Avoid eating high-risk foods, including raw or precooked
food, eggs, undercooked beef or chicken and unpasteurized milk. ii. Food should be refrigerated before cooking. iii. Clean hands with soap and warm water before handling food. iv. Separate cooked foods from ready-to-eat foods. v. Cook foods to a safe temperature. vi. Chill foods promptly after serving and when transporting from one place to another. vii. Wash your hand after contact with animals, their food and their living environment. Shigella Shigellosis is a food-borne infection caused by Shigella. The Shigella is a bacteria that can cause diarrhoea in humans. People with shigellosis shed the bacteria in their faeces. The bacteria can spread from an infected person to contaminate water or food, or directly to another person. Getting just a little bit of the Shigella bacteria into mouth is enough to cause symptoms. The illness is most commonly seen in childrens. Shigellosis is a cause of traveler’s diarrhea, from contaminated food and water in developing countries. The main source of infection are contaminated food or water, or contact with an infected person. Foods most often associated with Shigella outbreaks are salads and sandwiches that involve a lot of hand contact in their preparation, and raw vegetables contaminated in the field. The incubation period is 1-7 days(usually 1-3 days). Symptoms includes sudden abdominal cramping, fever, diarrhea that may be bloody or contains mucus, nausea and vomiting. Duration of illness is 2-7 days. Childrens of 2-4 years are at more risk. Prevention and Control i. Wash hands with soap carefully and frequently, especially after going to the bathroom, after changing diapers, and before preparing foods or beverages. ii. Dispose off soiled diapers properly iii. Do not prepare food for others while ill with diarrhea iv. Avoid swallowing water from ponds, lakes, or untreated pools. Staphylococcus The multiplication of certain strains of Staphylococcus leads to the appearance of enterotoxin. It seems that certain enterotoxin is produced by the “Enterotoxic” strains. Enterotoxin to be pathogenic for man must be present in a food stuff in sufficient quantity. Substantial multiplication of the contaminating Staphylococci is therefore necessary. Conditions favourable for multiplication of Staphylococci are; High temperature i.e 300c-400c, High pH, high salt or sugar content product. Staphylococcus aureus is a type of bacteria
39 BEVERAGE & FOOD WORLD - Vol. 43 - No. 12 - DECEMBER 2016
commonly found on the skin and hair as well as in the noses and throats of human and animals. These bacteria are present in up to 25 percent of healthy people and are even more common among those with skin, eye, nose or throat infections. Staphylococcus can cause food poisoning when a food handler contaminates food and then the food is not properly refrigerated. Other sources of food contamination include the equipment and surfaces on which food is prepared. These bacteria multiply quickly at room temperature to produce a toxin that causes illness. The source of infection are foods that are made with hand contact and require no additional cooking, such as; salads, ham, egg, chicken and potato. Bakery products, such as creamfilled pastries, cream pies and chocolate. Other sources include milk and dairy products, as well as meat, poultry, eggs, and related products. The incubation period is 1-6 hrs. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, severe abdominal cramps, mild fever. Duration of illness 24-48 hrs. Prevention and Control i. Wash hands with soap and water before handling and preparing food. ii. Do not prepare food if you have a nose or eye infection. iii. Do not prepare or serve food for others if you have wounds or skin infections on your hands. iv. Keep kitchens and food-serving areas clean and sanitized. v. If food is prepared more than two hours before serving, keep hot foods hot (over 60°c ) and cold foods cold (5°c). vi. Store cooked food in a wide, shallow container and refrigerate as soon as possible. Clostridium botulinum Human botulism results from the consumption of food in which Clostridium botulinum has grown and produced its toxin. Most of the recognized outbreaks of botulism in man have been caused by types A, B and E. Type C and D are usually associated with the infection in animals such as mink, water fowl, cattle and other domesticated species. The main source of Clostridium botulinum are; Infants: Honey, homecanned vegetables and fruits, corn syrup, Children and adults: Home-canned foods with a low acid content, improperly canned commercial foods, home-canned or fermented fish, herb-infused oils, baked potatoes in aluminum foil, cheese sauce, bottled garlic, foods held warm for extended periods of time. The incubation period for, Infants: 3-30 days, Children and adults: 12-72 hours. Symptoms includes Infants: Lethargy, weakness, poor feeding, constipation. Adults: Double vision, blurred vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, difficulty in swallowing, dry mouth and muscle weakness. Duration of illness is variable. Prevention and Control i. Destruction of the spores by heating or irradiation ii. Inhibiting the growth by – a. Reduction of p H through acidification of fermentation b. Limitation of water content through drying or the addition of salt or sugar c. Reduction of the temperature through freezing or refrigeration d. Addition of inhibiting chemicals such as Nitrites e. Inactivation of preformed toxin by cooking.
Contd. from Page 38
Role of Cold Chain in reducing Food losses publications available on the selection of components of refrigeration systems, fans, doors, controls, defrost systems and other equipment (Thompson et al., 2002; Winrock, 2009). With assistance from the US Department of Energy’s Inventions and Innovation Program, Advanced Refrigeration Technologies (ART) has commercialized an innovative control for walk-in cooler refrigeration systems. The ART Evaporator Fan Controller is inexpensive ($100 to $300), easy to install and reduces evaporator and compressor energy consumption by 30% to 50%. Hurdles for adoption and use of cold chains The use of the cold chain for reducing perishable food losses can be impeded by a wide variety of issues and challenges. Among these are difficult agro-climatic conditions, such as high temperatures in the humid tropics, or extreme heat in dry regions that increase the costs of cold storage construction and power. Social norms may decrease demand for chilled or frozen foods, as in some parts of India where “fresh” means food harvested the same day as it is consumed. If costs and benefit assessments lead people to want to use the cold chain, its adoption can be limited by a lack of access to reliable power, equipment, resources for public and private sector investments, and a lack of qualified human resources. Currently the need for the use of the cold chain in developing countries may be known and even accepted as cost effective, but adoption is low due to a lack of appropriate agricultural research and development, lack of training programs for capacity building, and the absence of national organizations focusing on the cold chain. CONCLUSION The use of cold is not a cure-all or a one-size-fits-all proposition, but is an important component of an agricultural handling system or value chain in its entirety. Each type of fresh produce and/or food product has a specific and limited storage potential related to its physiological nature and lowest safe storage temperature, and the use of the cold chain can help reach this potential and reduce perishable food losses. Misuse of cold will lead to higher food losses along with added financial losses associated with the costs of cooling, cold storage, cold transport and refrigerated retail market displays. REFERENCES Gustavsson, J et al. 2011. Global Food Losses and Food Waste: Extent, Causes and Prevention. UN FAO: Rome http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/user_upload/ags/publications/ GFL_web.pdf IIR. 2009. The role of refrigeration in worldwide nutrition. 5th Informatory Note on Refrigeration and Food (http://www.iifiir.org/userfiles/file/publications/notes/ NoteFood_05_EN.pdf) Kitinoja, L. and J.F. Thompson. 2010. Pre-cooling systems for small-scale producers. Stewart Postharvest Review, 2010, 2:2, 14p. http://ucce.ucdavis.edu/files/datastore/234-1594.pdf Kohli, P. 2010. Future of Cold Chain – India. (powerpoint presentation) Lipinski, B., C Hanson, R Waite, L Kitinoja, T Searchinger, J Lomax. 2013. Creating a Sustainable Food Future, Installment Two: Reducing Food Loss and Waste. World Resources Institute Working Paper: June, 2013. http://www.wri.org/publication/reducingfood-loss-and- waste Thompson JF, Mitchell FG and Kasmire RF. 2002b. Cooling horticultural commodities. In Postharvest technology of horticultural crops, Third Edition, Kader AA (Tech. Ed). University of California, Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Publication 3311. 2002: 97– 112. Thompson, J.F., Brecht, P.E., and Hinsch, T. 2002a, Refrigerated trailer transport of perishable products. University of California, Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources Publication no. 21614.
40 BEVERAGE & FOOD WORLD - Vol. 43 - No. 12 - DECEMBER 2016
