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Microbiological Foodborne Illness
Main
cause of food poisoning and
food-borne diseases are caused by
pathogenic microbes such as bacteria,
viruses, mould and parasites, or their toxins present in contaminated
foods.
Pathogens (or bad germs) are harmful
micro-organisms that can cause disease in humans. They are very dangerous because you can't see,
taste or
smell them.
Many microbes of this sort are commonly found in the intestines of
healthy food producing animals. The risks of contamination are
always
present
from farm to fork and need to be controlled in many different ways.
There are four types
of micro-organisms:
1. Viruses
2. Mould
3. Parasites
4. Bacteria
The
most common
micro-organisms that cause food poisonings are bacteria. Most bacterial
food
poisonings last for a few days and clear up on their own. Sometimes
antibiotics can be prescribed to help your immune system fight and
destroy bacteria.
Microbiological
foodborne illness can be:
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Did You Know?
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Bacteria
grow best in
the temperature range between 4ºC and 60ºC. Temperature below
4ºC, and temperature between 60ºC and 74ºC, will not
kill bacteria, but it will not allow them to multiply enough times to
cause an illness. In order to kill pathogenic bacteria you need
temperatures above 74ºC. Temperature is the easiest factor to
control in order to prevent bacterial growth.
Find
out more...
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Bacterial
intoxication will typically have shorter incubation period than
infection (with sudden onset), which usually only lasts one day and
fever is rarely present. More...
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Improperly
handled
food and equipment, poorly washed dishes and multi-service articles
have potential to spread pathogenic bacteria and open the door for
dangerous foodborne diseases. More...
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