B. Cross Contamination and Sources Contamination

 

B. CROSS CONTAMINATION AND SOURCES CONTAMINATION

Cont Co ntam amin inat atio ion n is the the pres presen ence ce of a cons consti titu tuen ent, t, im impu puri rity ty,, or so some me othe other  r  undesir und esirabl able e element element that that spoils, spoils, corrupt corrupts, s, infects, infects, makes unfit, unfit, or makes makes inferior inferior a material, physical body, natural environment, workplace and other places. FOOD CONTAMINATION

 A commonly used term. However, However, only a few people are aware of the exact reasons for food contamination and its effects on your health. When food items are not handled or cooked safely, the disease causing organisms such as bacteria, parasites, and viruses result in food contamination. TYPES OF FOOD CONTAMINATION 1. Biolog Biologica icall contam contamina inatio tion n

-Cont -Co ntami amina natio tion n of food food items items by other other livin living g orga organis nisms ms is know known n as biological contamination. 2. Chem Chemic ical al contam contamin inati ation on

-These contaminants can lead to food poisoning 3. Phys Physic ical al conta contami mina nati tion on

- When When harm harmfu full obje object cts s cont contam amin inat ate e the the food food it lead leads s to phys physic ical al contamination

 

4. Cross Cross-co -cont ntam amin inati ation on

-Cross contamination takes places when pathogens are transported from any object that you use in the kitchen.

CROSS CONTAMINATION

Cro ros ss-c -co onta ntamin minatio ation n

is

def define ined

as

the the

tran ransfer

of

bact acter eriia

or

other  ther 

microorganisms from one substance to another. Cross-contamination is also defined as the transfer of bacteria or other microorganisms from one substance to another. It can happen during any stage of food production. Many Man y peopl people e as assu sume me that that food foodbor borne ne illne illness ss is mostl mostly y cause caused d by eating eating at restaurants, but there are many ways in which cross-contamination can occur, including

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PRIMARY FOOD PRODUCTION  — from plants and animals on farms

 

DURING HARVEST OR SLAUGHTER

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SECONDARY FOOD PRODUCTION   — including food processing and

manufacturing  

TRANSPORTATION OF FOOD

 

STORAGE OF FOOD

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DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD — grocery stores, farmer’s markets, and more

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FOOD PREPARATI PREPARATION ON AND SERVING SERVING  — at home home,, restau restaura rants nts,, and and

other foodservice operations.

 

TYPES OF CROSS CONTAMINATION 1. FOOD FOOD-T -TOO-FO FOOD OD 

 Adding contaminated foods to non-contaminate non-contaminated d foods results in food-tofood cross-co cross-conta ntamina mination tion.. This allows harmful harmful bacteria bacteria to spread spread and populate.

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Raw, undercooked, or improperly washed food can harbor large amounts of bacteria, such as Salmonella, Clostridium perfringens, Campylobacter, Staphylo Stap hylococc coccus us aureus, aureus, E. coli, coli, and Listeri Listeria a monocyt monocytogen ogenes es — all of  which can harm your health if consumed.

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Foods that pose the highest risk of bacterial contamination include leafy greens, bean sprouts, leftover rice, unpasteurized unpasteurized milk, soft cheese cheeses, s, and deli meats, as well as raw eggs, poultry, meat, and seafood.

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leftovers kept in the fridge too long can result in bacterial overgrowth. Ther Th eref efor ore, e, eat eat left leftov over ers s wi with thin in 3–4 3–4 days days and and co cook ok them them to prop proper  er  temperatures. If you plan to mix leftovers with other foods, the new meal should not be stored again as leftovers.

2. EQUI EQUIPM PMEN ENT-T T-TOO-FO FOOD OD 

Equipment-to-food is one of the most common yet unrecognized types of cross-contamination.

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Bacteria can survive for long periods on surfaces like countertops, utensils, cutting boards, storage containers, and food manufacturing equipment. When equipment is not washed properly or unknowingly

 

contaminated with bacteria, it can transfer large volumes of harmful bacteria to food. This can happen at any point during food production — both at home and in food manufacturing 

Improper food preservation techniques can lead to cross-contamination.

3. PEOP PEOPLE LE-T -TOO-FO FOOD OD 

Humans can easily transfer bacteria from their bodies or clothes to food during many steps of food preparation.

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For example, a person may cough into their hand or touch raw poultry and continue to prepare a meal without washing their hands in between.

RISKS OF CROSS CONTAMINATION

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The side effects of cross-contamination can be mild to severe.

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Minor side effects include upset stomach, loss of appetite, headache, nausea, and diarrhea. Usually, these side effects present within 24 hours, although they can appear weeks after exposure, making it difficult to determine the specific cause

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In cases involving vomiting or diarrhea, it’s important to rehydrate properly — for  example with a sports beverage — to restore hydration, blood sugar, and electrolyte levels

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Severe side effects include diarrhea for more than 3 days, bloody stools, fever, dehydration, organ failure, and even death

 

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Seek immediate medical attention if your side effects worsen or last longer than 1–2 days, as well as if you’re considered to be in an at-risk population.

WAYS TO AVOID CROSS CONTAMINATION

To lower the chance of getting affected by food poisoning it is very important that you must be careful about what you are eating, how you are storing, washing and preparing your food. The most important thing that one should follow is to wash fruits, vegetables, raw meat, poultry, fish and seafood properly before consumption. Simple washing with tap water may not be effective enough to remove the harmful germs and chemicals from the surface of the eatables and consuming it can cause severe food poison. There are also other ways to avoid cross-contamination from happening. Food Purchasing and Storage

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 Avoid purchasing purchasing food food close close to its expiration expiration date, date, unless you you intend to to eat it right right away.

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Store raw meat in a sealed container or plastic bag on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator to prevent juices from leaking onto other foods. 

Use separate grocery bags for raw meat and eggs.

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Use refrigerated leftover food within 2–3 days and cook it to proper temperatures.

 

Food Preparation

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Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds after touching raw meat, petting an animal, using the washroom, coughing or sneezing, using your  phone, or related instances.

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Wash your utensils, countertops, cutting boards, and other surfaces with soap and warm water, especially when handling raw meat.

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Use separate cutting boards for meat and vegetables.

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Use clean sponges and dishcloths.

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Cook foods to their proper temperatures by using a food thermometer.

Personal Hygiene

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Thoroughly wash your hands and face when handling food. Coughing, sneezing or even touching your hair can lead to cross-contamination.

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Using face mask or mouth guard to avoid your saliva and bacteria from going to you food.

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 Avoid wearing wearing accessori accessories es when handling and preparing preparing food. food.

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 Avoid handling handling rood rood with your your bear bear hands if you have have cuts and and wounds. wounds.

Disposal Of Waste

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Make sure you store and seal garbage correctly to prevent any contamination.

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Clean and sanitize waste bins to prevent infestation risks.

 

SOURCES : B. CROSS CONTAMINATION

RESEARCH AND SUMMARIZATION BY : 

BUQUE, Charles Con S.

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DEMATE, Norielle A.

II-AHRM 

Healthline : Bacterial Cross-Contamination: All You Need to Know

Written by : Katey Davidson, MScFN, RD on January 21, 2020 Link:https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/what-is-cross-contamination#how-to-avoid-it 

Kent Healthcare Products : Four Most Common Types of Food Contamination

Written by : KENT RO SYSTEMS Link: https://www.kent.co.in/blog/four-most-common-types-of-food-contamination/