Keeping Our Food Safe

Keeping Our Food Safe

Marsha Virga

SCI/241

Sally Behrman

3/8/15

Keeping Our Food Safe

Food-borne illness is an irritation or infection of the gastrointestinal tract that is caused by beverages or foods containing harmful parasites, bacteria, chemicals or viruses. Food-borne illness symptoms include abdominal pain chills, fever, vomiting, and diarrhea. Food-borne illnesses are caused by germs that are classified as infections or intoxications. Kendall (2012), " Bacterial food-borne infections occur when food that is contaminated with bacteria is eaten, and the bacteria continue to grow in the intestines, setting up an infection that causes illness. (para. 2)". The Food and Drug Administration is the agency responsible for overseeing and protecting the public health. The Food and Drug Administration protects the public health by ensuring that the foods we eat are wholesome, properly labeled, safe and sanitary. Millions of bacteria are always present in the environment we live in. Microorganism is present in the foods that we purchase everywhere. Ground meat and chicken that are plastic wrapped were once a part of cattle or chicken so they have to be cooked through thoroughly. Seafood, raw meat, eggs, and poultry are not sterile. Foods that are ready-to-eat and cooked can also become contaminate with pathogens that are transferred from eggs that are raw, seafood products, raw meat, poultry and juices from them. Food-borne illness can be prevented if food is cooked properly or processed which destroys the pathogens. A food breakout article I found interesting is Salmonellosis, and the website link is http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2015/02/texas-salmonella-outbreak-grows-to-59-cases-lawsuit-filed/#.VPX-A-FQvhA. Salmonellosis infection is a common bacterial disease that affects the intestinal tract. Salmonellosis is caused by a bacteria called salmonella which typically live in animal and...