E. coli infection

E. coli is a common type of bacteria that can get into food. Its medical term Escherichia coli. It is the most common gram-negative human pathogen. E. coli is among the most common and important human bacterial pathogens, causing more than 90% of all urinary tract infections and many cases of diarrheal illness worldwide.

The strange thing about these bacteria — and lots of other bacteria — is that they're not always harmful to human. E. coli normally lives inside the intestines, where it helps to body break down and digest the food. 

Unfortunately, certain types (called strains) of E. coli can get from the intestines into the blood. This is a rare illness, but it can cause a very serious infection.

The bacterium is the most frequent cause of urinary tract infections and is commonly found in wounds. Someone who has E. coli infection may have these symptoms: fever and chills bad stomach cramps and belly pain vomiting diarrhea, sometimes with blood in it. E. coli blood poisoning can be rapidly fatal as a result of shock because of the action of an endotoxin released by the bacteria.

E. coli is undoubtedly a great opportunist and frequently causes pneumonia and sepsis in immune-compromised hosts and meningitis and sepsis in newborns.

Beef can contain E. coli because the bacteria often infect cattle. It can be in meat that comes from cattle. Most E. coli infections come from:
*Eating undercooked ground beef (the inside is pink)
*Drinking contaminated (impure) water
*Drinking unpasteurized (raw) milk
*Working with cattle

The most common way to get this infection is by eating contaminated food. Human can be infected with the E. coli germ if they don't use a high temperature to cook beef, or if don't cook it long enough. When human eat undercooked beef, the germs go into stomach and intestines.

Contamination of wounds with E. coli may lead to wound infection. Such contamination may be endogenous, from the fecal flora, or exogenous, from water or soil.
E. coli infection

Problems in food system that lead to Campylobacteriosis

*There is contamination from animal waste and Campylobacter jejuni is spread during slaughtering, processing and food preparation.

*Unsanitary food handling procedures in retail food operations facilitate cross contamination between raw and cooked food products.

*Food may be heated sufficiently to destroy Campylobacter because bimetallic stem thermometer do not measure the temperature of foods accurately.

*Cross contamination of food by foodservice personnel when they do not wash their hands and fingertips properly after touching raw food.
Problems in food system that lead to Campylobacteriosis

Escherichia coli

Escherichia coli
Animal and human feces and untreated water are the source of Escherichia coli contamination in food. Any food product (meat, vegetables, and dry products) can become contaminated. There are 4 virulent strains of Escherichia coli; 3 of them 4 virulent strains cause mild diarrhea, cramps and fluid loss.

E.coli 0157:H7, the fourth and most virulent strain, is of current concern because of its effect: bloody diarrhea, severe abdominal pain and cramps. Hemolytic uremic syndrome, a possible complication of this illness, is the leading cause of kidney failure in children. In the past few years, under cooked ground beef products have been implicated in transference of E.coli 0157:H7.

There is estimated annual incidence of over 200,000 cases of enteric E.coli in the United States with about 400 fatalities.

The temperature range for growth of E.coli is 36 degree F to 114 degree F. E.coli are less resistant to heat than are Salmonella spp. Heating foods to temperatures that destroy Salmonella are sufficient to inactivate any E.coli which may be present.

Some critical problems which are responsible for illnesses cause by E.coli include

• Animal feedlot practices which allow some animals to become colonized

• The spreading of the organisms during slaughtering, processing, food preparation, and poor personal hygiene

• Improper sewage treatment and disposal; use of improperly treated animal and human waste to fertilize crops

• Allowing food products to remain above 36 degree F which enables this microorganism to multiply during distribution and service

• Infected people who contaminate food products because they do not washed their hands and fingertips correctly after using the toilets

Escherichia coli

Salmonella spp.

Salmonella spp.
There are over 2000 types of Salmonella, all are pathogenic to humans. This microorganism is often found in raw poultry products and may also be present on other raw meat products. It can be transmitted to other food products by cross contamination, improper food handling and poor sanitation.

Symptoms of illness include abdominal cramps, diarrhea, fever, and chills. The illness develops 8 to 72 hours after ingestion of food containing the microorganisms. Ingestion of greater than 10,000 Salmonella cells in a meal is usually necessary to cause illness in healthy people. However, as few as 4 to 5 cells per 100 grams of food can cause illness when present in foods containing higher amounts of fats such as cheese and chocolate candy. Fat in these foods provides a protective barrier around the microbial cells and prevents their disintegration by stomach acid during digestion.

Severe complications form salmonellosis include: reactive arthritis, cardiac inflammation, intracranial, and other nervous system involvement and osteomyelitis. Because of the seriousness of illness caused by Salmonella, the standard for heat destruction times and temperature for this pathogen are used as a basis for food pasteurization.

Recent news about Salmonella;
In June 2006, the BBC reported that the Cadbury chocolate manufacturer withdrew a number of products when products contaminated with salmonella caused up to 56 cases of Salmonellosis.

In February 2007, the U.S. FDA issued a warning to consumers not to eat certain jars of Peter Pan peanut butter or Great Value peanut butter due to risk of contamination with 'Salmonella Tennessee'.

July 2008, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration suspects that the contaminated food product is a common ingredient in fresh salsa, such as raw tomato, fresh jalapeño pepper, fresh serrano pepper, and fresh cilantro. It is the largest reported salmonellosis outbreak in the United States since 1985.
Salmonella spp.