FOOD SAFETY BULLETIN

Food Safety Bulletin

Food Safety Bulletin

Common Safety Issues Related to Food Purchase, Storage, and Presentation

Each year an estimated 48 million illnesses and 3000 deaths occur in the United States from food-borne illnesses. Symptoms may occur within minutes, or could take a few weeks to appear. These symptoms are flu-like and can cause intestinal problems such as vomiting, cramping, and diarrhea, or even more severe illness and infection in people with a weakened immune system (diet-and-health.net). These illnesses can be prevented with proper storage and preparation of foods (Bech, 2005).

Some common safety issues related to food purchase can simply be the cleanliness of the store. While at the grocery store, always look for how clean the counters are where fresh meat or seafood is prepared and packaged, also the fresh produce area. Do not purchase foods from a dirty store because the foods may be contaminated. Purchase only Grade A or better eggs and avoid purchasing eggs that have cracks, or are leaking. Do not purchase foods that the expiration date has passed, and when purchasing milk or cheeses make sure they are pasteurized. In addition, some common safety issues related to food purchase are not checking the expiration dates, just because it is on the shelf does not mean it is safe. Damaged packaging, temperature, and freshness are all common safety issues. Also another common safety issue to look for when purchasing is proper rotation (Bech, 2005).

Common Illnesses and Problems caused by Safety Issues

Some of the common illnesses and problems that safety issues may cause are bloody diarrhea, stomach cramps and nausea and vomiting. Some more serious issues include pale skin, fever, weakness, bruising, and passing only small amounts of urine due to kidney problems, caused by E. coli. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms see your doctor immediately, or contact your local poison control for assistance. Some online resources include WebMD, World Health organization, and USDA.

Furthermore, food borne illness is a major health issue facing Americans. There are between 6.5 million and 81 million cases of food borne illness and as many 9,100 related deaths occur annually. Illnesses from pathogenic bacteria appear to be increasing each year (Butler, 2009). When purchasing foods one must be aware of expiration dates, damaged packaging, proper storage temperatures and freshness of the product. Issues of such nature can cause food to become contaminated.

Some safety issues related to safe food storage are proper refrigeration and proper storage. Cold foods should immediately be refrigerated once brought home from the grocery store. Cold foods left unrefrigerated for even one hour can begin to grow unwanted bacteria. Make sure the temperature of the refrigerator is between 33ºF and 40ºF for proper food storage. If any raw foods such as ground beef or chicken are placed in the refrigerator, make sure to keep the packages away from other foods to avoid dripping and cross-contamination. Bacteria can grow at temperatures above 40ºF and 140ºF, so always be aware of ...