Food borne Diseases ( Food Micro Biology)

Many relate the diesases borne from food due to some microbiological existence ie. bacteria or viruses. Food can be contaminated in many different ways during the food preparation, cooking, or serving. Out of that it is mainly occur due to the following factors. 

Viruses

During food preparation, contamination can occur by people transferring viruses from themselves to food and then to the person who cats it. Viruses can only multiply in living tissue and cause vomiting and diarrhea when consumed. It could 

Some raw foods such as oysters, clams, and mussels which are ‘filter feeders' if harvested from sewage-polluted water they will have a lot of bacteria and viruses in their flesh which will cause viral food poisoning.

This is why it is important to only purchase your fish and seafood from reputable suppliers

Examples of viruses include the Flu and Hepatitis A

It is important to remember that Viruses are easily destroyed by heat so if you cook your foods thoroughly then any viruses present will be killed. 

Bacteria

Bacteria are the most common cause of food poisoning. Bacteria that cause disease and illness are called pathogens. Small numbers of pathogenic bacteria can be consumed without making you sick because the body's immune system kills them before they can grow to large numbers but if large numbers of bacteria are consumed they will overwhelm our immune system and cause food poisoning.

Bacteria can poison us in two ways:

§     Infection - if large numbers of some types of bacteria are eaten our body's normal defense mechanisms are unable to cope and we become sick e.g. Salmonella, Clostridium

§      Intoxication - Because bacteria are living micro cells creatures they eat and produce waste products. Some of these waste products are poisonous. These are called toxins and can cause illness if consumed, even in small quantities.

Spores

Some bacteria are very smart and can sense when conditions are changing. When they sense that conditions are becoming dangerous for survival they form and become dormant (asleep).

This is like bacteria forming a protective coating around itself which protects it from danger such as heat, lack of moisture, lack of oxygen, or change in pH levels of the food (pickling or salting foods)

Spores can survive for many years in this dormant state and cannot easily be destroyed easily by heat, cold, sanitizers, or chemical additives.

Because it is difficult to kill these bacteria it is important to observe the correct heating, cooling, and cooking times to control their growth so they don't grow to too large amounts which can cause food poisoning

Spore-forming bacteria are most commonly found on raw vegetables, in processed meats, dried herbs and spices and in dried products such as rice, pasta or polenta.