Foodborne illness

• Physical contaminants: These include objects such as glass, metal, plastic, and bones. These objects can be found in food through a variety of ways, such as during food processing or preparation.
• Radioactive contaminants: These can be found in food that has been contaminated by nuclear fallout.

Four microbiological agents implicated in foodborne illness are:

• Norovirus: Norovirus is a highly contagious virus that causes vomiting and diarrhea. It is the leading cause of foodborne illness in the United States. Norovirus can be found in a variety of foods, including shellfish, fruits, vegetables, and ready-to-eat foods.
• Salmonella: Salmonella is a bacterium that can cause a variety of symptoms, including diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps. It is most commonly found in poultry, eggs, and meat.
• Clostridium perfringens: Clostridium perfringens is a bacterium that can cause diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and nausea. It is most commonly found in cooked meat and poultry that has been held at room temperature for too long.
• Campylobacter: Campylobacter is a bacterium that can cause diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps. It is most commonly found in poultry, unpasteurized milk, and water.

Foodborne illnesses can have a significant impact on public health. In the United States, an estimated 48 million people get sick from foodborne illness each year, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die. Foodborne illness can also have a significant economic impact, costing the United States billions of dollars each year in medical expenses, lost productivity, and lawsuits.

There are a number of measures and regulations that can be taken to prevent foodborne illness and protect the safety of food from carcinogens. These include:

• Good agricultural practices (GAPs): GAPs are a set of practices that can be used to reduce the risk of foodborne illness from fruits and vegetables. GAPs include practices such as handwashing, using clean water, and avoiding contact between raw meat and ready-to-eat foods.
• Good manufacturing practices (GMPs): GMPs are a set of practices that can be used to reduce the risk of foodborne illness from processed foods. GMPs include practices such as cleaning and sanitizing equipment, testing for pathogens, and maintaining proper temperatures.
• Hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP): HACCP is a system that can be used to identify and control hazards that could cause foodborne illness. HACCP includes steps such as identifying hazards, assessing the risk of each hazard, and developing controls to reduce the risk of each hazard.
• Food safety regulations: Food safety regulations are laws that are designed to protect the public from foodborne illness. Food safety regulations include laws that require food to be safe, laws that require food to be properly labeled, and laws that require food to be inspected.

The topic of foodborne illness is related to my selected environmental health issue, which is water pollution. Water pollution can contaminate food, which can lead to foodborne illness. For example, if water is polluted with sewage, it can contaminate fruits and vegetables that are grown in the water. This can lead to foodborne illness such as salmonellosis. Additionally, water pollution can contaminate drinking water, which can lead to foodborne illness such as giardiasis.

It is important to address both foodborne illness and water pollution in order to protect public health. By taking steps to prevent foodborne illness and water pollution, we can help to reduce the number of people who get sick from these preventable diseases.

Foodborne illness is caused by the consumption of food contaminated with harmful microorganisms, such as bacteria, viruses, parasites, or toxins. These contaminants can be found in raw foods, as well as in processed and cooked foods.

There are four main categories of food supply contaminants:

• Biological contaminants: These include bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi. Bacteria are the most common cause of foodborne illness. Some common foodborne bacteria include Salmonella, Listeria, E. coli, and Campylobacter. Viruses can also cause foodborne illness, such as norovirus and hepatitis A. Parasites can be found in raw meat, fish, and poultry. Fungi can produce toxins that can cause food poisoning.
• Chemical contaminants: These include pesticides, herbicides, heavy metals, and industrial chemicals. Pesticides and herbicides can be found on fruits and vegetables. Heavy metals can be found in seafood and some other foods. Industrial chemicals can contaminate food through a variety of sources, such as the air, water, and soil.