Food Safety & Quality
Current
Situation
Foodborne illness
is a major health issue facing Americans. Between 6.5 million and 81 million
cases of foodborne illness and as many 9,100 related deaths occur annually.
Millions of illnesses and thousands of deaths in the United States can
be traced to contaminated food. Illnesses from pathogenic bacteria appear
to be increasing each year. The economic devastation of this disease is
considerable, with an estimated $420 spent on direct medical costs and
$7.3 billion attributed to lost productivity annually.
Americans expect many
things from their food supply. They want variety and quality; and they
want nutritious, safe foods at a reasonable cost. The definition of good
quality can be varied depending upon the type of food and the individual's
food preference. Some of the important characteristics of quality include
wholesomeness, freshness, nutritional value, texture, color, aroma and
flavor. To many consumers, safe food means that there will be no danger
from pathogenic microorganisms, naturally occurring toxins and other potentially
harmful chemicals which may be deliberately added to foods.
However, scientists
generally agree that microorganisms pose a greater threat to human health
than other sources of foodborne illnesses. Foods don't cause illness;
bacteria and other pathogens do. However, raw foods of animal origin -
meat, poultry, eggs, fish, shellfish - frequently are contaminated with
bacteria common in the food chain. In other cases, healthy food handlers
may contaminate food with bacteria common in the human body, or diseased
food handlers may contaminate food with lesser common pathogens.
Recent outbreaks of
foodborne illness and deaths associated with commercial food establishments
have received widespread media and public attention. As a result, consumers
have a heightened concern for the safety of commercially prepared foods.
Furthermore, commercial foodservice establishments have a heightened awareness
of their role in providing safe food to consumers.
The food and beverage
industry ranks fourth in size among all the industries of the United States.
Americans spend an estimated $145 billion annually for food and beverages
consumed both in and out of the home. Presently, 85% of Americans consume
at least one meal outside of the home during a two week period. It is
expected that by the year 2000, one third to one-half of all meals consumed
will be purchased through food service establishments. For Mississippi's
approximately 16,600 commercial foodservice establishments, that equates
to an estimated 2.4 - 3.7 million meals annually. An industry of this
size cannot afford to lose the confidence of its clientele.
Whether raw foods
are contaminated at the time of purchase or purchased foods are contaminated
by food handlers, over time, mishandling can allow bacteria to survive,
reproduce, or in some cases form a toxin in food or the human body. In
short, food handling errors are almost always directly associated with
the "dinner plate" microbial contamination that is a prerequisite for
foodborne illness.
Health and well-being
are highly valued in today's society and food is considered to play a
major role. Food safety issues are complex and consumers vary greatly
in their knowledge of the science of food safety. The Cooperative Extension
Service through its federal, state and county partnership of professionals
has as a goal to deliver food safety and quality educational programs.
The programs teach clientele to minimize potential food hazards throughout
food production, processing, distribution, preparation and utilization.
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Frequently
Asked Questions
Food
Preparation
What
is the temperature danger zone?
What is the safest way to defrost meat, poultry, and fish products?
Is
a slow cooker safe?
How
should you select and use cutting boards?
How
do you safely prepare food for a picnic?
What
is the safest way to handle and prepare eggs?
How
do you safely prepare hot dogs?
How
do you safely prepare beef?
How
do you safely prepare corned beef?
How
do you safely prepare ground beef?
How
do you safely prepare giblets?
How
do you safely prepare egg products?
How
do you safely prepare ham?
How
do you safely prepare turkey?
How
do you safely prepare lamb?
How
do you safely prepare ratites (emu, ostrich, reah)?
How
do you safely prepare sausage?
How
do you safely prepare fresh pork?
What
is the correct way to reheat foods?
What
is the correct way to cool leftovers?
Can
I defrost food in a microwave?
What
utensils are safe to use in a microwave?
How
do I safely cook foods in the microwave?
How
do I safely cook meats on the grill?
How
do I safely smoke meats?
What
is the safe way to handle baby bottles?
Can
I microwave my infant's baby bottle?
Can
I feed my infant directly from the jar of baby food?
Food
Safety
What
can I do to protect myself from food poisoning?
What
should you do if you have a problem with a food product?
What
are the most common organisms (food pathogens) that cause foodborne illness?
How
often should I sanitize my kitchen sink drains and disposal?
What
is the safest way to eat hamburger?
Why
shouldn't I taste a sample of cookie dough before baking it?
What
is the best way to clean kitchen counters?
Why
do eggs have to be fully cooked to avoid foodborne illness?
Why
should some people avoid eating raw oysters?
What does a bulging can mean?
What
is cross contamination?
What
is the correct way to wash my hands and how often should I wash them?
My
home flooded. What can I safely do with the food that went through the
flood?
Is
food safe that has gone through a fire?
What
do I need to consider when handling jars of baby food?
My
child's class is going on a field trip, what foods can I safely send?
My
child's class is going on a field trip to a dairy. Is there anything I
need to be concerned about?
Food
Storage
What
is the proper temperature for my refrigerator?
How
long can leftover food be left out of the refrigerator?
How
long can you keep food in a freezer?
How
can you keep take-out food safe?
What
do the dates on food packages mean?
My
freezer stopped. What should I do and what can I save?
How
long can I keep bottles of formula/breast milk and when should I discard
them?
How
do I safely store breast milk?
Purchasing/Inspecting
What
safety tips do you have for purchasing food through the mails?
Food
& Health
What
food safety advice is there for persons with AIDS?
What
is BSE or Mad Cow Disease and is it a health problem in the United States?
Which
people are most at risk for foodborne illness by eating raw oysters?
What
should I do if I think I have food poisoning?
As
an expectant mother, are there any special food safety concerns?
How
can I prevent the spread of germs in my day care?
What
precautions should I take with the diaper changing area?
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Publications
MSUcares
Health and Nutrition Publications
Nutrition
News & Views Newsletter
Nutrition News & Views is intended as a source of up-to-date information
on food and nutrition related topics. It is designed for use primarily
by Cooperative Extension Service county personnel in Mississippi.
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Relevant
Links
The following is a
list of relevant sites on the WWW that provide information and resources
related to food safety and quality . These sites are maintained by educational
institutions, non-profit organizations, government agencies, or trade
associations none are commercial in nature.
TRADE ASSOCIATIONS
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