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Home , Botulism, Clostridium botulinum, Clostridium perfringens, Listeria, Salmonella

Bacterial Fact Sheet No. 9.300 and Nutrition Series|Health by P. Kendall* Bacterial foodborne are spread Quick Facts occur when food, that is contaminated through indirect or direct contact with with bacteria, is eaten and the bacteria the intestinal contents or excrement of • Salmonella, continues to grow in the intestines, animals, including humans. For example, , E. coli and setting up an which causes they may be spread to food by hands that bacteria in food illness. Salmonella, Campylobacter, are not washed after using the toilet. They cause food infection. hemorrhagic E. coli and Listeria all also may be spread to raw during cause infections. processing so that it is contaminated • and when brought into the kitchen. Because botulinum Food intoxication results from bacteria produce a consumption of (or ) of this, it is important to make sure hands (or ) as a by- produced in food by . and working surfaces are thoroughly Toxins, not bacteria, cause illness. washed after contact with raw meat, product of growth and Toxins may not alter the appearance, and and before working with multiplication in food and odor or of food. Common kinds that require no further . cause food intoxication. of bacteria that produce toxins include Salmonella bacteria grow at • and Clostridium temperatures between 41 and 113 can multiply in foods to botulinum. (See fact sheet 9.305, degrees F. They are readily destroyed sufficient numbers to , for more information on its by cooking to 160 F and do not grow at prevention.) In the case of Clostridium refrigerator or freezer temperatures. They cause food poisoning. perfringens, illness is caused by toxins do survive refrigeration and freezing, • By following simple steps released in the gut when large numbers however, and will begin to grow again (clean, separate, cook, of vegetative cells are eaten. once warmed to room temperature. and chill) you can prevent Symptoms of include most food-related illness. headache, , abdominal pain, Salmonellosis And, when in doubt, throw , chills, and . These it out! Salmonellosis is a form of food occur within 8 to 72 hours after eating infection that may result when foods contaminated food and may last four containing Salmonella bacteria are to seven days. Arthritis symptoms may consumed. TheSalmonella family follow three to four weeks after onset of includes more than 2300 , symptoms. , young children, but two types, Salmonella enteritidis pregnant women, the elderly or people and Salmonella typhimurium are the already ill have the least resistance to most common in the and effects. account for half of the infections. Foods commonly involved include Once eaten, the bacteria may continue eggs or any egg-based food, salads (such to live and grow in the intestine, set up an as tuna, , or potato), poultry, beef, infection and cause illness. The possibility , processed , meat pies, fish, and severity of the illness depends in cream desserts and fillings, sandwich large part on the size of the , the fillings, raw sprouts, and milk products. resistance of the host and the specific These foods may be contaminated at strain of Salmonella causing the illness. any of the many points where the food © Colorado State University is handled or processed from the time of Extension. 8/98. Revised 7/12. slaughter or harvest until it is eaten. www.ext.colostate.edu

*P. Kendall, Ph.D., R.D., Colorado State University, associate dean of research, and human nutrition. 7/2012 and relatively resistant to drying, but and creamed potatoes. Foods that are Campylobacteriosis or easily destroyed by heat. (It grows handled frequently during preparation Campylobacter is caused by between 32 F and 113 F). are prime targets for staphylococci consuming food or water contaminated primarily affects newborn contamination. with the bacteria . infants, pregnant women, the elderly Symptoms include abdominal C. jejuni commonly is found in the and those with compro­mised immune cramps, vomiting, severe diarrhea and intestinal tracts of healthy animals systems. In a healthy non-pregnant exhaustion. These usually appear within (especially ) and in untreated person, listeriosis may occur as a mild one to eight hours after eating staph- surface water. Raw and inadequately illness with fever, headaches, nausea infected food and last one or two days. cooked foods of animal origin and and vomiting. Among pregnant The illness seldom is fatal. non-chlorinated water are the most women, intrauterine or cervical Keep food clean to prevent its common sources of human infection infections may result in spontaneous contamination, keep it either hot (e.g., , undercooked chicken, abortion or still birth. Infants born alive (above 140 F) or cold (below 40 F) raw hamburger, raw shellfish). The may develop . The mortality during serving time, and as quickly as organism grows best in a reduced rate in diagnosed cases is 20 to 25 possible refrigerate or freeze leftovers environment, is easily killed by percent. The is a few and foods to be served later. heat (120 F), is inhibited by acid, days to several weeks. Recent cases have and drying, and will not multiply at involved raw milk, soft made temperatures below 85 F. with raw milk, and raw or refrigerated Clostridium Perfringens Diarrhea, nausea, abdominal ready-to-eat meat, poultry or fish Foodborne Illness cramps, muscle pain, headache and products. In 2011, a large outbreak of Clostridium perfringens belong fever are common symptoms. Onset listeriosis was caused by to the same as the botulinum usually occurs two to ten days after contaminated during processing at one organism. However, the disease eating contaminated food. Duration facility. produced by C. perfringens is not as is two to seven days, but can be weeks Preventive measures for listeriosis severe as botulism and few deaths have with such complications as urinary include maintaining good sanitation, occurred. are found in , tract infections and . turning over refrigerated ready- nonpotable water, unprocessed foods Meningitis, recurrent , acute to-eat foods quickly, pasteurizing and the intestinal tract of animals , and Guillain-Barre milk, avoiding post- and humans. Meat and poultry are syndrome are rare complications. contamination, and cooking foods frequently contaminated with these Deaths, also rare, have been reported. thoroughly. spores from one or more sources Preventive measures for during processing. Campylobacter infections include Spores of some strains are so heat pasteurizing milk; avoiding post- Staphylococcal Intoxication resistant that they survive boiling for pasteurization contamination; Staphylococcus bacteria are found four or more hours. Furthermore, cooking raw meat, poultry and fish; on the skin and in the nose and throat cooking drives off oxygen, kills and preventing cross-conta­mination of most people; people with colds and competitive organisms and heat- between raw and cooked or ready-to- sinus infections are often carriers. shocks the spores, all of which promote eat foods. Infected wounds, pimples, boils germination. and acne are generally rich sources. Staphylococcus also are widespread in Once the spores have germinated, a Listeriosis untreated water, raw milk and . warm, moist, protein-rich environment with little or no oxygen is necessary Prior to the 1980s, listeriosis, When Staphylococcus bacteria get for growth. If such conditions exist the disease caused by Listeria into warm food and multiply, they (i.e., holding meats at warm room monocytogenes, was primarily of produce a toxin or poison that causes temperature for several hours or veterinary concern, where it was illness. The toxin is not detectable by cooling large pots of gravy or meat too associated with abortions and taste or smell. While the bacteria itself slowly in the refrigerator), sufficient in sheep and cattle. As a can be killed by temperatures of 120 F, numbers of vegetative cells may be result of its wide distribution in the its toxin is heat resistant; therefore, it is produced to cause illness. Foods environment, its ability to survive for important to keep the staph organism commonly involved in C. perfringens long periods under adverse conditions, from growing. illness include cooked, cooled, or and its ability to grow at refrigeration Foods commonly involved in reheated meats, poultry, stews, meat temperatures, Listeria has since staphylococcal intoxication include pies, casseroles, and gravies. become recognized as an important protein foods such as ham, processed Symptoms occur within eight to 24 foodborne . L. monocytogenes meats, tuna, chicken, sandwich is frequently carried by humans and hours after contaminated food is eaten. fillings, cream fillings, potato and They include acute abdominal pain and animals. The organism can grow in the meat salads, custards, milk products pH range of 4.4 to 9.6. It is salt tolerant diarrhea. Nausea, vomiting and fever Preventive strategies for E. coli • Scrub containers and utensils used infections include thorough washing in handling uncooked foods with and other measures to reduce the hot, soapy water before using with presence of the ready-to-serve foods. Use separate on raw food, thorough cooking of cutting boards to help prevent raw animal products, and avoiding contamination between raw and recontamination of cooked meat with cooked foods. raw meat. To be safe, cook ground • Stuff raw products immediately meats to 160 F. before cooking, never the night before. Preventing • Don’t taste raw meat, poultry, eggs, Foodborne Illness fish or shellfish. Use pasteurized milk and milk products. Foodborne illness can be prevented. The following food handling practices • Do not eat raw eggs. This includes have been identified by the Food milk shakes with raw eggs, Caesar Safety and Inspection Service of USDA salad, Hollandaise sauce, and other foods like homemade mayonnaise, Figure 1: Temperature of food for control as essential in preventing bacterial foodborne illness. ice cream or made from of bacteria. recipes that call for uncooked eggs. are less common. Recovery usually is Purchase and Storage • Use a meat thermometer to judge safe internal temperatures for within one to two days, but symptoms • Keep packages of raw meat and may persist for one or two weeks. cooked foods (see Figure 1). If your poultry separate from other foods, microwave has a temperature probe, particularly foods to be eaten use it. without further cooking. Use plastic E. coli Hemorrhagic Colitis bags or other packaging to prevent • When using slow cookers or belong to a family of raw juices from dripping on other smokers, start with fresh rather than called coliforms. Many foods or refrigerator surfaces. frozen, chunks rather than roasts or strains of E. coli live peacefully in the large cuts, and recipes that include a • Buy products labeled “keep liquid. Check internal temperature gut, helping keep the growth of more refrigerated” only if they are stored harmful microorganisms in check. in three spots to be sure food is in a refrigerated case. Refrigerate thoroughly cooked. However, one strain, E. coli O157:H7, promptly. causes a distinctive and sometimes • Avoid interrupted cooking. deadly disease. • Buy dated products before the label Never partially cook products, to sell-by, use-by or pull-by date has refrigerate and finish later. Also, Symptoms begin with nonbloody expired. diarrhea one to five days after eating don’t put food in the oven with a contaminated food, and progress to • Use an appliance thermometer timer set to begin cooking later in bloody diarrhea, severe abdominal pain to make sure your refrigerator is the day. and moderate dehydration. In young between 35 and 40 F and your • If microwave cooking instructions children, hemolytic uremic syndrome freezer is 0 F or below. on the product label are not (HUS) is a serious that appropriate for your microwave, can lead to renal failure and death. In Preparation increase microwave time to reach adults, the complications sometimes • Wash hands (gloved or not) with a safe internal temperature. Rotate, lead to thrombocytopenic purpura soap and water for 20 seconds before stir and/or cover foods to promote (TPP), characterized by cerebral preparing foods and after handling even cooking. nervous system deterioration, seizures raw meat or poultry, touching • Before tasting, boil all home-canned and . animals, using the bathroom, vegetables and meats 10 minutes Ground beef is the food most changing diapers, smoking or plus one minute per 1,000 feet. associated with E. coli O157:H7 blowing your nose. outbreaks, but other foods also have • Thaw only in refrigerator, under Serving been implicated. These include raw cold water changed every 30 milk, unpasteurized apple juice and • Wash hands with soap and water minutes, or in the microwave before preparing, serving, or eating cider, dry-cured salami, homemade (followed by immediate cooking). venison jerky, sprouts, , spinach, food. Serve cooked products on and untreated water. Infected food • Rinse raw produce thoroughly clean plates with clean utensils and handlers and diapered infants with the under running tap water before clean hands. disease likely help spread the bacteria. eating. • Keep hot foods hot (above 140 F) • If in doubt, throw it out. So they and cold foods cold (below 40 F). cannot be eaten by people or • In environmental temperatures of animals, discard outdated, unsafe 90 F or warmer, leave cooked food or possibly unsafe leftovers in the out no longer than one hour before garbage disposal or in tightly- reheating, refrigerating or freezing. wrapped packages. At temperatures below 90 F, leave out no more than two hours. References

Handling Leftovers Jay, J.M. Modern . Gaithersburg, MD: Aspen • Wash hands before handling Publishers, 2005. leftovers and use clean utensils and Center for and Applied surfaces. Nutrition of the Food and • Remove stuffing before cooling or Drug Administration (FDA), freezing. U.S. Department of Health and • Refrigerate or freeze cooked Human Services. 2012. Bad Bug leftovers in small, covered shallow Book – Foodborne Pathogenic containers (2 inches deep or less) Microorganisms and Natural Toxins within two hours after cooking. Handbook, 2nd Ed. Available at: Leave airspace around containers to http://www.fda.gov. help ensure rapid, even cooling. U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service. • Use cooked leftovers within 4 days. 2011. Basics for Handling Food Don’t taste leftovers to determine Safely. Available at: www.fsis.usda. safety. gov/PDF/Basics_for_Safe_Food_ • If reheating leftovers, cover and Handling.pdf. reheat to appropriate temperature before serving (a rolling boil for sauces, soups, gravies, “wet” foods; 165 F for all others).

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