Major Bacteria that Cause Foodborne Illness Bacteria: Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (ess-chur-EE-kee-UH-KO-LI) (STEC), also known as E. coli Source Food Linked with the Bacteria Prevention Measures Shiga toxin-producing E. coli can be found • Ground beef (raw and undercooked) • Cook food, especially ground beef, to in the intestines of cattle. It is also found • Contaminated produce minimum internal temperatures. in infected people. The bacteria can • Purchase produce from approved, contaminate meat during slaughtering. reputable suppliers. Eating only a small amount of the bacteria • Prevent cross-contamination between can make a person sick. Once eaten, it raw meat and ready-to-eat food. produces toxins in the intestines, which causes the illness. The bacteria are often • Keep staff with diarrhea out of the in a person’s feces for weeks after operation. symptoms have ended. • Keep staff who have diarrhea and have been diagnosed with hemorrhagic colitis out of the operation. • Control time and temperature. Bacteria: Nontyphoidal Salmonella (SAL-me-NEL-uh) Source Food Linked with the Bacteria Prevention Measures Many farm animals carry nontyphoidal • Poultry and eggs • Cook poultry and eggs to minimum Salmonella naturally. Eating only a small • Meat internal temperatures. amount of these bacteria can make a • Milk and dairy products • Prevent cross-contamination between person sick. How severe symptoms are poultry and ready-to-eat food. depends on the health of the person and • Produce, such as tomatoes, peppers, • Keep food handlers who are vomiting the amount of bacteria eaten. The and cantaloupes or have diarrhea and have been bacteria are often in a person’s feces for diagnosed with an illness from weeks after symptoms have ended. nontyphoidal Salmonella out of the operation. Bacteria: Salmonella Typhi (SAL-me-NEL-uh TI-fee) Source Food Linked with the Bacteria Prevention Measures Salmonella Typhi lives only in humans. • Ready-to-eat food • Exclude food handlers who have been People with typhoid fever carry the • Beverages diagnosed with an illness caused by bacteria in their bloodstream and Salmonella Typhi from the operation. intestinal tract. Eating only a small • Wash hands. amount of these bacteria can make a • Cook food to minimum internal person sick. The severity of symptoms temperatures. depends on the health of the person and the amount of bacteria eaten. The • Prevent cross-contamination. bacteria are often in a person’s feces for weeks after symptoms have ended. ©2014 National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF). All rights reserved. You may print one copy of this document for your personal use; otherwise, no part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise, except as permitted under Sections 107 and 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without prior written permission of the publisher. ServSafe® is a trademark of the NRAEF. National Restaurant Association® and the arc design are trademarks of the National Restaurant Association. 14031401 V.1403 page 1 of 3 Major Bacteria that Cause Foodborne Illness Bacteria: Shigella spp. (shi-GEL-uh) Source Food Linked with the Bacteria Prevention Measures Shigella spp. is found in the feces of humans • Food that is easily contaminated by • Exclude food handlers who have with the illness. Most illnesses occur when hands, such as salads containing TCS diarrhea and have been diagnosed people eat or drink contaminated food or food (potato, tuna, shrimp, macaroni, with an illness caused by Shigella spp. water. Flies can also transfer the bacteria and chicken) from the operation. from feces to food. Eating only a small • Food that has made contact • Wash hands. amount of these bacteria can make a with contaminated water, such Control flies inside and outside the person sick. High levels of the bacteria are • as produce operation. often in a person’s feces for weeks after symptoms have ended. • Practice personal hygiene. ©2014 National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF). All rights reserved. You may print one copy of this document for your personal use; otherwise, no part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise, except as permitted under Sections 107 and 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without prior written permission of the publisher. ServSafe® is a trademark of the NRAEF. National Restaurant Association® and the arc design are trademarks of the National Restaurant Association. 14031401 V.1403 page 2 of 3 Major Viruses that Cause Foodborne Illness Virus: Hepatitis A (HEP-a-TI-tiss) Source Food Linked with the Virus Prevention Measures Hepatitis A is mainly found in the feces of • Ready-to-eat food • Exclude staff who have been people infected with it. The virus can • Shellfish from contaminated water diagnosed with hepatitis A from contaminate water and many types of the operation. food. It is commonly linked with ready-to- • Exclude staff who have jaundice eat food. However, it has also been linked from the operation. with shellfish from contaminated water. • Wash hands. The virus is often transferred to food • Avoid bare-hand contact with when infected food handlers touch food ready-to-eat food. or equipment with fingers that have feces Purchase shellfish from approved, on them. Eating only a small amount of • reputable suppliers. the virus can make a person sick. An infected person may not show symptoms • Practice personal hygiene. for weeks but can be very infectious. Cooking does not destroy hepatitis A. Virus: Norovirus (Nor-o-VI-rus) Source Food Linked with the Virus Prevention Measures Like hepatitis A, Norovirus is commonly • Ready-to-eat food • Exclude food handlers who are linked with ready-to-eat food. It has also been • Shellfish from contaminated water vomiting or have diarrhea and have linked with contaminated water. Norovirus is been diagnosed with Norovirus from often transferred to food when infected food the operation. handlers touch food or equipment with • Wash hands. fingers that have feces on them. • Avoid bare-hand contact with Eating only a small amount of Norovirus ready-to-eat food. can make a person sick. It is also very • Purchase shellfish from approved, contagious. People become contagious reputable suppliers. within a few hours after eating it. The Practice personal hygiene. virus is often in a person’s feces for days • after symptoms have ended. ©2014 National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF). All rights reserved. You may print one copy of this document for your personal use; otherwise, no part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise, except as permitted under Sections 107 and 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without prior written permission of the publisher. ServSafe® is a trademark of the NRAEF. National Restaurant Association® and the arc design are trademarks of the National Restaurant Association. 14031401 V.1403 page 3 of 3.