Foodborne Diseases Essay

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Bacteria can be transferred to food from utensils that are not cleaned and sanitized properly. The most common factors in bacterial transfer from one surface to another are moisture, contact time and pressure which can result in higher transfer between surfaces. Since some bacteria or other pathogenic microorganisms can survive outside the human body under favourable conditions of considerable period of time, unsanitized utensils such as glass, spoons and forks could be a direct or indirect sources (Food Code, 2001a).
Food related infections constitute an important public health problem in both developed and developing countries. In 2003, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reported the occurrence of foodborne illness risks factor in retail food establishments’ needs improvement in the sanitization process for food contact surfaces (FDA, 2004). Foodborne diseases such as the recent E. coli 0104 outbreak are a worldwide public health problem and have also acquired a significant relevance in developed countries following food safety crises, (Rasko et al. 2011). Foodborne illness is largely preventable. Increased regulation, industry initiatives, and education throughout the marketing channel are largely responsible for a 21% cumulative decline across the four major sources between 1996 and 2002 (“Dramatic decline,” 2002)
In the Philippines, survey have consistently shown that over 50 percent of total family expenditures have been devoted to food purchases (NEDA 1983:116-119). It is most common among Filipinos to buy ready to eat food such as viand from eateries. In the City of Naga, Philippines, an ordinance was passed requiring all food handlers to secure a health certificate or card before they engage or be engaged in food h...

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...and fluctuation in its efficiency to remove microorganisms from eating utensils. This efficiency could be affected by the number and sizes of utensils, the time designated to clean them, the initial microbial load, quality of the detergent, and the nature of the attitude of the employee and the complexity of the utensils to be cleaned (Matttrick et al,. 2003b; Montville, Chen, & Schalffner, 2002). In some instances, transmission of bacteria occurs through close contact between infected and uninfected individuals as in the case of infected food handlers and consumers (Esparar 2003). Moreover research on health-related behaviourss suggest that individuals use rationality when they are aware of and have some knowledge about the cause-effect relationship between the correct behaviour and the health benefits (Mari, Tiozzo, Capozza, & Ravarotto, in press; Prochaska, 2008).

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