Buy Meal.com - Guide to Good Food

10 Deadly Bacteria That Can Get In Your Food (And How To Stop Them From Getting There)

Email 50 Million Daily - FREE!

Thousands of types of bacteria are naturally present in our environment. Not all bacteria cause disease in humans (for example, some bacteria are used beneficially in making cheese and yogurt). However, the prime causes of food-borne illness include parasites, viruses, and bacteria such as:

1. E. coli O157:H7

2. Campylobacter jejuni

3. Salmonella

4. Staphylococcus aureus

5. Listeria monocytogenes

6. Clostridium perfringens

7. Vibrio parahaemolyticus

8. Vibrio vulnificus

9. Hepatitis A virus, and

10. Norwalk and Norwalk-like virus

Bacteria that cause disease are called pathogens. These organisms can become unwelcome guests at the dinner table. When certain pathogens enter the food supply, they can cause food-borne illness. They're in a wide range of foods, including meat, milk and other dairy products, spices, chocolate, seafood, and even water. Millions of cases of food-borne illness occur each year.

Most cases of food-borne illness can be prevented. Careless food handling sets the stage for the growth of disease- causing "bugs." For example, hot or cold foods left standing too long at room temperature provide an ideal climate for bacteria to grow. Proper cooking or processing of food destroys bacteria.

Fresh does not always mean safe. The organisms that cause food poisoning aren't the ones that cause spoilage. Wax often coats certain kinds of produce, such as apples and cucumbers, and may trap pesticides. To remove the wax, wash with very diluted dish detergent and a soft scrub brush, or peel (the best nutrients are often in the peel, however).

Foods may be cross contaminated when cutting boards and kitchen tools that have been used to prepare a contaminated food, such as raw chicken, aren't cleaned before being used for another food, such as vegetables.

How Bacteria Get In Food

Bacteria may be present on products when you buy them. Plastic-wrapped boneless chicken and ground meat, for example, were once part of live chicken or cattle. Raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs aren't sterile. Neither is fresh produce such as lettuce, tomatoes, sprouts, and melons. Foods, including safely cooked, ready-to-eat foods, can become cross contaminated with bacteria transferred from raw products, meat juices or other contaminated products, or from food handlers with poor personal hygiene.

Unpasteurized fruit and vegetable juices and ciders, foods made with raw or undercooked eggs, chicken, tuna, potato and macaroni salads, and cream-filled pastries harboring these pathogens have also been implicated in food-borne illnesses, as has fresh produce.

Poultry is the food most often contaminated with disease- causing organisms. It's been estimated that 60 percent or more of raw poultry sold at retail probably carries some disease-causing bacteria.

Bacteria such as Listeria monocytogenes, Vibrio vulnificus, Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Salmonella have been found in raw seafood. Oysters, clams, mussels, scallops, and cockles may be contaminated with hepatitis A virus.

If you have a health problem, especially one that may have impaired your immune system, don't eat raw shellfish and use only pasteurized milk and cheese, and pasteurized or concentrated ciders and juices.

Keep It Clean

The cardinal rule of safe food preparation in the home is: Keep everything clean.

The cleanliness rule applies to the areas where food is prepared and, most importantly, to the cook. Wash hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds before starting to prepare a meal and after handling raw meat or poultry. Cover long hair with a net or scarf, and be sure that any open sores or cuts on the hands are completely covered. If the sore or cut is infected, stay out of the kitchen.

Keep your work area clean and uncluttered. Be sure to wash the countertops with a solution of 1 teaspoon chlorine bleach to about 1 quart of water or with a commercial kitchen-cleaning agent diluted according to product directions. They're the most effective at getting rid of bacteria.

Also, be sure to keep dishcloths and sponges clean because, when wet, these materials harbor bacteria and may promote their growth. Wash dishcloths and sponges weekly in the washing machine in hot water.

While you're at it, sanitize the kitchen sink drain periodically by pouring down the sink a solution of one teaspoon bleach to one quart of water or a commercial cleaning agent. Food particles get trapped in the drain and disposal and, along with moistness, create an ideal environment for bacterial growth.

Use smooth cutting boards made of hard maple or plastic and free of cracks and crevices. Avoid boards made of soft, porous materials. Wash cutting boards with hot water, soap, and a scrub brush. Then, sanitize them in an automatic dishwasher or by rinsing with a solution of 1 teaspoon chlorine bleach to about 1 quart of water.

Always wash and sanitize cutting boards after using them for raw foods, such as seafood or chicken, and before using them for other foods. Consider using one cutting board only for foods that will be cooked, such as raw fish, and another only for ready-to-eat foods, such as bread, fresh fruit, and cooked fish. Visit The Cutting Board Factory for a great selection of food-safe cutting boards.

Always use clean utensils and wash them between cutting different foods.

Wash the lids of canned foods before opening to keep dirt from getting into the food. Also, clean the blade of the can opener after each use. Food processors and meat grinders should be taken apart and cleaned as soon as possible after they're used.

Don't put cooked meat on an unwashed plate or platter that has held raw meat.

Wash fresh fruits and vegetables thoroughly, rinsing in warm water. Don't use soap or other detergents. If necessary (and appropriate) use a small scrub brush to remove surface dirt.

Keep your kitchen clean and bacteria-free. Clean kitchen surfaces with hot soapy water using antibacterial sponges and soaps.

The sponges themselves should be bacteria-free. Microwave them for about a minute to keep them clean and dry.

Keep benches, cutting boards, knives, pans or other utensils clean.

Terry Nicholls
My Home-Based Business Advisor
www.my-home-based-business-advisor.com

Copyright © by Terry Nicholls. All Rights Reserved.

About The Author

Terry Nicholls is the author of the eBook "Food Safety: Protecting Your Family From Food Poisoning". In addition, he writes from his own experiences in trying to start his own home-based business. To benefit from his success, visit My Home-Based Business Advisor - Helping YOUR Home Business Start and Succeed for free help for YOUR home business, including ideas, startup, and expansion advice.

Email 50 Million Daily - FREE!

MORE ARTICLES:

From Food Software, To Restaurant Software, To Catering Software
Running a catering business or a restaurant is not a small task. Being in this industry not only includes cooking food but much more than that. A good caterer needs to possess distinguished qualities of an accountant, a manager, a marketer, a sales person, and a bill collector. Being an expert in all these fields is simply impractical for any single person. And this is where catering software tools come in and play multi purpose tasks for a caterer. According to one estimate, catering industry in the US alone is at around a whooping $5 billion per year. As a caterer needs to perform a number of tasks such as cooking, serving and managing, catering software will generally range from all types of food software to restaurant accounting, and ge...

BigHoller Inaugurates Online Ordering Restaurant Dining Guide - I Must Eat
With a robust directory of over 600,000 restaurant listings and the ability to contour search results by details -- including geographical area, cuisine and whether the restaurant accepts online orders and online reservations -- I Must Eat (www.IMustEat.com) offers something for everyone looking to discover new meal experiences, while simplifying the search and order process.

Copycat Restaurant Recipes - Great Recipes At Your Fingertips
When you have had enough of lining your favorite restaurants pockets with your money, you can serve the same food at home using a copycat restaurant recipe. Instead of putting your hard earned cash into their coffers, you can add it to your savings for something special that your whole family can enjoy for longer than a quick meal. You will be amazed at the savings you will accumulate when you use a copycat restaurant recipe instead of dining out.

Healthy Cooking Does Not Mean Eating Bland And Boring Food
Eating healthy should always be a priority. Healthy eating can be accomplished by simply changing eating habits and changing the methods you use to cook. There is no need to cook bland or boring dishes, many options are available. Understanding the flavors your dishes use means eating well and feeling well.

Sisters Launch Gourmet Food Sister-Stores Focusing on Good Food and Good Health
Two sisters make a mid life career change to be gourmet food retailers. Knowing that Americans today face challenges of weight loss, heart disease and other obstacles affected by diet, they have doubled their endeavors and opened two stores instead of one. I Fancy Food at http://www.ifancyfood.com is their 'anything goes' store, featuring uncommon, artisan and international foods. I Fancy Food is online as well as local, as a newly opened store in Jonesborough, TN. Their lighter side is the online-only 'Fresh Approach Diet Store', at ...

Healthy Eating And Super Food - 3 Food Categories That Help Burn Fat
I'm wondering if you're already aware of what I'm about to share with you? There is some good news for people trying to lose fat and slim down to a healthier and more attractive lifestyle: there are actually foods you can eat with will burn fat for you with any effort on your part. Even better, they can easily be assimilated into any diet; in fact, you may already be eating them on a regular basis and not even know it.

Authentic Northern Vietnam Cooking Recipes in Hanoi?s High-end Restaurant
With fluorescent lights bleaching the steel surfaces and plumes of scented smoke rising from shing copper pots, this could be anyone of the bustling kitchens in Hanoi?s high-end restaurants But at KOTO (which stands for Know One, Teach One), creating tantalising dishes is only one of the restaurant?s aims

MyNorth.com Gives Foodies Recipes, Restaurants, Wineries and Food Finds From Northern Michigan
Traverse, Northern Michigan's Magazine today launched its new website, MyNorth.com, giving food and wine lovers access to the magazine's rich, in-depth coverage of Northern Michigan culinary culture and foodie news. MyNorth.com readers can access recipes, restaurant listings and food and wine features from the archives of Traverse plus stories written specifically for MyNorth.com. The site provides access to the popular dining guide with information on restaurants Up North, including Traverse City, Petoskey, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Mackinac, Cadillac, Interlochen, Gaylord, Leland, Suttons Bay, Boyne City, Frankfort, Harbor Springs and more.

Ambrosia Restaurant Wins Best Chef/Restaurant in 14th Annual Best of OC Guide
The world-class Ambrosia Restaurant and Executive Chef Michael Rossi have been selected as the Best Chef/Restaurant for Santa Ana in the 14th Annual Best of Orange County guide.

Campfire Cooking Recipes - 4 Great Camping Dishes Using Traditional Campfire Cooking Recipes
There is nothing like the fresh air and exercise that you get on a hiking or camping trip, to work up a really big appetite. But you don?t want to spend ages preparing and cooking complicated meals, which turns it into a chore.

Historical Restaurant Mirrors Change In Los Angeles' Food And Drink Scene
Los Angeles' noted Brown Derby restaurant played host to many stars during Hollywood's 'Golden Age.' The eatery was an example of novelty architecture, as it was built to resemble a brown derby hat. The Brown Derby was the first restaurant to serve chiffon cake, a recipe invented by an insurance salesman and later given wide distribution by Betty Crocker.

Toronto Restaurants Famed for Best Food Styling
Toronto is a place famous for its unique food styles and eminent eating out places. One can take the utmost delight in trying out its popular cuisines namely Italian, Chinese and Greek cuisines. For one thing you would not have to take any pains or put in extra effort looking out for the food you are interested in. Besides this, here you will not have people telling you the must try delicacies, as one can easily plan out and enjoy ones own little food hunt. While on a trip to Toronto there are certain places you should not miss out on. Toronto restaurants are known for their ambience, tranquility and their own different styling of food. To start with, Pangaea restaurant on the famous Bay Street is a must visit place, beautifully struc...

New Ice Scoop Ensures Safe Handling, Food Safety at Restaurants and Bars
The new San Jamar Saf-T-Scoop? & Guardian System ensures safe ice handling at restaurants and bars. Food safety in the food service industry is a legitimate concern, as a recent study found more than one out of every five samples of ice contains high levels of bacteria.

Best Ingredients for All Natural Dog Foods Using This Simple Homemade Dog Food Recipe
Making your own homemade dog food with this recipe is easy and will give your dog the best all natural dog foods available. Just remember that in the wild your dog would catch small prey and eat the whole thing. This consisted of the meat, bones, organs, even the heart, brain and eyes (which are high in taurine). The vegetables they would get were in the stomach and digestive tract of the animals already partially digested. If you make your all natural dog foods to imitate your dogs prey hey will enjoy optimum health and love you for it.