Food Poisoning From Esherichia coli

Food poisoning is caused by E. coli? 

Food poisoning might be caused by Escherichia coli (E. coli). E. coli is a bacterium that is commonly found in the gut of humans and animals. Despite fact that majority strains of E. coli food poisoning are harmless, some strains are pathogen. It means that they able to cause disease in human. The harmless strains are part of the normal flora of the gut, and can benefit their hosts by producing vitamin K and by preventing the establishment of pathogenic bacteria within the intestine.  

The most dangerous E.coli strain is Shiga toxin-producing E.coli (STEC). It produces a dangerous toxin: vero toxin or shiga-like toxin as cause of food poisoning. STEC can grow in temperatures ranging from 7°C to 50°C, with an optimum temperature of 37°C. It is destroyed by thorough cooking of foods. STEC causes illness ranging from non-bloody diarrhea, to bloody diarrhea, to post-diarrheal hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS).

How people get food poisoning? 

One of food poisoning is acquired by eating food containing the bacteria. The bacteria live in the intestine of some healthy cattle, and contamination of the meat may occur in the slaughtering process. Eating meat, especially ground beef that is rare or not fully cooked is the most common way of getting the infection. Other possible sources of infection include unpasteurized milk, drinking or swimming in water that is contaminated with sewage, or eating unwashed fruits or vegetables that have been fertilized with cow manure. 

Signs and Symptoms of food poisoning:

• Non-bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramp appear within 3-4 days after someone ingested STEC.
• Some 45% - 80% of the cases fall in more severe type: bloody diarrhea 1-2 days after-ward.
• Up to 6% of the cases with bloody diarrhea fall in the severe condition. 

Treatment for E. Coli Food Poisoning

Most persons recover without antibiotics or other specific treatment in five to ten days and anti-diarrhea medication should be avoided. The WHO recommends NOT using any antibiotics since antibiotics prompt the bacteria to produce more Shiga toxin, the chemical responsible for the damage to blood vessels in the kidneys that leads to renal failure during severe EHEC infections. As with all types of diarrhea, it is important to avoid dehydration by drinking plenty of fluids, and keep your doctor informed of your symptoms.

 

How to prevent the food poisoning? 

1. Do not eat hamburger or other ground beef products that have not been fully cooked. Cook all ground beef and hamburger thoroughly. Make sure the cooked meat is brown throughout (not pink), and the juices run clear. 
2. Drink only pasteurized milk and milk products. 
3. All fruits and vegetables should be washed thoroughly before serving. 
4. Make sure infected persons, especially children, wash their hands carefully with soap after using the toilet. 
5. Water which is possibly infected (when pipes leak or are undergoing repairs, for example) should be treated with adequate levels of chlorine or other effective disinfectants or boiled to guard against chance contamination. 

Avoid temperature danger zone

The temperature range in which food-borne bacteria can grow is known as the danger zone. According to FDA, the danger zone is defined as 5°C - 57°C. Potentially hazardous food should not be stored at temperatures in this range in order to prevent food poisoning,  and food that remains in this zone for more than four hours must be discarded. Food-borne microorganism grow much faster in the middle of the zone, at tempera-tures between 21°C and 52°C.

Display and Service - 2

Food Requiring Special Consideration

For this purpose, you can refer to the list below for special requirements for certain foods:

Food	Requirement
Ground meat	Serving raw or rare ground meat is prohibited due to the potential for growth of pathogenic micro-organisms, which can only be rendered harmless upon cooking to the appropriate internal cooking temperature.
Stuffing, salads, hash, and ground beef	Stuffing, salads, hash, and ground beef are to be discarded after meal service.  These foods are all potentially hazardous from the standpoint of Foodborne Illness and saving them for re-service presents too much risk. Further, salads such as egg, tuna, chicken, etc. and ground meat shall not be used as sandwich filling for box lunches for crews due to their potentially hazardous nature.
Poultry and Seafood	Serving raw or rare poultry and seafood is prohibited.
Fresh Eggs	Serving raw or half done eggs is prohibited.
Hollandaise and other sauces	Hollandaise and other sauces which pending service must be held in the 5°C (41°F) to 60°C (140°F) range may be exempt from the temperature requirements provided they are prepared from fresh ingredients and discarded as waste within three hours after preparation.  Where such sauces require eggs, only shell eggs shall be used.

Milk

All milk and fluid milk products for drinking purposes shall be purchased and served in the original individual container in which they are packaged at the milk plant, or shall be served from an approved bulk milk dispenser.  

Cream, whipped cream, or half and half, which is to be consumed on the premises, may be served from the original container of not more than one-half gallon capacity or from a dispenser approved by the Chevron-appointed adviser.

Food Transit And Transportation

Transit and Transport

Protection of prepared foods during transit from the kitchen for offsite consumption shall include:

1. Application of good hygiene and sanitation practices of the transit facilities or designated vehicles.
2. Application of good hygiene and sanitation practices in loading, storage and transportation of prepared food.
3. Food grade safe transit container shall maintain proper temperature for both hot and cold prepared foods:
• Cold prepared foods must be held and transported at safe temperatures of 5⁰C (41⁰F) or lower.
• Hot prepared foods must be held and transported at safe temperatures of to 60⁰C (140⁰F) or higher.
4. If perishable food cannot be held at the above temperatures, within two hours, the food should be removed and not left out for others to eat. Remove or decline perishable food within one hour of display/delivery if the food is left at room temperature above 32.2⁰C (90⁰F).