Contaminants
Below is a list of common pathogens associated with improper cleaning of food production equipment.
Listeria
A remarkably tough organism that has a high resistance to heat, salt, nitrite and acidity. Refrigeration does not kill most of the Listeria as this bacterium survives on cold surfaces and also can multiply slowly at freezing, defeating one traditional food safety defense—refrigeration.
Mortality
The overall mortality rate from listeric meningitis may be as high as 70%. From blood poisoning the mortality rate is 50%. Infections during pregnancy can result in a mortality rate of 80% although the mother usually survives. An estimated 2,500 cases occur in the United States yearly, with 500 deaths/year.
Cases
Pennsylvania Company Recalls 52,000 pounds of Ready-to-Eat Meats
2010 Salmonella Montevideo Outbreak Linked to Salami
Bologna Recall for Possible Listeria Contamination
Sausage Recall for Possible Listeria Contamination
Chicken Salad Recall for Possible Listeria Contamination
Other Links
Center for Disease Control information on Listeria
FSIS Releases Draft Risk Assessment on Listeria
FSIS Rule To Reduce Listeria In RTE Meat and Poultry Products
E. Coli 0157:H7
A rare variety of E. coli that produces large quantities of potent toxins that cause severe damage to the lining of the intestine. Tainted ground beef has been implicated in many of the documented outbreaks, however E. coli O157:H7 outbreaks have implicated alfalfa sprouts, unpasteurized fruit juices, dry-cured salami, lettuce, game meat, and dairy products.
Mortality
Up to 15% of E. coli O157:H7 victims may develop Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS), a disease leading to permenant loss of kidney function. In the elderly E. coli O157:H7 may have a mortality rate of up to 50%.
Cases
2.3 million pound of grond beef recalled after E. coli outbreak
Recall of 1.2 million pounds of ground beef after E. coli outbreak
Other Links
E. Coli Information from the CDC
Salmonella
The most commonly reported cause of food-borne outbreaks, accounting for 28% of such outbreaks. It is estimated that from 2 to 4 million cases of salmonellosis occur in the U.S. annually. It is estimated that approximately 600 persons die each year with acute salmonellosis. A small number of persons, who are infected with Salmonella, will go on to develop Reiter's syndrome which can last for months or years, and can lead to chronic arthritis.
Mortality
The mortality rate for most salmonellosis is 1%. There is a 15% mortality rate when salmonellosis blood poisining is present in the elderly.
Cases
Salmonellosis outbreak case associated with beef jerky in New Mexico in 1995.
Salmonellosis outbreak from powdered milk products and infant formula
Detroit couple Nets $65,000 In Cannoli Food Poisoning Case
Other Links
Salmonella Information from the CDC
Staphylococcus Aureus
Most commonly associated with skin infections and is most commonly transmitted by having close contact with infected people. Insidences where "Staph" infections are spread via food tainted by infected individuals is not uncommon. Foods that require considerable handling during preparation and that is kept at slightly elevated temperatures after preparation are frequently involved in staphylococcal food poisoning.
Mortality
Death from staphylococcal food poisoning is very rare, although such cases have occurred among the elderly, infants, and severely debilitated persons.
Other Links
Salmonella Information from the FDA
Norovirus
Second only to the common cold in reports of viral gastroenteritis causes of illness in the U.S. The disease is mild and characterized by nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. The infection dose is unknown but presumed to be low.
Mortality
Very low, but occurrences have been known to happen within at risk groups.
Cases
Norwalk virus aboard cruise ship
Botulism (clostridium botulinium)
A severe type of food poisoning caused by the ingestion of foods containing the potent neurotoxin formed during growth of the organism. The incidence of the disease is low, but the disease is of considerable concern because of its high mortality rate if not treated immediately and properly. An effective dose is very small; a few nanograms of toxin can cause illness. Most of the 10 to 30 outbreaks that are reported annually in the United States are associated with inadequately processed, home-canned foods, but occasionally commercially produced foods have been involved in outbreaks.
Botulinum toxin causes paralysis, which if left untreated will progresses symmetrically downward, usually starting with the eyes and face, to the throat, chest and extremities. When the diaphragm and chest muscles become fully involved, respiration is inhibited and death from asphyxia results.
Mortality
Very high as a percentage of cases.
Cases
Other Links
Salmonella Information from the CDC
Yersiniosis (yersinia enterocolitica)
Found in meats and raw milk. Occurrences of the pathogen within the food supply is rare unless a breakdown occurs in food processing techniques. The Center for Disease Control estimates that about 17,000 cases occur annually in the USA. In most cases the exact cause of contamination is unkown but is likely linked to poor sanitation and improper sterilization techniques by food handlers, including improper storage.
Mortality
Extremely rare
Cases
Dec. 1981 - Feb. 1982. Y. enterocolitica enteritis in King County, Washington caused by ingestion of tofu, a soybean curd. FDA investigators and researchers determined the source of the infection to be an non-chlorinated water supply. Manufacturing was halted until uncontaminated product was produced.
June 11 to July 21, 1982. Y. enterocolitica outbreak in Arkansas, Tennessee, and Mississippi associated with the consumption of pasteurized milk. FDA personnel participated in the investigation, and presumptively identified the infection source to be externally contaminated milk containers.
Other Links
Yersiniosis Information from the FDA
C. Jejuni (campylobacter jejuni)
The most common bacterial cause of diarrhea in the U.S. Campylobacter frequently contaminates raw chicken, with an estimated 20 to 100% of retail chickens being contaminated. Raw milk is also a source of infections. The bacteria are often carried by healthy cattle and by flies on farms. Non-chlorinated water may also be a source of infections.
Mortality
Campylobacter effects over 1 million people in the U.S. every year with an estimate of 100 people dying from infections every year.
Other Links
C. Jejuni Information from the CDC
Shigella
Accounts for less than 10% of the reported outbreaks of foodborne illness in this country. An estimated 300,000 cases of shigellosis occur annually in the U.S. The number attributable to food is unknown, but given the low infectious dose, it is probably substantial.
Contamination of salads (potato, tuna, shrimp, macaroni, and chicken), raw vegetables, dairy products, and poultry is most common. These foods are usually tainted through the fecal-oral route. Unsanitary handling by food handlers are the most common causes of contamination.
Cases
Outbreak associated with eating fresh parsley