Microorganisms in Foods: Dr. Ponnusamy

Department of Food Science
Lecture 12: March 4, 2013

Microorganisms in Foods
Lecture 12

March 4, 2013
Dr. Ponnusamy

Food Microbiology
The Beneficial Microorganisms..
Probiotics
Prebiotics
The Not-So-Beneficial Microorganisms..
Food borne Illness
Food Spoilage
Food borne pathogens


The Good and Bad of Microorganisms

Harmful effects:
Food borne diseases
Food infections
Food poisoning
Viral borne
infections
Food spoilage

Beneficial effects:
Fermentation
Cheese
Yogurt
Fermented sausages
Wine
Sauerkraut
Probiotics

Lets start with the GOOD bacteria..

PRO- & PRE- BIOTICS
FOR THE COLON

The friendly bacteria for fermentation
are called the probiotics (pro-life)
Certain fibers in food, called
prebiotics, specifically support these
probiotic bacteria.

Foods for Colon Health
Probiotics: Live bacteria
Improve intestinal microbial balance
Yogurt live with active cultures


Probiotics
Means for life
Live microorganisms which when administered in
adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the
host
Source: FAO/WHO Report October 2001
Bifidobacterium
adolescentis
http://microbewiki.kenyon.edu
http://www.gutflora.org
Lactobacillus rhamnosus
http://www.institut-rosell-lallemand.com
Saccharomyces boulardii

Foods for Colon Health
Prebiotics: Fiber
Stimulate growth of beneficial bacteria in
colon
Inulin, Polydextrose, Resistant starch
Sources: yogurts fortified with prebiotics,
wheat, whole grain and dairy products,
legumes, leafy greens, artichokes,
bananas, berries, chicory, garlic, honey,
leeks, onions to name a few


Why abnormal gut microflora?

Type 2 diabetes
Cancer
Coronary heart
disease
Cholesterol
Obesity
Digestive disorders
(IBD)
Allergies
Common cold
Infections
Diarrhea
Lactose intolerance
Impaired immunity

Smoking
Western type diet
Age
Physical activity level
Public health
practices
Smaller Families
Premature delivery
Cesarean section
Perinatal antibiotic use
Lack of breastfeeding

Health Conditions

Abnormal
gut
microbiota
Factors

The Good Microorganisms: Probiotics
Human probiotics:
where?
Gastro-intestinal
Skin
Scalp
Oral cavity
Underarm and feet
Urogenital
including vaginal
Expected Benefits with
Consumption

Increased tolerance to infections
Control of diarrhea
Reduction of blood pressure
Cholesterol reduction
Allergy control
Immunomodulation
Cancer reduction
http://www.cook.rutgers.edu/~dbm/foodMicrobiologynp.pdf

ACTION OF PROBIOTICS

Global Probiotic Market
The market is currently valued at $22.6 billion and
projected to reach $28.8 billion in 2015
Target consumers are mainly located in Japan,
Europe and USA
Growth factors include:
Consumer understanding of the effect of
nutrition on health
Rising healthcare costs

Source: Global Probiotic Market to Grow Analyst. FLEXNEWS. 27 Sept 2010. Web. 27 Sept 2010.

Probiotic Products
Dairy foods
Beverages, yogurt, kefir, ice cream, cheese
Non-dairy foods
Beverages, bars, chocolate, cereal, pizza,
condiments
Dietary supplements
Infant formula, drops, tablets, capsules, powders
Clinical therapeutics

Rapid Emergence of Probiotics
The reported health benefits of probiotic bacteria
found in cultured and dairy products include:
improving digestive absorption
cleaning the intestinal tract
production of enzymes
increasing the availability of vitamins and
nutrients- especially vitamin B, vitamin K, lactase,
fatty acids and calcium

Probiotics

Probiotic Market Overview
Source: Nexis - Dairy Field, March 2007, Euromonitor Industry Profile Global Dairy Products Market, October 2006
The total international probiotic market in yogurts, kefirs and
fermented dairy beverages translates to $10 billion with
growing annual sales*

US Sales of probiotics was estimated to be approximately
$764 million and was expected to rise to $1.1 billion in 2010
an average annual growth rate (AAGR) of 7.1%**

The appeal of such benefits served to bolster yogurt sales
significantly in a number of markets and made probiotic
yogurt the second fastest growing dairy products category,
with CAGR growth of more than 16%, between 1998 and
2005***
*Dairy Field, 2006; **Business Communications Company (BCC) Research, 2005; ***Euromonitor


The Not-So-Beneficial Microorganisms

The Not-So-Beneficial Microorganisms
The ones that cause:
Food borne Illnesses
Food intoxications
Food infections
Food Poisoning
Food Spoilage


Foodborne Illness
Illness occurring as a result of ingesting food or
water contaminated with:
1. Infectious agents
Bacteria, molds, yeasts
Viruses, prions
Parasites
2. A toxin or chemical
Bacterial toxin
Pesticides, Heavy metals
Other chemical contaminants

Harmful: Food Infection vs. Food Poisoning
Food infection
Live cells delivered by contaminated food;
organism multiply once food is ingested
Salmonella; E. coli
Food poisoning (intoxication)
Caused by preformed toxin in the food;
organism may or may not be alive and
growing
Clostridium botulinum ; Staphylococcus aureus

FINDINGS: CDC Estimates of Food
borne Illness in the United States- 2011

CDC estimates that each year roughly 1 in
6 Americans (or 48 million people) gets
sick, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000
die of food borne diseases.

CDC has estimates for two major groups of
foodborne illnesses:
Known foodborne pathogens 31
pathogens known to cause foodborne illness.
Many of these pathogens are tracked by
public health systems that track diseases and
outbreaks.

Unspecified agents
Agents with insufficient data to estimate agent-
specific burden; known agents not yet identified
as causing foodborne illness;
microbes, chemicals, or other substances
known to be in food whose ability to cause
illness is unproven; and agents not yet
identified.
Because you cant track what isnt yet
identified, estimates for this group of agents
started with the health effects or symptoms that
they are most likely to cause
acute gastroenteritis.


CDC Estimated Data on Foodborne
Disease in the United States- 2011
From : W_Fanaselle FDA, CFSAN
Top 5 Pathogens
Estimated number of
hospitalizations
Salmonella,
nontyphoidal
19,336
Norovirus 14,663
Campylobacter spp. 8,463
Toxoplasma gondii 4,428
E.coli (STEC) O157 2,138

CDC Estimated Data on Foodborne
Disease in the United States- 2011
From : W_Fanaselle FDA, CFSAN
Top 5 Pathogens
Estimated number of
deaths
Salmonella,
nontyphoidal
378
Toxoplasma gondii 327
Listeria monocytogenes 255
Norovirus 149
Campylobacter spp. 76

Specific Product Concerns
Produce
Imported foods
Juice
Eggs
Raw milk


2006 Nationwide Outbreak of E. coli

Source: Spinach
Illness in 26 states
204 cases of illness reported to the CDC
31 cases involving a type of kidney
failure
104 hospitalizations and 3 deaths
Four implicated fields on Four ranches
Cause: Cattle and pig feces

2008-9 Peanut Salmonella Recall
More than 31 million pounds
125 items affected in salmonella probe
Case count is 677 in 45 states with latest confirmed, most
recent reported illness beginning on February 8, 2009
The outbreak is continuing, though the numbers of new cases
have declined modestly since December.
FDA and CDC are concerned that illness will continue to
occur if people eat recalled peanut-containing products that
are still on their shelves at home.
Consumers should check at home for recalled peanut butter
containing products and discard them.
Major national brands of jarred peanut butter found in grocery
stores are NOT on the Peanut Corporation of America (PCA)
recall list.
http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/typhimurium/update.html

Listeria outbreak
In 2011, a Listeria outbreak in cantaloupe
caused 30 deaths and 146 illnesses across 28
states.
Listeria is particularly dangerous because it
lives in soil, infecting the inside of cantaloupe as
well as the outside.
Additionally, it thrives in cold temperatures (such
as refrigerator).


Outbreaks Involving Raw Milk

Outbreaks from dairy products was studied from
1993 to 2006 in all 50 states

CDC Reports: The rate of outbreaks caused by
unpasteurized milk (often called raw milk) and
products made from it was 150 times greater
than outbreaks linked to pasteurized milk

http://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2012/p0221_raw_milk_outbreak.html

Safety Concerns over Raw Milk
Raw milk product outbreaks led to much more
severe illnesses, and disproportionately affected
people under age 20.
60 percent of patients were younger than age 20;
children are more likely than
adults to get seriously ill
from the bacteria in raw milk.
Consuming raw milk is not
worth the risk


Safety Concerns over Raw Milk
13% of patients in raw milk outbreaks were
hospitalized compared to 1 percent in
pasteurized milk outbreaks.
Raw milk outbreaks were all caused by bacteria,
such as E. coli O157, which tend to produce
more severe illnesses, according to the study.
Pasteurized milk and cheese outbreaks were
often caused by relatively mild infections like
norovirus and Staphylococcus aureus.
www.cdc.gov/eid ; http://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/rawmilk/raw-milk-index.html.


Spoilage Microorganisms in Foods
Food Spoilage Microorganisms: bacteria, yeasts,
molds (yeasts and molds are fungi)
It is important to be able to distinguish food borne illness
from food spoilage
Food borne illness occurs
when food is eaten which
looks normal, smells normal
and tastes normal: you eat
enough to make you ill from
the ingested pathogens or
toxins
Spoiled food may not
normally cause food
poisoning because it is
rejected by the
consumer before
ingestion

Microbial Food Spoilage = Changes in Food Quality
Odor
due to production of volatile end compounds
Color
pigment production or oxidation
Texture
softening due to the breakdown of pectin in
vegetables or the tissues by proteinases
Accumulation of gas
carbon dioxide, sulfur compounds
Slime formation
production of dextrans and/or amount of
microorganisms

Microbial foodborne illness
Symptoms:
Mild: abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea,
vomiting
Severe:
spontaneous abortion
hemolytic uremic syndrome
arthritis
kidney failure and death


Timeline of Foodborne Illness
Best case: 6 days
Worst case: 23 days
http://ocw.jhsph.edu/courses/nutritionalhealthfoodproductionandenvironment/PDFs/FoodEnv-sec7f_Schwab_GrahamOCW.pdf

Pathogens in Foods

A pathogen is a microorganism capable of producing a
disease

Bacteria

Viruses

Molds

Prions

Parasites


Where from microorganisms come into
foods?
CONTAMINATION
Soil, contaminated water
Oral-fecal route
WASH HANDS AFTER VISITING
THE BATHROOM!!!!
Improper food handling
FOOD HANDLERS WHO ARE
UNWELL
Improper temperature of food storage
Improper cooking temperatures


Harmful: Bacterial Pathogens of Public
Health Concern
Escherichia coli
Clostridium botulinum
Salmonella species
Campylobacter
species
Listeria species
Staphylococcus
aureus

Aeromonas
hydrophila
Bacillus cereus
Shigella species
Vibrio spp.
Yersinia
enterocolitica

http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~comm/ift-over.html

Viruses in Foods
Do not grow on foods

When consumed in foods, they can
multiply in the human body
Cause food-borne illness


Viruses in foods
Norovirus: gastroenteritis or stomach flu
Destroyed by cooking
Water, salads, raw shellfish: potential carriers
Hepatitis A
Contagious viral disorder
Inflammation of liver, jaundice, abdominal
pain
Contaminated water, shell fish
Vaccine available

Molds in Foods
Grow on breads, cheese,
fruits
Produce toxins,
leading to food intoxication

If a food appears suspiciously moldy, simply
discard it!

Moldy bread


Parasites in foods
Some are single-celled and tiny
Example: Toxoplasma
Some are worms
Tape-wormscitihealth.com Flat-wormsanimalcorner.co.uk


Prions in Foods sussex.ac.uk
An infectious protein particle
Folding of proteins
is abnormal
Not a microorganism


PRIONS
IN
FOODS
Prions are the cause of mad cow disease
BSE : Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
Caused by eating cow infected with this prion
Mood swings leading to dementia and death


Prevention of Deleterious Microbes

Knowledge and Action
Food Handling and Food Processing

Prevention of microbial
illnesses of foods
Prevent contamination
Knowledge of how
contamination occurs
Handle, store, prepare
foods safely

Preventive measures for Outbreaks
At the field
Irrigation water
Proximity to cattle, pig, and other animal ranches
Farm worker access to portable toilets and hand
washing facilities
At the processing plant
Decontamination steps
Distribution
Maintaining appropriate temperatures
Consumer education

HACCP (hah- sup)
Hazard Analysis of Critical Control Points

A tool useful in the prevention of food safety
hazards
HACCP is not a stand alone program.
HACCP program also includes:
good manufacturing practices
sanitation standard operating procedures
personal hygiene program.
A flow diagram of the complete process is
important in conducting the hazard analysis.


Principles of HACCP: VIDEO
1. Hazard analysis
2. identify critical control points
3. establish critical limits
4. monitor critical control points
5. establish corrective action
6. Record- keeping
7. Verification


HACCP: Summing up
Not a standalone program
Identifies critical control points
Specific to a particular food service
operation and establishment
Continuous and systematic approach to
assure food safety.
Both FDA and USDA are proposing
umbrella regulations which will require
HACCP plans of industry.


Safe Food Storage and Preparation

5 Major Risk Factors of Food Safety
1. Poor personal hygiene
2. Improper holding temperatures
3. Inadequate cooking:
i.e. undercooking raw shell eggs
4. Contaminated equipment
5. Food from unsafe sources


Fight Bac: Educating Consumers

www.fightbac.org

Proper food storage starts at the store
Shop for shelf-stable items such as canned and dry
goods first
Buy refrigerated and frozen foods and hot deli items
last
Don't choose meat, fish, poultry or dairy products that
feel warm to the touch or have a damaged or torn
package
Place leaking packages in plastic bags
Choose only pasteurized dairy products
Choose only refrigerated eggs
Check "sell-by" and use by dates on packages
Buy intact cans that are not bulging, leaking or dented
on the seam or rim
http://www.fmi.org/consumer/foodkeeper/general.htm

SAFE FOOD HANDLING: VIDEO

REMEMBER!

Cooking:
www.foodsafety.gov

REMEMBER!
Thawing :
Frozen foods should be thawed in
the refrigerator or microwave to
ensure safety
Spoilage:
Both low and high temperatures
are used to prevent food spoilage

Take care: Guidelines for Leftovers

REMEMBER THE PRINCIPLE: FAT TOM
Food: medium for microorganism to grow
Acidity: lower pH of food; prevents bacterial growth
in foods
Time: cook and store for recommended time
Temperature: high temperature kills bacteria; low
temperatures stop their growth
Oxygen: packaging eliminates oxygen, so few or no
bacteria
Moisture: dry the food and prevent bacterial growth

How to preserve foods

awakeandliving.com

Methods of food preservation
Heating to kill, slow and stop bacteria in
foods:
1. Pasteurization: kills pathogenic bacteria,
reduces number of microbes, but some bacteria
survive; refrigeration storage needed
heating the milk briefly to 161 F for about 20
seconds, to kill disease-causing microbes
(e.g., Salmonella, Escherichia
coli O157,Campylobacter) that can be found
in raw milk.


Pasteurization
Pasteurization does not significantly
change the nutritional value of milk
pasteurized milk is rich in proteins,
carbohydrates, and other nutrients.
Heat slightly affects a few of the vitamins
found in milk-- thiamine, vitamin B12, and
vitamin C.
Foods that can be pasteurized: eggs,
milk, juices, spices, ice creams

Methods of Food Preservation
Heating to kill, slow and stop bacteria in
foods: (examples: juices, milk, eggs)
2. Aseptic processing: sterilize food in a
sterilized package using sterile process;
longer shelf life than pasteurized foods;
room temperature storage
3. Canning: Foods sealed into cans and
then heated to a high temperature (above
100C). Microbes in the food killed; sealed
can prevents fresh contamination; Spores
may survive


Methods of food preservation
4. Irradiation: cold pasteurization
Food exposed to x-rays, high-energy
electrons to kill microorganisms, insects,
inactivate enzymes
Germination and ripening delayed
Poultry, red meats, flour, spices, potatoes,
fruits, vegetables, grains can be irradiated
Increases safety and shelf-life of foods
Does not produce radioactive foods; no
potential risks


Reducing the growth of microbes

Many methods of food preservation are
used.
Processes such as fermentation, drying,
pickling, all attempt to remove one or
more of the factors necessary for the
growth of food-spoiling microbes.

FAT TOM


Fermentation preserves & produces
foods like

Cheese
Yogurt
Fermented
sausages
Wine
& many more..

Microorganisms in Foods: Dr. Ponnusamy

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Department of Food Science

Lecture 12: March 4, 2013

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