6.4 Challenges and Strategies for Controlling Foodborne Pathogens

6.4.1 Improving harvesting practices for preventing contamination

Some critical measures include quality assurance programs on egg farms, using pasteurization, canning, cooking, irradiation, and other steps to eliminate pathogens during food processing. Much progress has been poured into focused on the safer processing of animals and plants after their slaughter or harvest.

Much of human infections (with regards to foodborne illnesses) are linked to minimal processing of foods.

There is little that consumers can do to protect themselves. Washing foods has little effect on contamination (and such contaminations are undetectable to begin with).

6.4.2 Bacteria grow rapidly at higher temperatures

Figure 6.16: Bacterial Growth Over a Few Hours

As seen in the above graphic, bacterial growth is exponential. Bacteria double their numbers at regular intervals and is geometric in progression - that is, the number of bacteria at generation \(n\) is \(2n\).

6.4.3 Potentially dangerous foods

Food that are considered dangerous include:

1. Raw and cooked meats
2. Dairy products and foods
3. Seafood
4. Processed fruits and vegetables
5. Cooked rice and pasta
6. Processed foods that include eggs
7. Foods that contain the above six bullet points.

6.4.3.1 Two hour rule

Figure 6.17: The Two / Four Hour Rule