intro to_fd safety_avian flu

-What is foOd SafEty?

1) Protecting the food supply from microbial, chemical (ie rancidity, browning) and physical (ie drying out, infestation) hazards or contamination that may occur during all stages of food production and handling-growing, harvesting, processing, transporting, preparing, distributing and storing. The goal of food safety monitoring is to keep food wholesome.


Rhode island food safety education. (2000). Glossary. Retrieved April 2, 2007 from www.uri.edu/ce/ceec/food/factsheets/glossary.html

2) Food safety is a scientific discipline describing the handling, preparation, and storage of food in ways that prevent Foodborne illness.


Wikipedia. (2007). Food safety. Retrieved April 2, 2007 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_safety


-What is AvIan fLu?

Avian refers to birds and flu refers to influenza. Avian flu is casued by influenza virus type A and of which two affects birds, they are the H5 and H7 subtypes 1.
These virus causes serious diseases and may be fatal.


-What are the SymPtOms of human flu?

Human flu symptoms are:

fever
cough
sore throat
muscle aches
conjunctivitis
Cases of bird flu are more likely to cause breathing problems and pneumonia, and can be fatal.


BUPA. (2005). Health news - Avian flu (bird flu). Retrieved on April 2, 2007 from http://www.bupa.co.uk/health_information/html/health_news/250205avianflu.html


-PrEveNtIve mEasUreS for avian flu

A new system has been developed to kill the virus that causes avain influenza by pasteurising raw eggs to destroy the dangerous Salmonella enteritidis bacteria.

-cOnseQueNces for consuming eggs contaminated with Salmonella

Salmonella can cause potentially lethal diarrhoea


South Africa. (2005). Killing salmonella, avian flu in eggs. Retrieved on April 2, 2007 from http://www.southafrica.info/ess_info/sa_glance/health/update/eggs-171105.htm


-mOrE abt avian flu...

It has been discovered that by cooking poultry at or above 70°Celsius throughout the product, this is to ensure that no meat remains raw and red, and is a safe measure to kill the H5N1 virus in areas with outbreaks in poultry. This ensures that there is no active virus remaining if the live bird has been infected and has mistakenly entered the food chain. To date, there is no epidemiological evidence that people have become infected after eating contaminated poultry meat that has been properly cooked.

as for EgGs..

Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus can only be found on the surface of eggs laid by infected birds. Alnd usually sick birds will normally stop producing eggs, and eggs laid in the early phase of the disease could contain viruses in the egg-white and yolk as well as on the surface of the shell.

Proper cooking inactivates the virus present inside the eggs. Pasteurization used by industry for liquid egg products is also effective in inactivating the virus.

Eggs from areas with outbreaks in poultry should be thoroughly cooked and not be consumed raw or partially cooked (i.e., with runny yolk)o date, there is no epidemiological evidence to suggest that people have been infected with avian influenza by consumption of eggs or egg products.


-Recommended good hygienic practices to reduce exposure to the virus in areas with outbreaks in poultry:

1) No birds from flocks with disease should enter the food chain.
2) Do not eat raw poultry parts, including raw blood, or raw eggs in or from areas with outbreaks in poultry.
3) Separate raw meat from cooked or ready-to-eat foods to avoid contamination. Do not use the same chopping board or the same knife.
4) Do not handle both raw and cooked foods without washing your hands in between and do not place cooked meat back on the same plate or surface it was on prior to cooking. Do not use raw or soft-boiled eggs in food preparations that will not be heat treated or cooked.
5) Keep clean and wash your hands. After handling frozen or thawed raw poultry or eggs, wash your hands thoroughly with soap.
6) Wash and disinfect all surfaces and utensils that have been in contact with the raw meat.
7) Cook thoroughly: Thorough cooking of poultry meat will inactivate the virus. Either ensure that the poultry meat reaches 70°C at the centre of the product (“piping” hot) or that the meat is not pink in any part. Egg yolks should not be runny or liquid.


World Health Organization. (2005). No bird flu risk for consumers from properly cooked poultry and eggs. Retrieved on April 2, 2007 from http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2005/pr66/en/


3) What ingredients in frozen cakes might be affected by avian flu?

Eggs and egg yolks are the major ingredients in frozen cakes that might be affected by avain flu, however as mention by WHO, eggs that undergo high heat treatment will have the virus killed. And in the frozen cake, the batter is heated at high temperature so it can be assumed that the pathogenic virus on eggs are removed in this case.


-other reLevAnT siTes...

-http://www.foodsafety.gov/