Bacteria - E. coli

E. coli is the name of a type of bacteria that lives in your intestines and in the intestines of animals. Although most types of E. coli are harmless, some types can make you sick. 

The worst type of E. coli, known as E. coli O157:H7, causes bloody diarrhea and can sometimes cause kidney failure and even death. E. coli O157:H7 makes a toxin called Shiga toxin and is known as a Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC).  There are many other types of STEC, and some can make you just as sick as E. coli O157:H7. 

One severe complication associated with E. coli infection is hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). The infection produces toxic substances that destroy red blood cells, causing kidney injury. HUS can require intensive care, kidney dialysis, and transfusions.

Sources	Contaminated food, especially undercooked ground beef, unpasteurized (raw) milk and juice, soft cheeses made from raw milk, and raw fruits and vegetables (such as sprouts) Contaminated water, including drinking untreated water and swimming in contaminated water Animals and their environment: particularly cows, sheep, and goats. If you don’t wash your hands carefully after touching an animal or its environment, you could get an E. coli infection Feces of infected people
Incubation Period	1-10 days
Symptoms	Severe diarrhea that is often bloody, severe abdominal pain, and vomiting. Usually, little or no fever is present.  Symptoms of HUS include decreased urine production, dark or tea-colored urine, and facial pallor.
Duration of Illness	5-10 days. Most people will be better in 6-8 days.  If HUS develops, it usually occurs after about 1 week.
What Do I Do?	Drink plenty of fluids and get rest. If you cannot drink enough fluids to prevent dehydration or if your symptoms are severe (including blood in your stools or severe abdominal pain), call your doctor. Antibiotics should not be used to treat this infection.
How Can I Prevent It?	Avoid eating high-risk foods, especially undercooked ground beef, unpasteurized milk or juice, soft cheeses made from unpasteurized milk, or alfalfa sprouts. Use a food thermometer to make sure that ground beef has reached a safe internal temperature of 160° F. Wash hands before preparing food, after diapering infants, and after contact with cows, sheep, or goats, their food or treats, or their living environment . Source: Foosafety.gov

When Preparing Convenience Foods, Cook It Safe!

1. Read and Follow Package Cooking Instructions

When you’re hungry and want something fast, it’s tempting to grab a convenience food item and zap it in the microwave without taking time to read the cooking instructions. But not following package cooking instructions can cause food to be undercooked. That can cause food poisoning,

 because harmful bacteria in the food may not be destroyed

Most convenience foods are not ready-to-eat products and must be properly cooked first. Reading the product label and package directions tells you whether the product needs to be thoroughly cooked or simply reheated. Be sure to follow all package instructions for microwaving food, such as covering or stirring the food or allowing a “stand time” between cooking the food and eating. These steps ensure the food is cooked evenly. Skipping these key cooking directions may allow harmful bacteria to survive and lead to foodborne illness.

2. Know When to Use a Microwave or Conventional Oven

It’s important to use the appliance the manufacturer recommends on the food package instructions. The instructions may call for cooking in a conventional oven, microwave, convection oven, or toaster oven. Instructions are set for a specific type of appliance and may not be applicable to all ovens.

Some pre-prepared products may appear to be fully cooked but actually consist of raw, uncooked product. It may be tempting to cook these foods quickly in a microwave, but doing so may result in unsafe food. Some convenience foods are shaped irregularly and vary in thickness, creating opportunities for uneven cooking. Even microwaves equipped with a turntable can cook unevenly and leave cold spots in the product, where harmful bacteria can survive.

3. Know Your Microwave Wattage

If your microwave’s wattage is lower than the wattage recommended in the package cooking instructions, it will take longer than the instructions specify to cook the food to a safe internal temperature. The higher the wattage of a microwave oven, the faster it will cook food. If you don't know the wattage of your oven, try looking on the inside of the oven's door, on the serial number plate on the back of the oven, or in the owner's manual. You can also do a Time-to-Boil test to estimate the wattage.

4. Use a Food Thermometer!

To be sure food has reached a temperature high enough to kill any bacteria that may be present, use a food thermometer and test the food in several places. This applies when cooking in microwaves or any other heat source. 

To calibrate your Thermometer, Chiller, Freezer and  all your equipments GHP Calibration Lab in Dubai, UAE


source: http://www.foodsafety.gov

Salmonella

Salmonella, the name of a group of bacteria, is one of the most common causes of food poisoning in the United States. Usually, symptoms last 4-7 days and most people get better without treatment. But, Salmonella can cause more serious illness in older adults, infants, and persons with chronic diseases.Salmonella is killed by cooking and pasteurization. Sources ·         Food: Contaminated eggs, poultry, meat, unpasteurized milk or juice, cheese, contaminated raw fruits and vegetables (alfalfa sprouts, melons), spices, and nuts ·         Animals and their environment: Particularly reptiles (snakes, turtles, lizards), amphibians (frogs), birds (baby chicks) and pet food and treats. Incubation Period 12-72 hours Symptoms Diarrhea, fever, abdominal cramps, vomiting Duration of Illness 4-7 days What Do I Do? Drink plenty of fluids and get rest. If you cannot drink enough fluids to prevent dehydration or if your symptoms are severe, call your doctor. Antibiotics may be necessary if the infection spreads from the intestines to the blood stream. How Can I Prevent It? ·         Avoid eating high-risk foods, including raw or lightly cooked eggs, undercooked ground beef or poultry, and unpasteurized milk ·         Keep food properly refrigerated before cooking. ·         Clean hands with soap and warm water before handling food. Clean surfaces before preparing food on them. ·         Separate cooked foods from ready-to-eat foods. Do not use utensils on cooked foods that were previously used on raw foods and do not place cooked foods on plates where raw foods once were unless it has been cleaned thoroughly. ·         Cook foods to a safe internal temperature. Use a meat thermometer to make sure foods are cooked to a safe temperature. ·         Chill foods promptly after serving and when transporting from one place to another. ·         Wash your hand after contact with animals, their food or treats, or their living environment. To test your Poultry foods in UAE :- GHP Food Testing and Calibration Lab Source: Foosafety.gov

GHP Food Testing - Microbiology Laboratory

GHP Quality Consultants' Lab is an approved Laboratory by the Dubai Government for Food Testing which provide services mainly in to  Food Industry. 

GHP Food Testing Laboratory is offering comprehensive range of services like Food Testing,  Environmental Monitoring & Testing. In Food Testing we mainly focus on Pathogen detection and analysis of Food Composition, Food contaminants, Food toxicants, Food additives, Water and Vitamins & Minerals.  

SERVICES

v   Food Testing

·             Pathogen Detection

·             Food Compositional Analysis

·             Food Contaminant & Toxicant Analysis

·             Food Additives Analysis

·             Vitamins and Minerals Analysis

·             Water Analysis 

For More Information Visit Here