Инструкция по управлению перекрестными загрязнениями

• What Is
  • What is cross-contamination?
• Foodborne Pathogens
  • What harmful components can be transmitted through cross-contamination?
• Types of Cross-Contamination
  • What are the different types of cross-contamination?
• Eating Cross-Contaminated Food
  • What happens if I eat cross-contaminated food?
• Prevention
  • How can I prevent cross-contamination?

What is cross-contamination?

Cross-contamination, the transmission of bacteria, toxins, and other contaminants to foods, is one of the leading causes of food poisoning. However, it’s relatively easy to avoid, as forming a particular set of habits will help eliminate cross-contamination within your house. Here’s what you need to know.

Cross-contamination is the spread of bacteria, viruses, and other harmful components from one surface to another. Usually, this transfer happens due to not disinfecting and sterilizing surfaces and equipment. While any surface can be contaminated, the biggest worry comes from cross-contaminating foods.

To understand cross-contamination, imagine cutting raw chicken. Raw meat contains several contaminants, most of which are killed when you cook the meat. Yet, these contaminants are also on the surface of the knife — where they can stay active for a long time. If you use the same knife to cut a vegetable that won’t then be cooked, you risk eating active contaminants.

Eating these contaminants can lead to foodborne illness. Foodborne illness is caused by consuming food or water contaminated with pathogenic bacteria, viruses, or parasites. Each year, there are an estimated 48 million cases of foodborne illness in the United States. About 3,000 result in death.

Cross-contamination can be prevented by following good food safety practices. These include washing hands and surfaces often, using separate cutting boards for raw meat, vegetables, and cooked food, and cooking meat to the proper temperature. However, the greatest danger comes from cross-contamination before food reaches your hands.

What harmful components can be transmitted through cross-contamination?

Hundreds of different contaminants can be transmitted from surface to surface. From bacteria to allergens, the degree of danger they present often depends on the person eating the contaminated food and the number and type of contaminants present. 

The most common contaminants involved in cross-contamination are bacteria and viruses — which make up most cases of food poisoning. However, parasites such as protozoa and tapeworms can also be spread from surface to surface. Similarly, although less common, is the cross-contamination of toxins and molds, which contain chemical and natural toxins.

Finally, allergens can also spread through cross-contamination. For example, a peanut allergy may be triggered by other foods that were near, or in direct contact, with peanuts. Allergen-related cross-contamination isn’t a problem for everyone, but one must take extreme care if aware of any allergies.

What are the different types of cross-contamination?

Experts agree that there are three different types of cross-contamination in food — food-to-food, people-to-food, and equipment-to-food. While not all of these are under your control, it’s important to know how each can happen and their consequences.

Food-to-food

The most obvious type of cross-contamination involves food-to-food contact. For example, if you place a vegetable near a raw steak and they wind up touching, the vegetable can be contaminated. Similar occurrences may happen in the fridge, where a dripping piece of raw meat may leak contaminated liquid onto another food.

People-to-food

Another common form of cross-contamination involves people-to-food transmission. People can also transfer contaminants from one food to another in many ways, from using the bathroom without washing their hands to not disinfecting after manipulating raw meats. Naturally, you can avoid this in your own home — but not so much in a packing facility, grocery store, or restaurant.

Equipment-to-food

Finally, equipment-to-food cross-contamination is also possible and acts similarly to people-to-food. By not disinfecting and cleaning knives, cutting boards, and other utensils between each use, one can transfer contaminants from one food to another. 

What happens if I eat cross-contaminated food?

Cross-contamination can cause a myriad of symptoms and side effects, most often including vomiting and dehydration. Due to the vast number of contaminants transmitted through cross-contamination, it’s impossible to determine specific symptoms for everyone. However, some side effects seem to be common for most people.

Foodborne illnesses usually cause:

• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Fever
• Abdominal pain
• Headaches 

These symptoms are treated individually by prescribing specific medications, such as antidiarrheal drugs or antispasmodics. Antibiotics may also be prescribed to attack the infection directly. However, doctors may also choose not to use drugs and wait for the body to get rid of the infection by itself. 

In cases of severe food poisoning, you may need to stay in the hospital for a set period. Serious cases of foodborne illness involve severe diarrhea and vomiting, two symptoms that can cause serious dehydration and malnourishment when combined. Staying at the hospital will allow doctors to counteract this through intravenous injections.

SOURCES:

American Family Physician: «Diagnosis and Management of Foodborne Illness.»

Boulder County Public Health: «Cross Contamination.»

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: «Body Art: Reduce Cross-Contamination,» «Food Safety Education Month.»

EatRight: «4 Simple Steps to Keep Food Safe.»

FoodSafety: «Food Poisoning.»