The main bacteria that cause food infections via colonization in the intestinal via colonization in the intestinal tract are Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, Yersinia enterocolitica and Shigella.
None of the bacteria can multiply in food or water or indeed outside the body of the host in which they developed. If they occur in food or water, one hopes that they will be inactivated or killed before they can infect a consumer or the vehicle.
There are a number of reasons and sources which result in the prevalence of bacterial contamination in food products, such as:
*Premises which are difficult to clean
*Lack of staff discipline
*Incorrect staff and product flow
*Poor air quality
*Incorrect direction of air movement
Food that is cooked and then not contaminated before being served is unlikely to serve as a vehicle for most of the bacteria.
Salmonella is the second most common cause of illness traced to contaminated foods and water. Foods most susceptible to Salmonella contamination are meat, fish, poultry, eggs and dairy products.
Much of the bacterial contamination of foods in restaurants, commissary kitchens and commercial processors are due to the poor personal hygiene of workers. Failure to wash hands after using the bathroom, sneezing and coughing into food, and picking noses and skin blemishes can all transmit pathogenic bacteria to food.
Bacterial contamination of food
