9781422280447

Food safety

people become sick each year from eating contaminated foods, and 420,000 people across the globe die. Food contamination is not just a public health issue. It can strain a nation’s health-care system and rip apart its economy. Unsafe food creates disease and malnutrition, which impacts the youngest and eldest people in society. C ontamination 101 Most foodborne illnesses are highly infectious and toxic. They are caused by bacteria, viruses, parasites, and chemical contamination. There are many reasons why food becomes contaminated. For one thing, the germs that can make a person sick live in the intestines of healthy animals that we eat, including cows, pigs, chickens, turkeys, and fish. Meat and poultry can become contaminated during the slaughtering process. Fresh fruits and vegetables can be contaminated by animal manure and

Foodborne illnesses can easily be transmitted via cutting boards and knives if they are not washed thoroughly after each use.

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