Foodborne Illness

I will be discussing the bacteria Salmonella. Salmonella was discovered by an American scientist by the name of Salmon. The germs have caused illnesses for over 100 years. Thousands of cases are reported each year in the United States. The two most common bacteria causing this illness are Salmonella serotype Entertidis and Salmonella serotype Typhimurium and are more common in the summer rather than the winter. Approximately 400 people, the most susceptible being young children and the elderly, die each year to acute salmonellosis. Children under the age of five are the majority of cases reported amongst all ages. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) monitors the frequency of Salmonella infections in the country and assists the local and state health departments in investigating outbreaks and devising control measures. CDC.gov May 14, 2013.

Salmonella can be transmitted through food or water, depending on how the foods were handled. Feces may come into contact with poultry or raw meat when the animal is butchered. Seafood could be contaminated by harvesting in contaminated water. Raw eggs can be contaminated before the hard shell is formed and raw eggs are used in the making of mayonnaise and hollandaise sauce. Fresh produce can be contaminated if they are washed in contaminated water. If poultry or raw meat comes into contact with foods that are uncooked this could lead to contamination. Some pets may carry salmonella and a person needs to wash their hands after having contact in order to reduce the risk of contamination. Everyone should always wash their hands after having contact with any reptile or bird.

On October 5, 2012 the CDC announced a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium and Salmonella Newport. These infections were linked to cantaloupe. A total of 228 people infected with Salmonella Typhimurium and 33 people were infected with Salmonella Newport across 24 states. Out of the total of 261 people 94 were hospitalized. Three...