10 things to know about bacteria

October 21, 8:07 AMSt. Louis Healthy Living ExaminerCJ Spencer

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The top 10 things to know about bacteria are, Bacteria:

1. are single-celled living microorganisms that can spoil food and cause foodborne illness.  Bacteria are one of the biggest threats to food safety.   Under the right conditions, bacteria can multiply quickly to dangerous levels. This is especially true when food is not properly handled, prepared, thawed, cooked, reheated, stored, or frozen.
2. are germs that can be found in a variety of places including: food, water, soil, animals, and humans.
3. may change into another form called "spores" (in some cases).
4. may survive freezing and/or may not be destroyed by cooking (in some cases).
5. grows best on raw meats, poultry, and seafood; also grows best on produce grown in contaminated soil (i.e., spinach, lettuce, tomatoes, spouts, melons, etc.).
6. are known to cause: diarrhea, abdominal pain/cramps, nausea, vomiting, and fever.
7. like the other foodborne microorganisms (viruses, parasites, and fungi), may be divided into two groups: spoilage (mold) and pathogens (illness-causing microorganisms). Also, like the others, may be classified as infection, intoxication, or toxin-mediated.
8. have fancy names such as: Salmonella spp., Shigella spp., Listeria monocytogenes, Bacillus cereus Gastroenteritis, Staphylococcus aureus, Clostridium botulinum, and Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli, etc.
9. create commonly known illnesses such as: Salmonella poisoning, Shigellosis, Listeriosis, Bacillus cereus, Staph Infection, Botulism, and E. coli.
10. may be prevented by making sure that foods are properly cooked to the required minimum internal temperatures, making sure foods are held and cooled at the right temperatures, avoiding cross-contamination, making sure that sick people (especially those with diarrhea) don’t handle food, throwing out outdated/expired foods, and discarding damaged or rusted can goods.

If a certain food or beverage is suspected of causing someone to have diarrhea and a high fever, prolonged vomiting, signs of dehydration, or other out-of-the-ordinary symptoms, a health care provider should be contacted.

 Please visit this channel often for related articles and prevention material.

Related sites: 

CDC information

FDA "Bad Bug Book"

more on foodborne illness

foodborne illness prevention

FightBac! Food Safety Glossary