Food hygiene practices

Codex Alimentarius (1997). Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme. International code of practice - general principles of food hygiene, in General Requirements (Food Hygiene), Codex Alimentarius (supplement to volume IB), FAO/WHO, Rome. 

In combination with good hygienic practices, the process is effective in enhancing food safety by reducing the numbers of pathogenic micro-organisms including Listeria, Salmonella... 

The purpose of the Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Program is to elaborate international standards for foods aimed at protecting the health of the consumer, to ensure fair practices in the food trade, and to facilitate international trade. In addition to compositional criteria and labeling, food standards incorporate provisions in respect to food hygiene. 

Acute viral diarrheal illness often occurs in day care centers and nursing homes. As person-to-person contact is the mechanism by which viral disease spreads, isolation techniques must be initiated. For bacterial, parasite, and protozoal infections, strict food handling, sanitation, water, and other environmental hygiene practices can prevent transmission. If diarrhea is secondary to another illness, controlling the primary condition is necessary. Antibiotics and bismuth subsalicylate are advocated to prevent traveler s diarrhea, in conjunction with treatment of drinking water and caution with consumption of fresh vegetables. 

HAV causes both epidemics and sporadic infections. Both are related to overcrowded conditions and person-to-person spread or ingestion of contaminated food or water. HAV is transmitted by the fecal-oral route. The incidence of HAV correlates directly with poor sanitary conditions and hygienic practices." For international travelers, longer lengths of stay in a country with a high rate of hepatitis A also correlates with increased risk. In the United States, groups at increased risk of HAV, in addition to travelers, include men who have sex... 

Ig should be given to previously unvaccinated people who have had (a) close personal contact with a person who has hepatitis A (b) all staff and attendees of day care centers when hepatitis A is documented (c) common-source exposures (other food handlers at locations where a food handler has hepatitis A patrons, if the infected food handler handled food and had diarrhea or poor hygienic practices) (d) classroom contacts of an index case patient and (e) schools, hospitals, and work settings at which close contact occnrs with index patients. ... 

Codex Alimentarius—Volume A, Recommended International Code of Practice—General Principles of Food Hygiene, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and World Health Organization, Rome, 1983. 

Measures of Control Good hygienic practices removing supportive substrates, especially food residues and spent compost and filtration of air through micron filters. 

These are cases from food service rather than food production. The article states [f]or each year from 1983 to 1987, the most commonly reported food preparation practice was improper storage or holding temperature, followed by poor personal hygiene of the foodhandler. They report that, of 127 total reports of bacterial incidents in 1983, 13.4% concluded poor personal hygiene was a contributing factor. The reports also noted from 1983 to 1987 that approximately 25% of cases were in the home, 32% in restaurants, 5% in schools, and 3% in churches [4],... 

The Committee noted that the use of ASC does not replace the need for good hygienic practices in handling and processing of food. 

The commonly involved organisms may be found in water, soil, and human and animal faeces and can be carried by insects or found in uncooked meats, poultry and seafood. Non-deliberate outbreaks are commonly associated with poor food hygiene and safety practices in restaurants or by food manufacturers. Individuals working in food preparation may transmit pathogens by the faecal-oral route. 

This practice went on until recently. Four hundred eighty-one formulations and compounds were included in the official list of pesticides permitted for use in agriculture from 1986-90 [14]. In 1990, the MPC and other health protocols were developed for only 127 pesticides in food products, 105 pesticides in bodies of water used for hygiene and drinking, 78 pesticides in fishery reservoirs, 31 pesticides in farm animal feed, 81 pesticides in the soil, and 119 pesticides in work zone air [1]. There were no MPCs for the remainder of the pesticides permitted for use and, according to existing rules, they should not have been used. Nevertheless, they were. 

Defensive Measures Immunizations, good personal hygiene, physical conditioning, use of repellents for arthropods, wearing protective mask, and practicing good sanitation. Spores can be killed by pressure-cooking food to be canned. 

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