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What Is Food Safety?

human sewage. Those who handle food, such as cooks, waiters, and farm workers, can infect food if they don’t wash their hands properly. Raw food products can also cross-contaminate other food. Food can also become infected when germs are transferred from one surface to another. For example, germs can migrate from an unwashed knife or cutting board used to slice chicken to a slice of bread cut by the same knife or on the same cutting board. Bacterial microbes that cause disease can also latch on to food if not properly cooked or stored, or if it is allowed to spoil.

Educational Video

Food Safety Basics

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Foodborne illnesses can be passed on by parasites, viruses, and bacteria. Parasites are living organisms that feed off other organisms. Parasites can be transmitted from animals to humans, humans to humans, or humans to animals. Parasites can range in size from single-cell organisms that can only be seen under a microscope to creatures such as tapeworms that you can literally pick up and hold in your hand. Here are several different types of parasites: • Giardia duodenalis . This is a one-celled microscopic organism that makes both animals and people sick. It is found in every region of the world and is often transferred by drinking contaminated water. A person ingesting the parasite will often develop stomach cramps, gas, nausea, and diarrhea. In the most chronic cases, weight loss can occur. • Cryptosporidium parvum . This is a single-cell, shell-shaped parasite found in food and water. It most commonly makes its home in the intensities of sheep, cows, deer, and elk. It is also found in the soil and in water sources.

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