Chapter 9 - Food-Related Causes Of Ill Health Flashcards
Bacteria?
Microscopic, single-celled living organisms, some of which cause food poisoning.
Contaminate?
Making a food unsafe to eat by allowing it to come into contact with microbes that will grow and multiply in it.
Cross-contamination?
How microbes are spread from one place onto some food.
Food spoilage?
When something happens which makes food unfit and unsafe to eat.
Micro-organism?
Tiny plants and animals that are only clearly visible under a microscope (also called microbes).
Moulds?
Tiny organisms, related to mushrooms.
Pathogenic?
Something that is capable of causing illness in people.
Toxins?
Another name for poisons; if something is toxic, it is poisonous.
Yeasts?
Microscopic single-celled fungi that ferment foods containing sugar.
What are the three main causes of (food related) ill health:
- Microbes.
- Chemicals, metals and poinsonous plants.
- Food allergies amd intolerances.
Microbes?
Bacteria, Moulds, and Yeasts - some of these cause food spoilage and contaminate (infect) food by growing invit, which makes the food unfit and unsafe to eat.
Chemicals, metals and poisonous plants?
These poison food by either mistakenly being added to it (chemicals); reacting with certain fooda (metals) or by producing toxins (plants).
Food allergies and intolerances?
These happen in a minority of people, who unfortunately react to something natural in a food (not a microbe or poison) and become ill as a result.
Microbes?
The word “microbe” is short for micro-organism, which means a tiny living plant or animal that you can only see clearly under microscope. As they are so small, microbes can get onto food and start growing (if the conditions are right) and multiplying in it, without being seen.
What microbes are not harmful to people?
- Some types of bacteria that are used to make cheese and yoghurt.
- Some types of yeast that are used to make bread and alcohol.
- Some types of mould that are used to make cheeses such as brie and blue stilton.
