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Food borne illness is an ever-present threat that can be prevented with proper care and handling of food products. It is estimated that between 24 and 81 million cases of food borne diarrhea disease occur each year in the United States, costing between $5 billion and $17 billion in medical care and lost productivity. Chemicals, heavy metals, parasites, fungi, viruses and bacteria can cause food borne illness. Bacteria related food poisoning is the most common, but fewer than 20 of the many thousands of different bacteria actually are the culprits. More than 90 percent of the cases of food poisoning each year are caused by Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella, Clostridium perfringens, Campylobacter, Listeria monocytogenes, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Bacillus cereus, and Entero-pathogenic Escherichia coli. These bacteria are commonly found on many raw foods. Normally a large number of food-poisoning bacteria must be present to cause illness. Therefore, illness can be prevented by (1) controlling the initial number of bacteria present, (2) preventing the small number from growing, (3) destroying the bacteria by proper cooking and (4) avoiding re-contamination. Poor personal hygiene, improper cleaning of storage and preparation areas and unclean utensils cause contamination of raw and cooked foods. Mishandling of raw and cooked foods allows bacteria to grow. The temperature range in which most bacteria grow is between 40 degrees F (5 degrees C) and 140 degrees F (60 degrees C). Raw and cooked foods should not be kept in this danger zone any longer than absolutely necessary. Undercooking or improper processing of home-canned foods can cause very serious food poisoning. Since food-poisoning bacteria are often present on many foods, knowing the characteristics of such bacteria is essential to an effective control program. Food poisoning is caused by eating foods contaminated by harmful organisms, such as bacteria, parasites, or viruses. Symptoms of food poisoning usually include nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. An estimated 76 million people get food poisoning each year in the U.S. The vast majority of food poisoning cases are mild and require only rest at home and extra fluids. However, every year an estimated 325,000 people are hospitalized, usually for dehydration. In rare cases, such as botulism, food poisoning can be life-threatening. Mass-scale food production, a larger at-risk population, and the global distribution of foods are factors that have increased the threat of becoming ill from contaminated food. U.S. Food and Drug Administration surveys show 20 per cent to 100 per cent of chickens in grocery stores carry bacteria that can make people sick if they are not cooked thoroughly.
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