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Major Sources of Foodborne Pathogens
a) Ingredients and agricultural produceDue to their proximity to contaminants such as soil, water and air, agricultural produce can harbour a host of foodborne pathogens. Faecal coliforms form the bulk of these pathogens.
The most common strains that are usually associated with these contaminations include, Salmonella spp., Shigella spp., and Escherichia coli.
Meats are particularly contaminated. Fish vegetables, fruits and salads are not spared either. The pathogens can survive for long periods in the sewage water and infest the crops when such water is used to irrigate crop fields.
Sewage water also has high loads of heavy metals, which bio-accumulate in the crops and pass on to humans at the point of consumptions (CDC, 2018). Toxicity often arises when these elements exceed safe levels in the crops and eventually, in the consumers.
Rampant and careless use of antibiotics has led to an increased (unsafe even) levels of trace drugs in foods. The antibiotics applied for therapeutic purposes in poultry, fish, and beef are visible in meat and milk derived from these animals (Hoffmann, et al., 2017).
As a consequence, there has been multiple drug resistance, which jeopardizes the fight against food borne pathogens because the pathogens will eventually mutate into drug resistant strains and cause deaths in human consumers because they cannot be contained using any available antibiotic.
b) Prepared foodsThe popularity of ready-to-eat foods has shifted the preference from homemade foods to street prepared foods. The latter is characterized by inadequate hygiene since running clean water is lacking, there are limited toilet facilities, and the foods are not protected from flies.From studies, there is a direct link between diarrhoea cases and street foods. Cholera outbreaks in Kenya has been, on several occasions, been linked to street vended pork, poultry, and nyama choma (roasted meat).
The common factor in all these outbreaks has always been concerns over hygiene (Cowman, et al., 2017; Hoffmann, et al., 2017). This means that food preparation is a critical control point for foodborne illnesses and food poisoning.
Cooking should be done at adequate temperatures that will ensure the pathogenic microorganisms do not survive. The foods and the food handling equipment need to be washed properly.
The patrons need to wash their hands properly with soap before and after eating. There should be screens to protect the eating area from dust, flies and insects.
c) Food vendorsFood vendors play a crucial role in the food value chain. They are usually at the last mile of the chain, ensuring the food reaches the final consumer in a wholesome manner.Due to their close contact with the food items they vend, they are a potential hazard for foodborne pathogens. This is especially the case if the vendor in question has very little regard for hygiene (Shonhiwa, et al., 2018).
Food vendors need to be trained on food handling aspects that will ensure safe food delivery to the final consumer. They need to be regularly trained and certified to streamline food safety policies at the last mile of the food value chain.
They need to renew their food handlers’ certificate every six months to ensure they are not harbouring any potential pathogen, which they can transfer to the consumer unintentionally through food handling.
References- CDC. (2018). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Kenya Annual Report 2017. Nairobi, Kenya: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- Cowman, G., Otipo, S., Njeru, I., Achia, T., Thirumurthy, H., Bartram, J., & Kioko, J. (2017). Factors associated with cholera in Kenya, 2008-2013. Pan African Medical Journal, 28, 101.
- Hoffmann, S., Devleesschauwer, B., Aspinall, W., Cooke, R., Corrigan, T., Havelaar, A., . . . Hald, T. (2017). Attribution of Global Foodborne Diseases to Specific Foods: Findings from World Health Organization Structured Expert Elicitation. Plos One, 12, 9.
- Shonhiwa, A. M., Ntshoe, G., Essel, V., Thomas, J., & McCarthy, K. (2018). A Review of Foodborne Disease Outbreaks Reported to the Outbreak Response Unit, National Institute of Communicable Diseases, South Africa: 2013-2017. National Institute for Communicable Diseases, 16, 3-8.
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