Microorganisms, Food Safety

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Microorganisms, Food Safety HACCP
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What is a Microorganism?

• Microorganisms (microbes) are viruses, bacteria
  and fungi
• They are too small to be seen with the naked eye,
  but can be seen with a microscope
• They are single celled organisms

Image Credit USDA Photo by Scott Bauer
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Where Do Microbes Live?

• Microbes live in the water you drink, the food
  you eat, and the air you breathe.
• Right now, billions of microbes are swimming in
  your belly and mouth, and crawling on your skin!

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Are Microbes Harmful?

• 95 of all microbes are harmless
• Some are very beneficial to humans
• Bacteria in peoples intestines help to digest
  food
• Some harmless microbes protect people by
  competing with harmful microbes for space

Image Credit www.microorganisms.com
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How do Microbes Multiply?

• They multiply QUICKLY!
• Scientists often use scientific notation to
  express their large numbers

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Some Common Harmful Bacteria in Food
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Salmonella E.Coli 0157H7
Salmonella
E.Coli 0157H7
Image Credit EHA Consulting Group Inc.
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Why are Space Scientists Concerned about Microbes?

• Seven astronauts (each with their own microbes)
  will be living in small, air-tight space for
  months or years
• Harmful microbes can spread and make the crew
  sick
• Aspects of spaceflight are known to weaken the
  human immune system
• Certain microbes can attack the materials and
  hardware of the Station

Image Credit USDA
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What is NASA Doing to Eliminate Harmful Microbes
in Space?

• Testing each crewmate for infection before launch
• Only healthy crew members are allowed to fly in
  space

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What About the Water and Air?

• Air, water and surfaces with which crew members
  interact must be kept clean
• All air in the space station will pass through
  filters-High Efficiency Particle Air (HEPA)
  filters
• Water will be disinfected by a machine called a
  Catalytic Oxidator

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Protecting Space Station Materials

• Some harmful microbes can thrive on the Space
  Station
• Eventually, they could eat away at the Space
  Station material

Image Credit NASA
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Protection of the Space Station Materials

• Humidity of the air will be kept low
• Astronauts will clean materials
• Paint with a fungus-killing chemical will be used

Image Credit NASA
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How can we control microbial growth here on Earth?
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NASA Spin-offs

• Dozens of NASA Spin-offs have improved our lives
  here on Earth
• In order to prevent bacterial contamination in
  space, NASA hired Pillsbury to develop a
  preventative food safety program
• Pillsbury developed the Hazard Analysis and
  Critical Control Point (HACCP) program

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HACCP

• HACCP is designed to prevent food safety problems
  rather than catch then after they occur
• It includes seven principles
• It was adopted by the FDA in the1990s

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HACCPs Seven Principles for Food Safety

• Analyze Hazards
• Identify Critical Control Points

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Principles 3 4

• Establish Critical Limits for each Critical
  Control Point
• Establish Monitoring Procedures

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Principles 5, 6 7

• Establish Corrective Actions
• Establish Verification Activities
• Establish Records and Documentation

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What are some ways your could implement HACCP
Principles in your home kitchen?