Question

Last spring, Mary purchased raw milk at a local grocery store for her 7-year-old son, Chris. She had researched the Internet for information about potential health benefits of raw milk for young children, and she found a local dairy farm that marketed its milk as “tested for harmful bacteria.” After a few weeks of drinking the raw milk, Chris developed fatigue and abdominal pain, and within 24 hours, his symptoms worsened and included frequent diarrhea. After Mary noticed blood in her son’s stools, she took the child to the hospital.

A couple of days after Chris was hospitalized, his physicians reported that he had a bacterial infection that was destroying his red blood cells and damaging his kidneys. The physicians told Mary that her child was in acute renal failure.

Within days, public health investigators learned that three other young children were admitted to local hospitals around the same time, and they also had signs and symptoms that were similar to Chris’s. The investigators determined that all of the sickened children had consumed raw milk processed from the same dairy and that the milk had been contaminated with bacteria called Escherichi coli (E. coli) 0157:H7.

After spending 3 weeks in the hospital, Chris was well enough to return home. Before leaving the hospital, a registered dietitian nutritionist provided Mary with information about food-borne illness and how to protect her family against them in the future.

1. Which of the following describes the process of pasteurization?

• A process that slows molecular movement

• A process that binds water, decreasing the amount available for microbes

• A process that destroys enzymes that result in food spoilage

• A special heating process that kills pathogens in foods and beverages

2. Following the consumption of a food or beverage contaminated with E. coli 0157:H7, what is the approximate time of onset before symptoms appear?

• 6–72 hours

• 1–9 days

• 18–36 hours

• 2 hours - 3 days

3. Which of the following is not a recommendation for selecting and storing dairy and eggs?

• All of these are recommendations for selecting and storing dairy and eggs.

• Purchase only pasteurized milk and cheese.

• Take eggs out their original container, and store in the egg case provided in many refrigerators.

• Do not buy cartons that have cracked eggs.

4. What is the cold storage limit for milk stored in the refrigerator?

• 5 days

• 3–4 days

• 2 weeks

• 1–2 days

Answer 1

1. The answer is -

Special heating process that kills pathogens in food and beverages.

Explanation: Pasteurization is a process of heating milk or other beverages and food inorder to kill the harmful pathogens and make the food safe to eat. Usually heat upto 60 to 90 degrees Celsius is applied.

If Mary had given Pasteurized milk to her son Chris, he would have not developed the symptoms of E.coli poisoning.

2. The answer is 1 - 9 days.

The symptoms of mild abdominal pain, diarrhoea may start as early as one day or even 9 to 10 days later. The diarrhoea may range from mild to watery or even severe bloody diarrhoea.

Here, Chris had frequent diarrhoea and even had bloody discharge in stools.

3. The answer is -

All of these are recommendations for selecting and storing dairy and eggs.

Explanation: The dairy products have low shelf life and risk of bacterial contamination is high. Therefore, we have to purchase pasteurized milk and cheese which is safe . Eggs bought have to be opened up and stored in refrigerator egg space as the packed eggs left provides a medium for bacterial growth. While buying eggs, eggs have to be inspected for cracks as it provides a medium bacterial growth and result in food poisoning when we consume.

4. The answer is - 2 weeks.

Fresh milk stored in plastics or glass bottles at temperature of 4 degree Celsius can be stored a maximum of 2 weeks if unopened . If opened , it is advisable to consume in a day or two.

Thank you.