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Salmonella Research Paper

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Each year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that one in six Americans will become sick, hospitalized, or die as a result of foodborne illness (http://www.cdc.gov/foodborneburden/). With these kinds of statistics, food scientists are constantly developing new ways to prevent microbial contamination in foods, while regulatory agencies continue to educate the public on safe food handling practices. Food science is the study of the physical, chemical, and biological properties of food and the processes associated with them. An important aspect of food science is reducing or preventing the formation of harmful microorganisms in foods, through processes based on scientific research. Salmonella typhimurium (S. typhimurium), …show more content…

It is Gram positive and has a bacillary morphology. Salmonella causes the gastrointestinal infection called Salmonellosis and has common variations, or serotypes, such as Enteritidis (found mostly in poultry, Typhi and Typhimurium (http://www.salmonella.org/info.html). Since the Salmonella bacteria is found in the gastrointestinal tract of animals and humans, it is easily spread by eating fecal contaminated food and water, and by food handlers infected with the bacteria. Salmonella can also be found in the soil, along with other pathogenic bacteria, making fruits and vegetables that have not been effectively cleaned, a good source of contamination. S. Typhi, the variation that only lives in humans, can be transmitted from one person to another by consuming food or water that has been handled by an infected person, or if contaminated water is used for drinking. Irrigating and washing foods with contaminated water are also other ways such as fresh fruits and vegetables. …show more content…

Typhimurium occurred. Epidemiological investigations by the CDC began in November 2008 due to numerous S. Typhimurium infections in multiple states. Regulatory investigations of the suspected manufacturing facility by the FDA began in January 2009 after S. Typhimurium was found in a jar of peanut butter. Peanut Corporation of America (PCA) was identified as the source of the S. Typhimurium outbreak. During the investigation, the FDA concluded that PCA knowingly shipped peanuts that tested positive for Salmonella to their customers and also cited PCA for numerous food safety violations that were consistent with Salmonella being present in the peanut products that were being produced. These findings led to the indictment of key employees PCA and resulted in 714 confirmed cases in 46 states, with nine deaths.

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