Water and Food Safety

Water and Health

Importance of Water

Water is needed in all aspects of life. Water is an essential pre-requisite for social well-being and economic productivity.

Therefore, adequate supplies of GOOD, QUALITY water should be maintained for the entire population while preserving the hydrological, biological and chemical functions of the ecosystem.

Water Distribution on Earth

97% sea water

1.4 billion km3

2.2% Ice in the Arctic and Antarctic

Underground: >90% 0.8% freshwater Surface<10%

Source: MITI Environmental Bureau, 1997

The amount of water on earth does not change because of the hydrologic cycle. However, mans activities have altered the natural water quality. When humans abstract water from rivers and other waterbodies for irrigation, hydropower, industrial requirements and domestic supply, the quality of water that is eventually discharged back is no longer the same.

Sources of water supply - Surface water - Ground water - Rainwater

WATER SUPPLY

Surface water
- streams, brooks, ponds or rivers

Ground water
- wells or springs

Rainwater

Types of Water Supply

Level 1 point source - a protected well or a developed spring

with an outlet but without distribution system

Types of Water Supply

Level 2 - communal faucet system - a system composed of a source, a reservoir, a piped distribution network and communal faucets; 1:4 (faucet : HH)

Level 3 - waterworks system - a system with a source, a reservoir, a piped distribution network and household taps; for densely populated urban areas

Characteristics of Water
- physical - chemical - biological - radiological

Physical Characteristics of Water

Turbidity - caused by impurities in suspension Color - caused by substances in solution Taste and odor due to biological components

Physical Characteristics of Water

Inert suspensions of floating substances that are carried by water in its passage through the hydrologic cycle (rainfall, percolation, runoff, evaporation) Responsible for the turbidity and cloudiness of the water

Chemical Characteristics of Water

Dissolved or colloidal constituents of water which account mostly for the color and palatability of the water Either organic or inorganic Affect the behavior and characteristics of the water in its use for domestic or commercial and industrial purposes

Chemical Characteristics of Water

pH or alkalinity - due to presence of ions hardness - due to Calcium and Magnesium salinity - indicates possible sewage pollution

Biological Characteristics of Water

Refers to the presence of microorganisms, parasites, microscopic plants and animals Bacteria responsible for the breakdown of complex substances, or are parasitic or pathogenic or both Include microscopic and macroscopic plant and animal life Include plankton, insect and crustacean larvae and algae responsible for the taste and odor that water acquires

Population Served

Biological index of pollution:

Max interval bet. Successive samplings One month Two weeks 4 days 1 day

Min. no of samples to be taken from entire distribution system 1 sample/5,000 of popn/mo 1 sample/5,000 of popn/mo 1 sample/10,000 of popn/mo 1 sample/10,000 of popn/mo

0-8 = clean water 8-20 = slightly polluted 20-60 = polluted water 60-100 = grossly polluted water

Upto 20,000 20,001 to 50,000 50,001 to 100000 More than 100000

Radiological Characteristics of Water

Result of nuclear weapons testing

Parameters of Water Quality

Biochemical oxygen demand Chemical oxygen demand Total solids Coliforms Nitrogen and phosphorus compounds Heavy metals Oil and grease Ph Temperature

Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD)

Amount of oxygen used over a 5-day period by microorganisms as they decompose organic matter in sewage at a temperature of 20oC Indicates amount of biodegradable organic waste in untreated and treated municipal and industrial wastewater

Chemical oxygen demand (COD)

Used to test wastewater that contains non-biodegradable compounds or compounds that inhibit microbial activities High values indicate high levels of organic pollutants

Total solids

Refers to matter suspended or dissolved in water or wastewater Includes total suspended solids (TSS) and total dissolved solids (TDS) TSS total solids retained by filter TDS total solids that pass through filter High levels can cause health problems for aquatic life

Coliforms

Used as an indicator organism Indicates fecal contamination Standards: <2000 colonies/100ml for noncontact sports; <200 colonies/100ml for contact sports; <14 colonies/100 ml for shellfish harvesting Causes of contamination: septic tank failure, poor pasture, animal keeping practices

Nitrogen and phosphorus compounds

Essential for the growth of microorganisms and plants Excessive amounts can lead to eutrophication heavy input of inorganic nutrients to surface waters that promote the growth of weeds and algae in slow moving surface waters

Heavy metals

Arsenic, total mercury, cadmium, organophosphate, chromium cyanide, lead Cause damage or death to plant and animal life Present with toxins that are harmful to aquatic life and humans

Oil and grease

Arise from the use or manufacture of fats and oils or from activities that involve these substances

pH

Measure of the concentration of hydronium ions (H+) in water Pure water: ph7 Should be between 6.5-8.5

Temperature

Affects biological activity, the action of toxins and oxygen concentration Solubility of oxygen decreases with increasing temperature Rate of biological activity doubles for every 10 to 15oC rise or decrease within the range of 5 to 35oC

Protective Measures:

Presidential Decree No. 856 CODE ON SANITATION OF THE PHILIPPINES

To protect drinking water from contamination, the following measures shall be observed:
a. Washing clothes or bathing within a radius of 25 meters from any well or other source of drinking water is prohibited. b. No artesians, deep or shallow well shall be constructed within 25 meters from any source of pollution. c. No radioactive sources or materials shall be stored within a radius of 25 meters from any well or source is adequately and safely enclosed by proper shielding .

To protect drinking water from contamination, the following measures shall be observed:
d. No person charged with the management of a public water supply system shall permit any physical connection between its distribution system and that any other water supply, unless the latter is regularly examined as to its quality by those in charge is made and found to be sage and potable . e. The installation of booster pump to boost water direct from the water distribution line of a water supply system where low-water pressure prevails is prohibited.

Pollution

The unfavorable alteration of our surroundings, wholly or largely as a byproduct of mans action, through direct and indirect effects of changes in energy patterns, radiation levels, chemical and physical constitution and abundance of organisms

Water Pollution

the introduction into fresh or ocean waters of chemical, physical, or biological material that degrades the quality of the water and affects the organisms living in it. This process ranges from simple addition of dissolved or suspended solids to discharge of the most insidious and persistent toxic pollutants (such as pesticides, heavy metals, and nondegradable, bioaccumulative, chemical compounds).

Sources of Water Pollution

Direct (Point source) - occur when the polluting substance is emitted directly into the waterway; ex. pipe spewing toxic chemicals directly into a river Indirect (Non-point source) - occurs when there is runoff of pollutants into a waterway, for instance when fertilizer from a field is carried into a stream by surface runoff

Specific sources

Domestic sewage - waste water that is discarded from households

sanitary sewage, such water contains a wide variety of dissolved and suspended impurities likely to contain disease-causing microbes

Specific sources
Agricultural Run off Routine applications of fertilizers and pesticides for agriculture and indiscriminate disposal of industrial and domestic wastes

Specific sources
Industrial effluents Waste water from manufacturing or chemical processes in industries contributes Industrial waste water usually contains toxic wastes and organic pollutants

Effects of Water Pollution

unsuitable for drinking, recreation, agriculture, and industry diminishes the aesthetic quality of lakes and rivers contaminated water destroys aquatic life and reduces its reproductive ability. Eventually, it is a hazard to human health.

Water and Diseases

Water - borne diseases caused by ingestion of water contaminated by human or animal feces - cholera, typhoid, amebic or bacillary dysentery

Water -washed diseases - caused by poor personal hygiene and skin or eye contact with contaminated water - scabies, trachoma and flea, lice and tick borne diseases, conjunctivitis, leptospirosis

Water - based diseases caused by parasites found in intermediate organisms living in water - schistosomiasis, dracunculiasis

Water-related diseases - caused by insect vectors which breed in water - dengue, filariasis, malaria, onchoceriasis, trypanosomiasis

Strategies to prevent water-borne diseases

water quality control

inspection and survey of water supply sources water sample collection and bacteriological examination chlorination of water supply sources improvement/upgrading of provincial water laboratories

proper excreta disposal

Water purification - production of hygienically safe and aesthetically pleasing water from a polluted or contaminated source Purification in nature: 1. Evaporation and condensation 2. Aeration exchange of gases between atmosphere and water 3. Gravity 4. Biologic forces

Purification by Man (Household Methods of Water Treatment)

Boiling - kills all vegetative organisms Sedimentation- allowing impurities to settle at the bottom Aeration transferring the water from one container to another Flocculation & sedimentation - use of aluminum sulfate crystals Filtration - use of cloth and sand Chemical disinfection - chlorination

Standard water treatment

Coagulation process of collecting the finely suspended material to form aggregates then removed by a filter; use of aluminum crystals Sedimentation Rapid sand filtration water passes through beds of fine sand Chlorination

Boiling

kills all pathogens, including viruses no special equipment required requires fuel (electricity assumed not available) time consuming

Boiling

bring water to a rolling boil and maintain for a minimum of 10 minutes. For every 1000 feet above sea level, add one minute of boiling to the initial 10 minutes

Chemical Treatment

Chlorine

Granular Calcium Hypochlorite Chlorine tablets

Iodine

Types of water

Spring Water/Mineral Water: Bottled water originating from a geologically and physically protected underground water source. Mineral water must contain minerals and/or trace elements that make it clearly distinguishable form other types of water. This content must remain constant in the waters original state at the point of emergence from the source

Purified Water: Bottled water produced by distillation, deionization, reverse osmosis or another suitable process ; water that meets this definition, and is vaporized then condensed, may be labeled "distilled water."

Water can be purified by:

Distillation -- The water is vaporized (heated into steam) then condensed (cooled back to liquid form). This process removes dissolved materials originally present in the water. Reverse Osmosis -- The water is forced through membranes that remove 90 percent of the dissolved minerals.

Food Safety

Food in Health and Disease

Food is essential for growth and maintenance of life. Food is also responsible for ill-health.

Intrinsic hazards Extrinsic hazards

Factors contributing to an increasing trend in food-borne illnesses:

changes in ways of producing, processing and preparing of food increasing environmental pollution

Factors contributing to an increasing trend in food-borne illnesses:

Increased pressures on primary production to meet the demands of an increasing world population

intensive farming misuse of antibiotics, pesticides and growth hormones mass slaughtering processes

Factors contributing to an increasing trend in food-borne illnesses:

Increased global demand for fishery products has sometimes resulted in unsafe aquaculture practices, harvesting of fish from polluted water and illegal use of poisons and dynamite.

Factors contributing to an increasing trend in food-borne illnesses:

New packaging and processing technologies may be improperly applied to extend the shelf-life of food

Factors contributing to an increasing trend in food-borne illnesses:

Consumers are demanding increased access to ready-to-eat and fast foods and this has resulted in the considerable growth in the food service sector and in partially processed foods.

Factors contributing to an increasing trend in food-borne illnesses:

Increased urbanization and rapid population growth which does not match devt of health-related infrastructure and basic sanitation Increasing affluence in some areas (meat, milk poultry and eggs)

Factors contributing to an increasing trend in food-borne illnesses:

Greater international movements of both foods and people Changing lifestyles Increasing proportion of the population is more susceptible

Food-borne Disease

Disease or infection that is carried or transmitted to human beings by food. Due to:

Biological hazards Chemical hazards Physical hazards

Signs & Symptoms in Food-borne Disease Diarrhea Abdominal pain Nausea vomiting

Biological hazards

Caused by microorganisms and from toxins that occur in certain fish and plants Most toxins that cause food poisoning are tasteless and remain dangerous when cooked

Chemical hazards

Caused by accidental contamination from chemical substances like soap and other cleaning substances:

to clean kitchen surfaces and equipment as pesticides.

Chemicals can be very harmful if they are:

spilt on or near food mistaken for food or drink.

Physical hazards

Dangers from foreign particles

Ex. Metal shavings from a can opener

Food-borne Illness

A disease caused by the consumption of contaminated food. Caused by: Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia

coli Salmonella Hepatitis A virus Listeria monocytogenes

Food-borne Illness/Disease

Infection ingestion of food contaminated with bacteria or any organism Intoxication ingestion of food containing toxins produced by the bacteria

Listeria monocytogenes

Hotdogs, luncheon meats

Staphylococcus aureus

Ground beef, spaghetti

Escherichia coli

Factors (Food-borne Illness)

Temperature abuse Poor personal hygiene practices Cross contamination

Highly Susceptible Populations

The Very Young The Elderly Pregnant and Lactating Women Weakened Immune System

The food poisoning time bomb

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Food Safety

primary emphasis is on the protection of the consumer from illness caused by food - deals with health hazards and the sanitary features of food handling - involves the recognition of the modes of transmission of the major agents of foodborne diseases and knowledge of the available and accepted means for the protection of the consumer against such agents

FOOD SAFETY

Needed to prevent food-borne illnesses. Elements Temperature Time Heat Cold Hand-washing Wash-Rinse-Sanitize

Cleaning removal of visible soil from surfaces of equipment and utensils Sanitary reducing the number of disease-causing microorganisms on the surface of equipment and utensils to acceptable public health levels.

Minimizes pests, increase life of equipment, improve employee morale and efficiency and aesthetic considerations

Contamination

Presence of substances or conditions in the food that can be harmful to humans Greatest threats: Bacteria Viruses

FOOD FLOW

consists of food products and the ingredients used to make them, as they flow through a food establishment. begins with the purchase of safe and wholesome ingredients from approved sources, then flows through receiving into storage. ends in preparation and service.

flow

Involves thawing, cooking, cooling, reheating, hot-holding and cold-holding.

HACCP

Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points Helps to monitor food safety. Follows the flow of food through the food establishment and identifies each step in the process where contamination might cause the food to become unsafe. Recommended for use in food establishments

Role of Government

Oversee the food-producing system and protect food that is intended for human consumption. Enforce laws and rules to protect food against adulteration and contamination

Food Code

Published by Food and Drug Administration for U.S.A. and BFAD for the Philippines. Set of recommendations intended to be used as a model by state and local jurisdictions when formulating their own rules and regulations.

an internationally recognized center of regulatory excellence safeguarding the health of the Filipinos To protect public health and ensure the safety, efficacy, purity and quality of all the products it regulates through the effective and efficient implementation of national policies consistent with international best practices

Role of the Food Industry

Create and satisfy the food safety assurance program in the food establishment.

Certified Food Protection Manager

Responsible for identifying hazards. Develops specific policies aimed at preventing food-borne illness. Coordinates training, supervises food preparation activities and takes corrective actions Conducts in-house self-inspection of daily operations on a periodic basis

Objectives of Food Sanitation:

1. Food sanitation should insure primarily the consumption of safe and wholesome food and thereby protect the consumer from illness and at the same time promote his health and well-being. 2. Food sanitation should also prevent sale of food offensive to the purchaser or inferior in value and quality. 3. In addition, food sanitation should cut down spoilage and wastage of food

Food preservation methods that would:

Prevent contamination a. Packaging b. Cleaning and disinfection of equipment and utensils c. Thorough washing with water and detergent d. Hygienic design of equipment

Food preservation methods that would:

Control of microbial growth a. Chilling prevents or slows the growth of microorganisms b. freezing c. Acidification d. Drying salt-curing or preservation with sugar

Food preservation methods that would:

Remove or kill microorganism a. Heat treatment b. Ionizing radiation c. UV radiation d. Washing and disinfection

Factors to be considered in the Sanitary Control of Food

1. Place of production and processing or source of supply a. milk and shellfish b. vegetables and fruits c. Meat 2. Transportation and/or storage

Factors to be considered in the Sanitary Control of Food

3. Retail and distribution points a. Food stores markets, sari-sari stores, travelling vendors b. Eating and drinking establishments restaurants, coffee shops, etc.

Food Sanitation

includes issuance of permits and periodic inspection of food establishments; issuance of health certificates to food handlers

The WHO Golden Rules for Safe Food Preparation

1. Choose foods processed for safety. 2. Cook food thoroughly. 3. Eat cooked foods immediately. 4. Store cooked foods carefully. 5. Reheat cooked foods thoroughly. 6. Avoid contact between raw foods and cooked foods. 7. Wash hands repeatedly. 8. Keep all kitchen surfaces meticulously clean. 9. Protect foods from insects, rodents and other animals. 10. Use safe water

Transfer of micro-organisms by hands

12.

Keeping hot food hot and cold food cold

Bacteria die

Avoid keeping food in the temperature danger zone of 5C - 60C

Bacteria grow

Bacteria stop growing

17.

Keeping hot food hot

Avoid keeping food in the temperature danger zone of 5C - 60C.

We need to: keep cooked food at 60C or above until served refrigerate or freeze food that is to be prepared well in advance and reheat until steaming hot before serving cook or reheat packaged food strictly in accordance with any directions on the label.

18.

Keeping cold food cold

Avoid keeping food in the temperature danger zone of 5C - 60C.

We need to: take cold groceries home to the refrigerator quickly as possible keep chilled and frozen food cold if it will be a long time before it can be placed in a refrigerator or freezer store cold food at 5C or less keep cold food in the refrigerator as much as possible thaw frozen food in the refrigerator or microwave store and handle cold food according to any directions on the label check the temperature of the refrigerator regularly.
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