factsheet_caterers_microbial.pdf

Information for Caterers on Microbial Toxins

What are microbial toxins?

Microbial toxins are chemical substances which are produced by microorganisms. They

can occur naturally in food.

What types of microorganisms produce toxins?

Bacteria, fungi and algae are the microorganisms typically associated with microbial

toxin production (Table 1). Some but not all species of bacteria, fungi and algae produce

toxins.

Table 1: Microbial toxins produced by each type of microorganism

Microorganism

Name of toxin produced

Bacteria (e.g. Bacillus cereus )

Bacterial Toxin

Fungi (e.g. Penicillium expansum )

Mycotoxin

Algae

Phycotoxin

Are microbial toxins dangerous?

As the name suggests, these chemical substances are toxic to humans. Symptoms range

from mild to acute/chronic depending on a number of factors including:

· The level of exposure

· The susceptibility of the person

· The toxicity of the toxin

The symptoms are specific to each type of toxin. Symptoms include abdominal cramps,

vomiting/diarrhoea, cancer, kidney disease and muscular paralysis.

What type of foods are they commonly found in?

Microbial toxins can be formed in a wide range of foods (Table 1):

Table 1: Foods commonly associated with microbial toxins

Type of microbial toxin

Examples of food

Bacterial toxin

Bakery products, deli products, gravy, cooked meats, boiled rice

etc.

Mycotoxins

Crops, nuts, figs, dried fruits, spices, maize, rice, cereals/cereal

grains, coffee beans, beer, fruit juice, maize kernels etc.

Phycotoxins

Shellfish and crustaceans

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Details regarding toxin production

Type of

toxin

Requirements for toxin

production

Where is the toxin

produced?

When is the toxin

produced?

Bacterial

· Growth of the bacterium to

sufficient levels in the food

· Suitable environmental

conditions (e.g.

temperature, moisture,

oxygen, nutrients)

· In the food or

· In the body following

consumption of food

contaminated with

adequate numbers of

bacterial cells

· At any stage during

production, processing,

storage of the food

Mycotoxins

· Growth of the fungus to

sufficient levels in the food

· Suitable environmental

conditions (e.g.

temperature, moisture,

oxygen, nutrients)

· In the food

· Pre-harvest

· Post-harvest

Phycotoxin

· Growth of the algae to

sufficient levels in the

seawater (referred to as

algal blooms)

· In the seawater

· Pre-harvest.

(The shellfish concentrates the

toxin by filtering large

volumes of water across its

gills to obtain food and

oxygen.).

Is there any legislation dealing with microbial toxins?

Commission Recommendation No. 466/2001 sets maximum levels for mycotoxins in

certain foodstuffs (cereals, dried fruits, baby foods, ground nuts, nuts & dried fruit,

maize, spices, cereals, milk, alcoholic beverages, apple juice & apple products and fruit

juice). Caterers should ensure that they are supplied with products which comply with

this legislation (this information should be requested from the supplier/producer).

Council Directive 91/492/EEC lays down the legislative requirements for toxins in

shellfish harvesting areas. In Ireland, these areas are monitored under the National

Marine Biotoxin Monitoring Programme (see below).

How are microbial toxins controlled?

Microbial toxins are extremely resistant and once formed they cannot be

inactivated/removed from the food. Therefore control strategies must be directed at

preventing the growth of the microorganism and thus the production of the microbial

toxin.

Many control strategies are applied at early stages in the food chain, for example:

· Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) are undertaken by primary producers during the

cultivation of crops (fruit & vegetables) to prevent fungal growth and mycotoxin

production.

· Under the National Marine Biotoxin Monitoring Programme shellfish harvesting

areas are monitored for the presence of toxins. Harvesting areas which do not comply

with the legislative requirements for toxins are closed until compliance is achieved.

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Please note that details regarding the current status of shellfish harvesting areas (i.e.

open/closed) can be obtained on the FSAI web site:

http://www.fsai.ie/sfma/default.asp )

Control strategies are also required at later stages in the food chain to prevent microbial

growth and thus toxin production. Caterers have an important role to play in this regard.

Control strategies applicable to caterers:

· Ensure the quality and safety of all supplies

* Deal with reputable suppliers and where necessary agree product specifications

* Monitor supplies upon delivery (e.g. temperature of delivery, intactness of

packaging, check fruit & vegetables for the presence of fungi/molds)

*Ensure that all suppliers of shellfish are harvesting from areas classified as ‘open’

under the National Marine Biotoxin Monitoring Programme.

· Undertaken good hygiene practices

*Personal hygiene is critical. Food handlers should wash their hands regularly,

they should be clean and tidy and they should treat food with care

* Environmental hygiene is critical. Ensure that work surfaces, dishcloths, sponges

etc. are kept clean and fresh.

* Store food correctly

* Separate raw and cooked/ready-to-eat food

* Where possible use separate work areas, utensils and equipment for preparing

raw and cooked/ ready-to-eat food.

· Ensure a good level of process control .

This is particularly essential for foods which are prepared using a cook chill

process. In the case of spore forming bacteria, temperature abuse during

cooling/storage may result in germination, cell growth and possibly toxin

production.

· Implement a food safety management system based on the principles of

HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point). This is a management

system which is designed to prevent food hazards from occurring, e.g. microbial

toxin production.

Additional Reading:

* Food Safety Authority of Ireland. Safe Food To Go

* National Standards Authority of Ireland. 1994. I.S. 340. Hygiene in the catering sector

* National Standards Authority of Ireland. 2000. I.S. 343. Food safety management

incorporating hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP)

* Food Safety Authority of Ireland. HACCP Information Pack

1. What is HACCP?

2. Terminology explained

3. Catering

4. How to select an external HACCP consultant

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