Verified Document

Mitigating Salmonella Risk At The Buffet Essay

Related Topics:

Foodborne illness at hand was a salmonella outbreak at a buffet at the Old Country in Cheyenne, Wyoming (Flynn, 2016). The cause of the salmonella outbreak is not known, but salmonella is a common risk associated with buffets in particular. The risk occurs because warm food is a fertile breeding ground for the salmonella bacteria. Cooking helps to destroy the bacteria, so improper heating is a critical issue, which makes buffets a problem source for salmonella. There are around 40,000 cases of salmonella every year in the United States, though it is usually only dangerous to the elderly or sick. In some cases, however, others have experienced substantial complications from salmonella infection, such as in the Old Country case. While the precise source of the salmonella could not be determined, in conditions favorable to the bacteria, it can spread. It is also something that can be transmitted by people, so the infection could have come from an employee and been transferred to the food. There are a variety of things that a restaurant can do to minimize the risk of salmonella infection. Salmonella is a bacteria, so it can be killed with disinfectants and with heating.

There are a number of ways that this outbreak...

First, salmonella can be killed with proper sanitation procedures. This includes washing of hands by employees and washing of surfaces that are used for cooking. There is a particularly high risk of salmonella with uncooked or undercooked meats. All meat should be thoroughly cooked to reduce salmonella risk. Further, uncooked or undercooked meats should not come into contact with other foods. An example of poor practice at a buffet might be having a roast beef on the buffet that is cooked only to medium rare, and then the blood from this beef can get on other things at the buffet, transferred by a fork or knife, for example. In such a situation, anything on the buffet could be infected with salmonella. Proper storage of foods in the kitchen to avoid cross-contamination, particularly where uncooked meats are concerned, is considered best practice in reducing salmonella risk. Further, produce should be washed thoroughly -- salads can be a source of salmonella if the vegetables are not properly washed.
Part 2.

The illness was contracted by many different people who dined at the Cheyenne location. The buffet format means that the illness could be contracted by all customers…

Sources used in this document:
References

CDC. (2012). Pathogens causing U.S. foodborne illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths 2000-2008. Centers for Disease Control. Retrieved April 9, 2016 from http://www.cdc.gov/foodborneburden/PDFs/pathogens-complete-list-01-12.pdf

CNN (2015). Salmonella fast facts. CNN.com. Retrieved April 9, 2016 from http://www.cnn.com/2013/06/28/health/salmonella-fast-facts/

Flynn, D. (2016). Buffets, Inc., bankrupty, may not pay outbreak victim's damages. Food Safety News. Retrieved April 9, 2016 from http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2016/03/buffets-inc-bankrupt-may-not-pay-outbreak-victims-damages/
Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

Salmonella Food-Born Illness Food-Borne Illnesses: Salmonella the
Words: 702 Length: 2 Document Type: Essay

Salmonella Food-born illness Food-borne illnesses: Salmonella The salmonella bacterium is one of the most well-known and well-publicized health threats in the U.S. "Salmonella germs have been known to cause illness for over 100 years" (What is Salmonellosis, 2010, CDC). Salmonella bacteria can be present in the intestines of humans, and can be transmitted through consumption of tainted foods, water, or animal matter. Infections can be difficult to trace in the early stages, because

Salmonella Tomato Scare Slams Florida
Words: 589 Length: 2 Document Type: Term Paper

The symptoms of salmonella include fever, diarrhea, and abdominal cramps that appear about 12 to 72 hours after infection. The illness can last 4 to 7 days, and most people recover without treatment. It is most dangerous for the elderly, infants, and in people with certain other health disorders. After the FDA announced the outbreak, large restaurant chains like McDonald's, Taco Bell, Burger King and many others immediately pulled all their

Salmonella Fig 1. Salmonella Bacteria the First
Words: 1186 Length: 4 Document Type: Research Paper

Salmonella Fig 1. Salmonella Bacteria The first thing to note about Salmonella (seen in Fig. 1) is that it is a bacteria, and therefore a living organism. However the term "Salmonella" is used loosely in daily conversation to specify an illness caused by that bacteria in humans, and in other animals. Most people have some vague recollection of a "salmonella outbreak" caused by a contaminated food supply being reported in the media,

Salmonella Salmonellosis Is an Infection With Bacteria
Words: 916 Length: 3 Document Type: Essay

Salmonella Salmonellosis is an infection with bacteria called Salmonella. Salmonella germs have been known to cause illness for over 100 years. The bacteria were first isolated in 1885 by Theobald Smith from pigs. The genus name was derived from the last name of D.E. Salmon, who was Smith's director. In 1896 Salmonella infection was diagnosed in humans. Salmonella is the genus name for over 2,500 types of bacteria. Though each type

Salmonella Infection
Words: 774 Length: 2 Document Type: Essay

Salmonella Infection The salmonella bacteria had been the twentieth century’s archetypical organism causing food poisoning, highly notorious for the 1988-89 crisis of salmonella in eggs. By that time, however, it had already been a topic of scientific and public health focus for more than a hundred years. Previously linked to animal foods, phage typing’s introduction during the 1940s started revealing the complex nature of its associations with its environment (Hardy, 2004). Epidemiological

Salmonella Food Borne Illnesses
Words: 313 Length: 1 Document Type: Essay

Food Borne IllnessesThe food borne investigations conducted by CDC in 2021 showed that most outbreaks were associated with salmonella pathogen. The said pathogen and related infections were associated with foods inclusive of, not limited to; ground turkey, cashew Brie, prepackaged salads, onions, and seafood. Individuals whose immunity has been weakened by diseases like cancer and kidney disease as well as their treatments are more likely to get salmonella infections (CDC,

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now