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The Inherent Food Borne Illness Dangers of Cold-Served Foods and

How to Reduce Your Risk

Published: March 23, 2011 by Michael Doom, REHS

 

 

Simply put, cold does not kill like heat kills. I mean hot temperatures at or above 160°F. Even freezing does not guarantee the killing of dangerous microorganisms like heat does.

Refrigeration temperatures at or below 41°F (the maximum refrigeration temperature requirement) most commonly affect food poisoning microorganisms by slowing their growth rate.

You may be thinking, how does normal refrigeration help if the microorganisms are still present, especially for those foods served cold!

The answer is by slowing the growth, cold temperatures decrease the number of actual cells present and prevent those toxin producing microbes from developing their toxin. The greater number of food poisoning microorganism cells present, the greater risk and increase likelihood of experiencing food borne illness symptoms, and the increase chance of the cells being spread to other foods and food contact surfaces.

Some of the most common foods associated with food borne illness outbreaks are unfortunately those foods generally served cold or in the case of eggs undercooked. These include lettuce, spinach, tuna, oysters, eggs and more. Chicken is another very common one even though most often it is served hot. The problem with chicken lies with cross contamination (i.e. raw and cooked product commixing) as well as being undercooked. Raw chicken has a very high probability of containing Salmonella and/or Campylobacter.

So how do we solve the cold problem or at least lower our chances without giving up a favorite salad, sandwich etc?

Here are my suggestions when eating out, as well as practices to adhere to in your home. Though not a guarantee, I believe they can reduce your risk and I practice them frequently. If you observe any of these indicators, my advise is to return the meal and either pick and leave, or order something all together different. Once the food has been out of temperature for a length of time you can not be sure of (don’t trust the server), it is no longer salvageable, especially if it is supposed to be served cold.

  • Cold-Served Food Must Feel Cold. This may sound pretty basic but how often do you take a moment away from other distractions and focus on looking for or feeling that sensation. You need to feel that definite cold sensation when first biting into it or when holding or touching it. I recently purchased a pre-wrapped cold turkey sandwich from a market, which I normally would not do, but was in a more desperate hunger situation. I looked at the thermometer in the refrigeration unit to confirm a good temperature (must be at or below 41°F by law). The food had a proper label (i.e. common product name, manufacture or distributer name and address, list of ingredients, nutrition information and more). My first bite was a small one where I definitely felt the cold temperature of the food. With those three checks passed, I was satisfied it was as safe as I could determine.
  • Raw or Undercooked. For cold chicken, tuna, seafoods, such as in salads, sandwiches etc. look for raw or undercooked meats, chicken or seafoods. You may not see it until you actually bite, or cut into it and if you do see it, immediately spit it back out and return it.

  • Unfamiliar or Unappetizing Odors or Tastes. This generally means spoilage, but can also mean a food poisoning bacteria has produced to very large numbers causing an obvious odor or taste. Much of the time food poisoning microorganisms are undetectable, but occasionally you can detect something out of the ordinary if bacteria were allowed to reproduce to large enough numbers. Also, spoilage microorganisms are not to be trusted, as they have the potential to cause food borne illness symptoms.

  • Familiarity. Order foods that you have ordered many times before and are familiar with its proper appearance, and taste. You are much more likely to detect something out of the ordinary, and if that is the case, immediately stop eating and return it.

These are simple suggestions but for those of you who have experienced the painful and debilitating symptoms of a food borne illness, they can be the difference between spending a few days in bed and the bathroom, or doing your normal daily activities.

About the Author

Michael Doom worked as a Registered Environmental Health Specialist (REHS) for Los Angeles County for more than 21 years.  For most of these years he worked as a field inspector and Supervising Senior REHS in the retail food inspection programs. His experience within Los Angeles County has taken him to some of the smallest “mom and pop” restaurants and markets in the poorest areas of south Los Angeles, as well as to the largest facilities and affluent areas on the west side. He has literally conducted thousands of inspections of numerous types of restaurants, food markets, warehouses, events, and more; educated hundreds, if not more than a thousand, food facility owners, managers and employees on food sanitation and food safety , and how to prevent food poisoning hazards; has supervised more than 50 field inspectors that were responsible for an inventory of food facilities larger than many U.S. states.

Mr. Doom has a B.S. in Biology from Loyola Marymount University, an REHS with the state of California, holds a Project Management Professional (PMP®) credential from the Project Management Institute, and a Master's Certificate in Project Management from George Washington University.  Mr. Doom continuously works to expand his knowledge and experience in the subject of food safety, sanitation and food poisoning prevention.

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