Have you ever considered what REALLY goes into your food when someone else prepares it for you at a Restaurant or other food service?
Considering that the true amount people eat out is more than 50% of the time, contamination sources from food services must be understood if you are concerned with your health.
( http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/1996/eatout1196.htm)
An effective HACCP plan (http://www.fda.gov/food/foodsafety/HazardAnalysisCriticalControlPointsHACCP/ucm114868.htm) can mitigate much of these vectors, yet they only control them to a point, not eliminate them, and the effects of these multiple contaminations and accumulations aren't considered in light of the consumers health (only to keep customers from getting sick to stay in business)
Below is a list of various contamination factors I put together from my experience in the food service industry.
Vectors of biological and Chemical contamination in Commercial Food service operations that can contribute to health complications:
Biological:
-GMO's: the most insidious of all contaminations! (virtually in all
processed/packaged foods including Nutritional yeasts, sugars..)
-Humans: (the more pretty your food on your plate, the more
people touched it)
-The handling of various foods during operations contributes to
multiple cross contamination, no amount of washing and
chemicals will prevent cross-comtamination. Which makes
Allergen free food services are very rare (for that sake,
vegan/vegetarian/gluten/nut free food services if they serve
those contaminants otherwise)
-Human hair, skin, saliva (personal hygiene practices)
-They are the main cross contamination vectors (trash to sink to
food to toilet to food, etc...)
Insect:
-Foods naturally contain a certain level of insect parts (from fresh
salad greens to grains),though they are rarely considered
pathological for humans.
-improperly stored foods can attract and contain insects
Animal:
-Foods naturally contain a certain levels of animal parts/fecal
matter/hair, not normally considered pathological for humans, as
long as its keep to USDA standards.
Microbial:
-Sources of contamination: Water supply, air, humans, foods,
pests...
-Intrinsic properties of foods and processing (bacterial levels,
Aflatoxin residues)
-Humans
-Equipment (cutting boards, ice-makers, water pipes,
refridgerators, sinks, tables, small wares, storage ware, etc...)
Chemical:
-Animal/plant products: conventionally raised
livestock,wild/farmed fish and much of the
plant crops now contain certain levels of Hormones, pesticides,
genetic modification, environmental contaminations (organic or
not)
-City water supply (HALO's, Chlorines, bromines, florides, etc...)
-Water pipes (copper, lead, plasticizers, iron, etc...)
-coffee filters (material made with bleaching and other
processing agents)
-Dishwashers (highly toxic cleaners/sanitizers/rinse agents leave
residues on flat ware and
are sent into the air and water supply)
-Cleaning agents: Tables, floors, equipment
-Cook ware: aluminum, non-stick, plastic, (cookware, utensils,
equipment) (can react with
cleaning agents, foods and cooking methods to contaminate
food)
-storage ware: Cambros (#5, #7 containers), cellophane/plastic
wrap, alluminum foil
-Service ware: (melamine, plastic, metal) plates, bowls, cups,
utensils
-Cooking methods: High heat cooking (searing/roasting/baking
/frying/grilling/sauteing)
produce highly toxic compounds related to multiple health
disorders for the people cooking them and the people eating
them.
-Disposable wares: (Plastic, wax, paper wares) my impression is
that even bio-compostable wares are even more toxic, less
stable bonds of materials and they still use petroleum/chemical
plasticizers.
-Product packaging: Plastics, waxes, cardboards, biological
control chemicals, fumigants, preserving agents.
-Rubber/plastic/nitrile gloves: both the material and the
Talcum/cornstarch/other powder/chemicals used in
producing/packaging/ease of use.
So, its pretty much impossible to have a contamination free food service...you just have to choose your level of contamination that you are willing to accept...you control many of these factors when your produce your own food. So you see why I rarely eat out...
Considering that the true amount people eat out is more than 50% of the time, contamination sources from food services must be understood if you are concerned with your health.
( http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/1996/eatout1196.htm)
An effective HACCP plan (http://www.fda.gov/food/foodsafety/HazardAnalysisCriticalControlPointsHACCP/ucm114868.htm) can mitigate much of these vectors, yet they only control them to a point, not eliminate them, and the effects of these multiple contaminations and accumulations aren't considered in light of the consumers health (only to keep customers from getting sick to stay in business)
Below is a list of various contamination factors I put together from my experience in the food service industry.
Vectors of biological and Chemical contamination in Commercial Food service operations that can contribute to health complications:
Biological:
-GMO's: the most insidious of all contaminations! (virtually in all
processed/packaged foods including Nutritional yeasts, sugars..)
-Humans: (the more pretty your food on your plate, the more
people touched it)
-The handling of various foods during operations contributes to
multiple cross contamination, no amount of washing and
chemicals will prevent cross-comtamination. Which makes
Allergen free food services are very rare (for that sake,
vegan/vegetarian/gluten/nut free food services if they serve
those contaminants otherwise)
-Human hair, skin, saliva (personal hygiene practices)
-They are the main cross contamination vectors (trash to sink to
food to toilet to food, etc...)
Insect:
-Foods naturally contain a certain level of insect parts (from fresh
salad greens to grains),though they are rarely considered
pathological for humans.
-improperly stored foods can attract and contain insects
Animal:
-Foods naturally contain a certain levels of animal parts/fecal
matter/hair, not normally considered pathological for humans, as
long as its keep to USDA standards.
Microbial:
-Sources of contamination: Water supply, air, humans, foods,
pests...
-Intrinsic properties of foods and processing (bacterial levels,
Aflatoxin residues)
-Humans
-Equipment (cutting boards, ice-makers, water pipes,
refridgerators, sinks, tables, small wares, storage ware, etc...)
Chemical:
-Animal/plant products: conventionally raised
livestock,wild/farmed fish and much of the
plant crops now contain certain levels of Hormones, pesticides,
genetic modification, environmental contaminations (organic or
not)
-City water supply (HALO's, Chlorines, bromines, florides, etc...)
-Water pipes (copper, lead, plasticizers, iron, etc...)
-coffee filters (material made with bleaching and other
processing agents)
-Dishwashers (highly toxic cleaners/sanitizers/rinse agents leave
residues on flat ware and
are sent into the air and water supply)
-Cleaning agents: Tables, floors, equipment
-Cook ware: aluminum, non-stick, plastic, (cookware, utensils,
equipment) (can react with
cleaning agents, foods and cooking methods to contaminate
food)
-storage ware: Cambros (#5, #7 containers), cellophane/plastic
wrap, alluminum foil
-Service ware: (melamine, plastic, metal) plates, bowls, cups,
utensils
-Cooking methods: High heat cooking (searing/roasting/baking
/frying/grilling/sauteing)
produce highly toxic compounds related to multiple health
disorders for the people cooking them and the people eating
them.
-Disposable wares: (Plastic, wax, paper wares) my impression is
that even bio-compostable wares are even more toxic, less
stable bonds of materials and they still use petroleum/chemical
plasticizers.
-Product packaging: Plastics, waxes, cardboards, biological
control chemicals, fumigants, preserving agents.
-Rubber/plastic/nitrile gloves: both the material and the
Talcum/cornstarch/other powder/chemicals used in
producing/packaging/ease of use.
So, its pretty much impossible to have a contamination free food service...you just have to choose your level of contamination that you are willing to accept...you control many of these factors when your produce your own food. So you see why I rarely eat out...
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