Bacteria Responsible | Description | Habitat | Types of Foods | Symptoms | Cause | Temperture Sensitivity |
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Staphylococcus aureus | Produces a heat-stable toxin | Nose and throat of 30 to 50 percent of healthy population; also skin and superficial wounds. | Meat and seafood salads, sandwich spreads and high salt foods. | Nausea, vomiting and diarrhea within 4 to 6 hours. No fever. | Poor personal hygiene and subsequent temperature abuse. | No growth below 40° F. Bacteria are destroyed by normal cooking but toxin is heat-stable. |
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Salmonella | Produces an intestinal infection | Intestinal tracts of animals and man | High protein foods – meat, poultry, fish and eggs. | Diarrhea nausea, chills, vomiting and fever within 12 to 24 hours. | Contamination of ready-to-eat foods, insufficient cooking and recontamination of cooked foods. | No growth below 40° F. Bacteria are destroyed by normal cooking. |
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Clostridium perfringens | Produces a spore and prefers low oxygen atmosphere. Live cells must be ingested. | Dust, soil and gastrointestinal tracts of animals and man. | Meat and poultry dishes, sauces and gravies. | Cramps and diarrhea within 12 to 24 hours. No vomiting or fever. | Improper temperature control of hot foods, and recontamination. | No growth below 40 degrees F. Bacteria are killed by normal cooking but a heat-stable spore can survive. |
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Clostridium botulinum | Produces a spore and requires a low oxygen atmosphere. Produces a heat-sensitive toxin. | Soils, plants, marine sediments and fish. | Home-canned foods. | Blurred vision, respiratory distress and possible DEATH. | Improper methods of home-processing foods. | Type E and Type B can grow at 38° F. Bacteria destroyed by cooking and the toxin is destroyed by boiling for 5 to 10 minutes. Heat-resistant spore can survive. |
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Vibrio parahaemolyticus | Requires salt for growth. | Fish and shellfish | Raw and cooked seafood. | Diarrhea, cramps, vomiting, headache and fever within 12 to 24 hours. | Recontamination of cooked foods or eating raw seafood. | No growth below 40° F. Bacteria killed by normal cooking. |
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Bacillus cereus | Produces a spore and grows in normal oxygen atmosphere. | Soil, dust and spices. | Starchy food. | Mild case of diarrhea and some nausea within 12 to 24 hours. | Improper holding and storage temperatures after cooking. | No growth below 40° F. Bacteria killed by normal cooking, but heat-resistant spore can survive. |
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Listeria monocytogenes | Survives adverse conditions for long time periods. | Soil, vegetation and water. Can survive for long periods in soil and plant materials. | Milk, soft cheeses, vegetables fertilized with manure. | Mimics meningitis. Immuno-compromised individuals most susceptible. | Contaminated raw products. | Grows at refrigeration (38-40° F) temperatures. May survive minimum pasturization tempertures (161° F for 15 seconds.) |
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Campylobacter jejuni | Oxygen sensitive, does not grow below 86° F. | Animal reservoirs and foods of animal origin. | Meat, poulty, milk, and mushrooms. | Diarrhea, abdomianl cramps and nausea. | Improper pasteuriztion or cooking. Cross-contamination. | Sensitive to drying or freezing. Survives in milk and water at 39° F for several weeks. |
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Versinia enterocolitica | Not frequent cause of human infection. | Poultry, beef, swine. Isolated only in human pathogen. | Milk, tofu, and pork. | Diarrhea, abdominal pain, vomiting. Mimics appendicitis. | Improper cooking. Cross-contamination. | Grows at refrigeration temperatures (35-40° F) Sensitive to heat (122° F) |
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Enteropathogenic E. coli | Can produce toxins that are heat stable and others that are heat-sensitive. | Feces of infected humans. | Meat and cheeses. | Diarrhea, abdominal cramps, no fever. | Inadequate cooking. Recontamination of cooked product. | Organisms can be controlled by heating. Can grow at refrigeration temperatures. |
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Bacterial Reference Table | | | | | | |