Regional Websites: North America
South Africa
United Kingdom ![]()
S
SALMONELLA
Salmonella enteritidis, Salmonella typhimurium, Salmonella heidelberg, Salmonella javiana and Salmonella dublin are all bacteria that can cause the foodborne illness salmonellosis. Salmonella is commonly found in meat, poultry and eggs but is usually destroyed by cooking food thoroughly.
SALMONELLOSIS
The foodborne illness salmonellosis is caused by various strains of Salmonella. Symptoms include fatigue, cough, bloody stools, headache, vomiting, abdominal cramps, diarrhea and fever. Symptoms of arthritis may occur 3-4 weeks after the initial symptoms. AIDS patients frequently suffer from recurrent episodes of salmonellosis. Foodborne transmission can come from many sources including: infected food handlers, poor personal hygiene, cross-contamination, inadequate cooking, refrigeration or sewage disposal or from food such as shellfish harvested from sewage-contaminated waters.
Estimated # of cases: 696,000 to 3.8 million (1993 USDA estimate)
Estimated # of deaths: 696 to 3,840 (1993 USDA estimate)
Estimated monetary cost: 0.6 to 3.5 billion dollars (1993 USDA estimate)
SANITARIAN
A member of a local, state or federal public health department who conducts inspections, files reports and offers advice to foodservice operators in addressing sanitation problems.
SANITARY
An establishment, surface, utensil, or other area that is clean and free of illness-causing levels of bacteria or other contaminants.
SANI-TWICE™
A waterless hand cleaning protocol using a combination of paper towel's friction and absorption properties together with the germ killing power of alcohol based hand-sanitizer.
SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome)
An atypical form of pneumonia that first appeared in China in 2002. SARS is now known to be caused by the SARS coronavirus> (SARS-CoV), a novel coronavirus. SARS has a mortality rate of around 10%.
SEVERITY
The seriousness of the effects of a hazard.
SHIGELLA
Shigella flexneri, Shigella dysenteriae, Shigella sonnei and Shigella boydii are all strains of bacteria that can cause foodborne shigellosis. This bacterium is usually transmitted through feces, and therefore, any prepared food contaminated by an infected food handler is potentially hazardous.
SHIGELLOSIS
Shigella bacteria cause foodborne shigellosis. Symptoms include watery, bloody or mucus tainted diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain or cramps and fever. Infected individuals may be asymptomatic. Shigellosis is very common in AIDS patients. Possible long-term effects include Reiter's disease, arthritis and hemolytic uremic syndrome. In cases of foodborne transmission, a person becomes infected with Shigella by swallowing the bacteria after eating or drinking contaminated food or water. Unsanitary handling of food (along with fecally contaminated water) by infected food handlers is the most common cause of foodborne contamination.
Estimated # of cases: 300,000 (FDA number due to food contamination is unknown). Reported # of cases: 30,000 (FDA)
SPOILAGE BACTERIA
Bacteria in any food item that causes it to rot. They are usually not harmful but make food look and smell bad (old milk).+
SPORES
Microscopic dormant "eggs" formed by some pathogens that are very hardy, and usually survive cooking and other sterilization techniques.
STAPHYLOCOCCAL FOODBORNE INTOXICATION
Staphylococcus aureus bacteria causes Staphylococcal foodborne intoxication. Symptoms include nausea, retching, abdominal pain and cramps, diarrhea and prostration. In severe cases, muscle spasms, blood pressure and pulse rate changes and headaches may accompany regular symptoms. Foodborne transmission of Staphylococcal aureus may come from food handlers with infections containing pus, storing cooked foods in large containers, holding foods at warm temperatures and preparing foods many hours before serving allowing bacteria to multiply to dangerous levels. Other foodborne transmission vehicles include food processing equipment and surfaces (cross-contamination).
Estimated # of cases: 1,513,000 (1993 USDA estimate)
Estimated # of deaths: 1,210 (1993 USDA estimate)
Estimated monetary cost: 1.2 billion dollars (1993 USDA estimate)
STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS
Staphylococcus aureus is the bacteria responsible for Staphylococcal foodborne intoxication. Staphylococci are in the air, sewage, water, milk products and on food preparation surfaces and equipment. Animals and many healthy humans harbor the bacteria in their nasal passages, throats, skin and hair. Any food requiring substantial handling to prepare is often associated with Staphylococcus aureus.
STERILIZATION
The act of making food, utensils, surfaces or facilities sanitary by heat, chemicals or other methods.
STREPTOCOCCUS PYOGENES
Streptococcus pyogenes is the bacteria responsible for Streptococcus group A and Scarlet Fever.
STREPTOCOCCUS GROUP A
Streptococcus group A is caused by Streptococcus pyogenes. Symptoms include septic sore throat and pain with swallowing, fever, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, headache and possible rash. The source of a foodborne Streptococcus outbreak is usually a food handler with poor hygiene, an ill food handler or unpasteurized milk. Once contaminated, if food is left at room temperature for several hours before being eaten, bacteria can multiply to illness-causing levels. Estimates as to the number of foodborne transmissions is unknown, although the bacteria has a prominent place on the CDC's listing of pathogens that can cause disease after an infected person handles food.
STRICT LIABILITY
Legal term meaning that the injured person need only prove:
- I was injured,
- the product was defective, and
- the defect caused the injury.
It is not necessary to prove negligence, and neither good faith nor the fact that the defendant took all possible precautions are valid defenses.
Additional Content: Read about Strict Liability >



