What are bacteria?
Single celled organisms
E. Coli O157:H7
can make you
very sick.
Very small
Need a microscope to see
Can be found on most
materials and surfaces
Billions on and in your
body right now
USDA NIFSI Food Safety in the Classroom
University of Tennessee, Knoxville 2006
This E. coli helps
you digest food.
Streptococcus
can cause strep
throat.
What do they look like?
Three basic shapes
Rod shaped called bacilli
(buh-sill-eye)
Round shaped called
cocci (cox-eye)
Spiral shaped
Bacilli
Cocci
Some exist as single
cells, others
cluster together
USDA NIFSI Food Safety in the Classroom
University of Tennessee, Knoxville 2006
Cluster of cocci
Spiral
Bacteria are ALIVE!
What does it mean
to be alive?
They reproduce
(make more of
themselves)
They need to eat
USDA NIFSI Food Safety in the Classroom
University of Tennessee, Knoxville 2006
How do bacteria
reproduce?
Grow in number not in size
Humans grow in size from child to adult
Make copies of themselves by
dividing in half
Human parents create a child
USDA NIFSI Food Safety in the Classroom
University of Tennessee, Knoxville 2006
How do bacteria eat?
Some make their own food from
sunlightlike plants
Photosynthetic
bacteria
Some are scavengers
Share the environment around them
Example: The bacteria in your stomach
are now eating what you ate for breakfast
Some are warriors (pathogens)
Harmless bacteria
on the stomach
lining
They attack other living things
Example: The bacteria on your face can
attack skin causing infection and acne
USDA NIFSI Food Safety in the Classroom
University of Tennessee, Knoxville 2006
E. Coli O157:H7
is a pathogen
What is a pathogen?
Bacteria that make you sick
Why do they make you sick?
To get food they need to survive and
reproduce
How do they make you sick?
They produce poisons (toxins) that result in
fever, headache, vomiting, and diarrhea
and destroy body tissue
USDA NIFSI Food Safety in the Classroom
University of Tennessee, Knoxville 2006
Where do you get a
pathogen?
Indirect contact
Contact with people who are sick
Direct or indirect
Food, Water, or other Surfaces that
are contaminated
Foods that
could be
contaminated
USDA NIFSI Food Safety in the Classroom
University of Tennessee, Knoxville 2006
Direct contact
Are all bacteria pathogens?
No, most are harmless
Some are even helpful
Examples of helpful bacteria:
Lactobacillus: makes cheese, yogurt, &
buttermilk and produces vitamins in your
intestine
Leuconostoc: makes pickles &
sauerkraut
Pediococcus: makes pepperoni, salami,
& summer sausage
USDA NIFSI Food Safety in the Classroom
University of Tennessee, Knoxville 2006
A Closer Look Helpful
Bacteria
www.bioweb.usu.edu
Pediococcus
- used in
production of fermented meats
Lactobacillus casei found in
human intestines and mouth to improve
digestion
Leuconostoc cremoris
used in the production of buttermilk and
USDA NIFSI Food Safety in the Classroom
sour cream
University of Tennessee, Knoxville 2006
Lactobacillus bulgaricus
used in the production of yogurt
What are some common
pathogens?
Pathogenic E. coli
(like O157:H7)
E. coli
O157:H7
Found in ground beef, contaminated
fruits and vegetables
Salmonella
Salmonella
Found in raw meats, poultry, eggs,
sprouts, fruit and vegetables
Listeria
Found in deli foods, lunch meats,
smoked fish and vegetables
USDA NIFSI Food Safety in the Classroom
University of Tennessee, Knoxville 2006
Listeria
Examples of Pathogens
Salmonella
Staphylococcus
aureus
E. coli O157:H7
What shape are
these bacteria?
Cocci, bacilli, or
spiral?
Campylobacter
jejuni
USDA NIFSI Food Safety in the Classroom
University of Tennessee, Knoxville 2006
How can I avoid pathogens?
Wash your hands often so you wont
transfer bacteria to your mouth or
food
Warm water with soap for 20 seconds,
rub hard between fingers and nails
USDA NIFSI Food Safety in the Classroom
University of Tennessee, Knoxville 2006
How can I avoid pathogens?
Cook food thoroughly to kill
any pathogens that may be
in your food
Store food properly to limit
pathogen growth
Cold temperatures (40F)
USDA NIFSI Food Safety in the Classroom
University of Tennessee, Knoxville 2006
