| pasteurizing | The process of heating food
products to kill pathogenic microorganisms
and reduce the total number of bacteria.
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| virus | The smallest known type of infectious
agent, many of which cause disease in
humans. They do not metabolize, grow, or
move by themselves. They reproduce only
with the aid of a living cellular host. A virus is
essentially a piece of genetic material
surrounded by a coat of protein.
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| bacteria | Single-cell microorganisms; some
produce poisonous substances, which cause
illness in humans. They contain only one chromosome
and lack many organelles found in
human cells. Some can live without oxygen
and survive by means of spore formation.
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| spores | Dormant reproductive cells capable
of turning into adult organisms without the
help of another cell. Various bacteria and
fungi form spores.
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| fungi | Simple parasitic life forms, including
molds, mildews, yeasts, and mushrooms. They
live on dead or decaying organic matter. Fungi
can grow as single cells, like yeast, or as a
multicellular colony, as seen with molds.
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| parasite | An organism that lives in or on
another organism and derives nourishment
from it.
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| foodborne illness | Sickness caused by the
ingestion of food containing toxic substances
produced by microorganisms.
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| toxins | Poisonous compounds produced
by an organism that can cause disease.
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| irradiation | A process in which radiation
energy is applied to foods, creating compounds
(free radicals) within the food that destroy
cell membranes, break down DNA, link
proteins together, limit enzyme activity, and
alter a variety of other proteins and cell functions
of microorganisms that can lead to food
spoilage. This process does not make the
food radioactive.
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| aseptic processing | A method by which
food and container are separately and simultaneously
sterilized; it allows manufacturers to
produce boxes of milk that can be stored at
room temperature.
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| additives | Substances added to foods, such
as preservatives.
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| intentional food additives | Additives
knowingly (directly) incorporated into food
products by manufacturers.
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| incidental food additives | Additives that
appear in food products indirectly, from environmental
contamination of food ingredients
or during the manufacturing process.
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| generally recognized as safe (GRAS) | A list of food additives that in 1958 were considered
safe for consumption. Manufacturers
were allowed to continue to use these additives,
without special clearance, when needed
for food products. FDA bears responsibility for
proving they are not safe, but can remove
unsafe products from the list.
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| Delaney Clause | A clause to the 1958 Food
Additives Amendment of the Pure Food and
Drug Act in the United States that prevents
the intentional (direct) addition to foods of a
compound that has been shown to cause
cancer in laboratory animals or humans.
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| preservatives | Compounds that extend the
shelf life of foods by inhibiting microbial
growth or minimizing the destructive effect of
oxygen and metals.
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| sequestrants | Compounds that bind free
metal ions. By so doing, they reduce the
ability of ions to cause rancidity in foods
containing fat.
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