Pathogenic Microorganisms

If you lined up all the bacteria in the world, they would stretch for some 10 billion light years! But for today, you only need to concern yourself with a few, because of the environment you work in. This includes a virus and six pathogenic microorganisms which commonly cause food poisoning. The word ‘pathogenic’ means ‘disease causing’.

These are:

Campylobacter jejuni – this is found in raw meat, particularly poultry.

Staphylococcus Aureus – this is carried on human skin. It’s commonly found in cuts, damaged skin, nose hair, the ears and the mouth.

Bacillus Cereus – this can end up in a variety of foods, particularly rice, leftovers, sauces, soups, and other prepared foods that have sat out for too long at room temperature.

Salmonella – this is found in human and animal guts, pests and sewage. It can be transmitted when people don’t wash their hands properly after going to the toilet.

E Coli – this is very dangerous, it can even be fatal. It’s associated with undercooked meat and it can cause kidney failure, especially in children. E coli can actually travel at 25 times their own length in 1 second, this is the equivalent of a horse running 135 miles an hour.

Clostridium Perfringens – you can find this in places where there is little oxygen, such as in stews, rolled meats and other dense food products.

Norovirus – this starts in the gut and in sewage-contaminated water. It doesn’t need food to survive but it spreads very quickly through the air and lives on surfaces such as tables and kitchen counters. Please see our additional content for more information on the symptoms caused by these types of bacteria.