PROBLEMS OF FOODHYGIENE WITH CARRIERS OF MICROORGANISMS AND PERMANENTEXCRETORS

To appraise the significance of chronic excretors and carriers for the development of ''food poisoning'', the analysis must also include the food. First of all, the question arises as to whether foods only have a vector function or whether an increase in the bacterial count is an important prerequisite for the elicitation of human disease. When pur e intoxication pathogens are not involved, this question arises in con nection with the minimum infectious. dose. A classification of the mos t important causative organisms of bacterial foodborne infections and intoxications is presented in the light of these considerations.If foo ds only have a vector function, hygiene measures are automatically con centrated on excretors in order to prevent the bacteria from passing i nto foods. When this is not the case (as in the vast majority of human foodborne infections and intoxications of bacterial origin), two stra tegies can be successfully applied. First of all, precautions must be taken to rule out bacterial contamination. On the other hand, an incre ase in the bacterial count, i.e. proliferation of the pathogens in the food must be prevented by appropriate measures. The interacting facto rs are described. The example of salmonellae is cited to illustrate th e routes of contamination from excretors (humans and animals) to foods ready for consumption and possible hygiene measures.