Control measures
The ubiquity of potentially life-threatening pathogens in our environment, the ability of some of them to survive or proliferate under refrigeration and in reduced oxygen atmospheres, and for some of them, the low number necessary for disease production indicate the seriousness of the potential hazards with which we are faced.
The food industry utilizes a variety of effective control measures to limit potential hazards. This is accomplished by destruction or inactivation of the relevant bacteria or their spore through the use of heat treatments, dehydration, freezing, refrigeration, specialized packaging approved anti-microbial preservatives.
Additionally, extensive quality control procedures are maintained to ensure that these processes are effective. It is for these reasons that American food supply remains the safest most wholesome in the world. However, recent consumer trends toward lower dietary salt (and thus low salt or salt free foods), towards the elimination of preservatives, and towards minimal processing significantly affect control measures and product shelf life and greatly limit the variety and type of food available.
While the food industry employs necessary control measures to ensure the safety of food until it reaches the consumer, all food handlers and consumers have the responsibility upon purchase of the food to maintain these control measures until consumption.
Any compromise of control measures, such as time or temperature abuse, alteration of product integrity, may result in growth and toxin production of pathogenic microorganisms.
Control measures
