Level 2 Food Safety in Catering Food Safety Hazards part 1 | Page 13

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Types of bacteria
The video has shown us that not all bacteria are harmful but can be divided into three groups:1. Helpful - in the production of foods like cheese, yoghurt, and beer 2. Spoilage - bacteria cause food to perish or rot 3. Pathogenic - (or disease causing) bacteria Pathogenic bacteria can cause disease and some also produce toxins. Toxins are poisonous substances that are produced by the bodily activities of certain living organisms including bacteria. We shall look closely at some pathogenic bacteria and one virus that commonly cause food poisoning or food borne illness. We will look at where they might come from and when they cause illness. The following page is a chart that shows bacteria that are known to cause food poisoning. The second chart will show bacteria that are known to cause food borne illness. Added information on each bacterium is presented after each chart.