Keyword explanation

Food poisoning

Salmonella infection

Salmonella infection is a disease caused by Salmonella bacteria, resulting in symptoms such as gastroenteritis. Bacterial food poisoning is most common from July to September.

[Symptoms]

Abdominal pain, diarrhea, and fever may occur within 8 to 48 hours.

[Causes and Characteristics]

  1. Many of the foods that cause this are undercooked meat and eggs.
  2. They are often found in the intestines of animals.

[Prevention Methods]

  1. Cook the meat until it is cooked through to the center.
  2. Cook the meat so that it does not come into contact with other ingredients.
  3. Wash cooking utensils frequently, and wash your hands thoroughly after handling raw meat.
  4. Wash your hands thoroughly after touching animals, such as pets.

Histamine food poisoning

[Symptoms]

Symptoms such as facial flushing and rashes, resembling allergies, may occur within an hour of eating.

[Causes and Characteristics]

  1. Many of the foods that cause this are red meat fish and its processed products.
  2. During the process of spoilage, bacteria that produce histamine generate high concentrations of histamine.
  3. Histamine is heat-resistant and, once formed in fish meat, cannot be removed.

[Prevention Methods]

  1. Buy fresh fish.
  2. If storing, do so in the refrigerator (below 10°C) or freezer. Never leave it at room temperature.
  3. Do not repeatedly freeze and thaw raw fish.
  4. Do not eat old red-fleshed fish, even after cooking it.
    *Even if a large amount of histamine is produced, the appearance and smell will not change.

Norovirus

Food poisoning and infectious gastroenteritis caused by norovirus occur throughout the year, but they are particularly prevalent in winter.
Norovirus can be transmitted even in small amounts through contact with hands or contaminated food, causing symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, and abdominal pain.
Children, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems should be especially careful, as symptoms may become more severe in these groups.

Bacillus cereus

It is a type of food poisoning bacterium that is widely found in nature, including in soil, rivers, plants, and animals.
Because they produce heat-resistant spores, they do not die even at high temperatures, and when they multiply in food, they produce toxins that cause food poisoning. Furthermore, because they produce heat-resistant toxins, they do not break down even when heated.
Many cases of food poisoning involve rice dishes and noodles such as pilaf and spaghetti, and food poisoning often occurs when food is left at room temperature for a long time, such as eating leftovers from the previous day. Therefore, even if food has been heated, do not be overconfident.

Agricultural products

field

Fields and farms where crops are cultivated.

Planting

The process of transplanting seedlings from the nursery bed to plant them in the fields.
In current leafy vegetable cultivation, transplanting is the mainstream method, where seedlings are grown to a certain size before being moved to the field, rather than direct sowing where seeds are sown directly into the field (with the exception of some vegetables).
The advantages of transplanting are that growing seedlings in pots prevents the occurrence of diseases and pests, and allows for the production of seedlings with uniform growth. In addition, growing seedlings in a greenhouse allows for temperature control, which increases the likelihood of successful growth.

Succession

The process by which plants that have been transplanted, propagated by cuttings, or grafted take root and grow.

Grain measurement

Rice grain quality measurement. This indicates the percentage of whole grains and other non-whole grains present in a given amount of rice.
Whole grains refer to rice that has been detached from the target rice, including broken grains (those that are chipped or cracked) and dead grains (rice whose maturation stopped prematurely and which lack luster), and are otherwise uniform in shape and undamaged.

Taste value

This refers to a quality evaluation value derived from measuring the content of each component in rice and using a taste equation. Generally, a higher value indicates tastier rice.

  1. Amylose...the amount of amylose in rice starch.
    The main component of rice, starch, is made up of amylose (which makes rice hard and reduces its stickiness) and amylopectin (the sticky component) (glutinous rice is 100% amylopectin).
    In Japan, sticky rice is preferred, so the lower the amylose content, the tastier the rice becomes.
  2. Protein...the amount of protein in rice
    Proteins are impermeable to water and inhibit rice from absorbing water, so less protein results in tastier rice.
  3. Moisture...the amount of moisture in rice
    Within the standard range (16%), rice with a higher moisture content tends to taste better.
  4. Fatty acid level...the degree of oxidation of fats
    The fats in rice oxidize over time, so the lower this value, the fresher and tastier the rice will be.

Livestock-related

Designated hazardous parts

Please refer to the Q&A regarding BSE.

clone

It refers to "a collection of individuals or cells that are genetically identical."
Mammalian cloning technology can be broadly divided into two types: cloning of fertilized eggs and cloning of somatic cells.
The technology is based on egg nuclear transfer technology. It involves taking the nucleus of an unfertilized egg, transplanting it with the nucleus of an already fertilized egg or a normal cell from a living organism that has not undergone meiosis, and then returning it to the uterus to produce a child.
Embryo clones use eggs that have been fertilized outside the body and then divided and multiplied.
Somatic cell cloning uses nuclei derived from cells that actually make up a living organism. A key characteristic of somatic cell cloning is that it reproduces asexually, without the need for sexual reproduction.
Neither of these technologies involves genetic modification and is separate from the issue of genetically modified foods.

food labeling

expiration date

The best-before date is the date by which the manufacturer guarantees that the food will maintain its taste and quality when stored unopened according to the indicated storage instructions.
Therefore, just because the expiration date has passed doesn't mean the food immediately becomes inedible. However, if the food has been opened or stored improperly, it may not be safe even within the expiration date, so it's best to consume it as soon as possible.

Food safety-related systems and structures

HACCP

HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) is a method for managing food hygiene.
The prevailing approach to food safety has been based on the idea that safe food can be produced if the manufacturing environment is clean and hygienic, and has therefore focused on improving the manufacturing environment and ensuring hygiene.
Furthermore, the safety of manufactured food products has primarily been confirmed through random sampling of the final product (such as microbial culture tests).
In addition to these concepts and methods, the HACCP system predicts hazards in advance at every stage from raw material receipt to manufacturing and shipping, identifies critical control points to prevent those hazards (prevention, elimination, or reduction to acceptable levels), continuously monitors and records these points, and takes immediate action to resolve any abnormalities detected, thereby preventing the shipment of defective products.

Traceability

In the context of food, traceability means being able to track information about food at each stage, including production, processing, distribution, and sales.
This offers several advantages, including faster investigation and recall of problems when they occur, and the ability to gain consumer trust.

*Traceability is a word formed by combining the English words "trace" (to track) and "ability" (to be able to).

Colorant

Coloring agents are designated food additives used to improve the color and flavor of ham, sausages, and other meat products. Sodium nitrite, potassium nitrate, and sodium nitrate are among the designated ingredients. The Food Sanitation Act specifies the amount of these coloring agents that can remain in the product without any health impact.

Pesticide residues

Pesticides are used to prevent damage from pests and diseases, and to remove weeds. However, they do not disappear immediately after exerting their intended effect. As a result of using pesticides, the pesticides that remain on crops are called "pesticide residues." Incorrect use can lead to large amounts of pesticide residue on crops, which can then be ingested by humans. Therefore, strict management and inspection of pesticide use are necessary.