Bacteria are single-celled microorganisms which can exist either as independent (free-living) organisms or as parasites (dependent upon another organism for life). They are about 0.5 to 2 micrometres in size. A grain of sand is 2 millimetres in size. This means you could fit 1000 bacterial cells into a single grain of sand. This means we can only see bacterial cells through the microscope.
Reading Time: 2 minutesCampylobacter jejuni bacteria inhabits the intestinal tract of warm-blooded animals such as poultry and are frequently detected within these farmed birds, especially chicken. It is a gram-negative (like E.coli ) spiral-shaped bacterium. It’s ideal growth temperature is directly within the temperature danger zone, most optimally at 37°C (99 °F).
Reading Time: 4 minutesFoodborne illness can be mild with a running tummy to severe dehydration causing hospitalizations. Exposure to toxins from bacteria can cause death.
Reading Time: 5 minutesClostridium perfringens is a bacterium that produces toxins harmful to humans. It is a spore-forming gram-positive bacteria that can be found in the intestines of mammals and is commonly found in raw meats. This bacterium is also found throughout the environment, and not surprisingly also in sewage.
Reading Time: 3 minutesListeria species are most infamous for surviving and even growing well in refrigeration temperature ranges.