Question

Everyone shops for, prepares, or eats food. That's why it's so important to follow the basics of food safety. Harmful bacteria that may be present in food can cause foodborne illness when the food is eaten.
Foodborne illness can affect anyone at any time, but certain people are more likely to get sick from foodborne bacteria. And once they're sick, they face the risk of serious health problems, even death. Such at-risk people include: pregnant women, young children, people with chronic illnesses and weakened immune systems, and older adults. Also, underlying illnesses such as diabetes, some cancer treatments, and kidney disease may increase a person's risk of foodborne illness.
All along the food chain, food safety experts are working to keep our food safe on the farm, through the processing plant, during transportation, and at the supermarket and restaurant. Once you take food home from the supermarket and restaurant, you also have an important role to play.
To fight the bacteria that cause foodborne illness, follow four steps. Clean by washing hands and surfaces. Separate foods to avoid cross-contamination. Refrigerate foods promptly and cook foods to proper temperature.






Passage 2


Jorge A. Hernandez's View on Food Safety
excerpt from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration


In the following passage, Jorge A. Hernandez, R.S., Vice President of Safety and Quality Assurance for U.S. Foodservice, speaks about food safety:


Being from a third world country and having a degree in medical sciences, I became acutely aware of foodborne diseases and the suffering and death they cause—especially among the most vulnerable populations: children, the elderly and the immune-compromised. They are unnecessary diseases, as they are 100 percent preventable. When I came to the United States, I learned that no country is invulnerable to these diseases, and that 5,000 people die and millions are ravaged by these diseases in the United States every year. So, after college I decided to work in the environmental health field and to focus my career in improving the safety of food. Whether working for government or industry, that focus has been my guiding principle.

5Question 5
In Passage 2, Mr. Hernandez states that foodborne illness are 100 percent preventable. How do the details in Passage 1 support this statement?
A.
The details explain what easy steps can be taken to kill the bacteria that causes foodborne illness.
B.
The details explain how easily harmful bacteria can contaminate food and cause serious health issues.
C.
The details describe how at-risk people can easily become sick and die from foodborne illness.
D.
The details describe what food safety experts are doing to keep food safe all along the food chain.

Answer 1

A. The passage lists simple, specific steps (clean, separate, cook, refrigerate) people can take to eliminate or prevent the bacteria that cause foodborne illness, supporting Hernandez's claim that these illnesses are preventable.