Narratology: Understanding Narrative Structures and Relationships

by Herman Bailey | May 24, 2023 | Essays | 0 comments

They lived happily ever after, the prince chivalrously helped the princess into the car before getting in himself and the car exploding into a million pieces spraying shrapnel in all directions. The prince, very frustrated, stepped out of the car to inspect the problem which was clearly a bomb fixed underneath the passenger floor panel. Upon heroically removing the bomb, he laid his eyes upon the most beautiful princess in the land and knew it love at first sight! Bored and alone, Prince looked over at the town’s people as they would walk arm in arm to the theatre. There once was a fair Prince with a lonely heart.

The discipline of Narratology refers to the principles and practices of how a narrative can be effectively structured as well as how it affects the meaning that is drawn out from it. As illustrated above by the story of the bomb disarming prince, there are elements in which must be carefully analysed and applied so that the purpose and perception of the narrative isn’t misinterpreted. At its beginning stands a structuralist pillar but has since developed its concepts and models to be used as heuristic tools for the flexible process of many communicative forms. Narratology helps us understand this process by identifying these elements and exploring the relationships between them. Throughout history there have been many prolific philosophers and writers that have adhered to these structures and relationships, developed variations and even sought to break them in order to subvert the expectations of a critical audience. After an explication of its initial phase as a humanities discipline this essay will then explore its historical, Aristotelian and Platonic lineage before examining Joseph Campbell’s revolutionary understanding of comparative mythology. In order to discover how these fundamental structures have evolved in contemporary storytelling the final step will be to re-establish the foundations and variations of Tzvetan Todorov, Roland Barthes and Nigel Watts as a frame of reference to analyse its application and subversion in feature films.

Originally, concrete discourse in the form of letters, words and sentences was the generalizing theory of narrative. Tzvetan Todorov (1969) rejected this surface level of text based narrative and argued that the focus should be shifted to a generalizing theory that could be applied to all structural and logical domains of narrative thus coining the French term narratologie (1969: 10) as a univers de représentations (9).
Todorov (1969) and Barthes (1966) were among the leaders that informed narratology by the paradigms of French structuralism. Barthes (1966) constructed a system of events referred to as “kernels” that function as the obligatory narrative architecture that guarantees a story’s coherence with the addition of “satellites” that serve as the orbiting embellishments of the main plot. Todorov’s (1969) narrative syntax of equating action to verb, character to noun and attribute to adjective provided further development of the linguistic analogy of narrative on an abstract level. Accounting for the manifestation of sequence and the “grammar” of virtual action, the infrastructure of all signifying systems was universally mapped. Defining narrative universals was the particular interest of narratologists in the mid 1960’s to the early 1980’s and this tendency continued, as concisely stated in 1993 that narratology is a “set of general statements on narrative genres, on the systematics of narrating (telling a story) and on the structure of plot” (Ryan & von Alphen 1993: 110). However in 2004, Fludernik and Margolin described it as a “discipline” which seems to be more accurate conceptually on the grounds that narratology has a dual nature of theory and academic application.

Aristotle and Plato contributed to the classical ancient understanding via modes of representation the functional relationship between action and character. Aristotle’s Poetics presented the fundamental criterion that has remained how we understanding narrative to the present day. The key to his criterion was the distinction between the mythos or narrated plot and the entirety of the events that are taking place in the world of the characters. The mythos was classified as always being aesthetically considered when constructing the subset of events. The functional approach and aesthetic consideration toward the fictional protagonists and their actions as described in Poetics explained the overall logistic requirements and artistic taste of the mythos. The plot, then, is the first principle, and, as if it were, the soul of a tragedy; Character holds the second place. A similar fact is seen in painting. The most beautiful colors, laid on confusedly, will not give as much pleasure as the chalk outline of a portrait. This Tragedy is the imitation of an action, and of the agents mainly with a view to the action (Aristotle, trans. 1975, Section 1)
Plato’s The Republic listed the distinct literary genres separated into two fundamental modes and a third being a combination of both. Narrative is of three kinds, the simple, the imitative, and a composition of the two. An instance will make my meaning clear. The first scene in Homer is of the last or mixed kind, being partly description and partly dialogue (Plato, trans. 2009)

The concept of the monomyth, or the hero’s journey was introduced by Joseph Campbell in his 1949 book of narratology and comparative mythology The Hero with a Thousand Faces. The hero being the central subject to the rites of passage that can be broken down into three arcs that could classify as the monomyth’s nuclear unit: separation, initiation and return. These arcs can be then unpacked into

Republic

Plato – C. J.Emlyn-Jones – William Preddy – Harvard University Press – 2013

Herman Bailey

With a student-centered approach, I create engaging and informative blog posts that tackle relevant topics for students. My content aims to equip students with the knowledge and tools they need to succeed academically and beyond.

Understanding the Effects of Junk Food on Health and Promoting Better Food Choices

by Herman Bailey | May 24, 2023 | Essays | 0 comments

Life without a burger, can you imagine that? Hypothetically, my lunch and dinner would involve more vegetables and fruits, which is better for my health than a burger. If everyone’s health is better off without a burger, then we expect an increase in the average life expectancy. I would have to assume that everyone would like that to happen, but the question is, why do we still eat burgers almost a couple of times a week? Is it because we do not have a choice, or do we not know how to make a choice? Our answers might be different from each other. However, we do not know how to make better decisions due to firms’ advertisement and marketing strategies. Today’s world is exposed to much higher advertisements for junk food than for healthier food. Over time, it influences our brains in thinking about the consequences of making decisions. Therefore, we intake junk food without thinking of the consequences. To avoid the consequences, people should be more aware of what food they consume because junk food leads to numerous health problems.

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To be aware of what food to eat, we must establish a proper definition. Food is any nutritious substance that people eat or drink. On the other hand, junk food is low in nutritional value and calories. People usually consume junk food without knowing about its nutritional facts of it. To change this behavior, people need to be more aware of the negative effects of consuming junk food. Even though many companies are working on delivering junk food at low prices, it might be challenging for people to fight against it. There are many ways governments and societies can increase public awareness of junk food and minimize the consumption of that market.

First, the governments can take acts in which they increase taxes. Many people consume junk food because it costs less than buying healthy food. By raising the taxes on companies that produce junk food, they would have to consider changing their prices. Of course, the prices of junk food will increase due to taxes, leading to a drop in the quantity demanded by the market. In other words, some people will not buy junk food because the price goes up. When the price goes up, then it means that there is a small gap in the prices of junk food and healthy food. After that, people can make better choices about food and care less about the differences in prices. Second, public organizations can fight against junk food advertisements in the market. We all know that companies manipulate people to get them to buy their products. Marion Nestle. “Supermarket: Prime Real Estate.” Stated that corporations were hiring social scientists to study unconscious human emotions to get them to buy their products. If companies are doing this to manipulate peoples’ decisions, the other corporation can do the same, but for the good of humanity. Finally, individuals can participate in various ways to increase public health awareness. Whether a housewife or an organization president, you can inspire and change people’s behavior. Start by reminding everyone around you of the negative effects of junk food. Alternatively, you can start a campaign in school or on social media websites demonstrating junk food. With this strategy, people will be more exposed to the fact that junk food negatively impacts us.

Unless the government or society acts to increase public awareness and reduce the junk food market, several health problems will occur in our society. The relationship between food and health is really simple. Good and healthy food habits will ensure a better and healthier lifestyle. On the other hand, unhealthy food habits increase the risk of heart disease, damage your liver, cause fluctuations in blood sugar levels, and cause obesity. These are not the only health problems that junk food can cause. However, when eating junk food, those are the problems that are immediately related to our health. Junk food is loaded with fat that increases the cholesterol levels in the blood. High cholesterol levels in the blood can cause unusual behavior within the human body, which leads to unexpected heart disease. Junk food can also cause damage to your liver.

High consumption of junk food over time can cause liver failure due to high fat and salt intake. Junk food can also affect the blood sugar levels in our bodies. When we consume junk food or processed food, we are exposed to high sugar intake, which will increase the sugar level in our blood. After a few hours, there will be a huge drop in sugar levels. This can cause many problems that our current medical technology cannot solve. The solution to avoid these health problems is obvious: Stop eating a western diet. Michael Pollan. “Escape from the Western Diet.”

The solution might be obvious to us but hard to achieve. There are several ways that we can work through to help us in avoiding junk food. First, change the routine. When planning to go for lunch in a fast food restaurant, instead, plan to have a quick healthy meal and attend a meeting or talk a walk around the block. This can take weeks to form a new habit. However, it will kill the desire to have lunch at fast food restaurants. Second, watch unhealthy documentaries or television shows about health in general. Whether you are watching Doctors or Super Size Me, they can help you avoid consuming junk food. Watching shows about healthy and unhealthy food can motivate quitting junk food.

Moreover, Strength, confidence, and control your decision. Sometimes you will be tempted to eat junk food. However, knowing your responsibility towards your body can increase your confidence. When you quit junk food, know your reason behind this decision, and focus on achieving your goal.

As I mentioned before, what stops us from quitting junk food is the fact that people spend so much money on advertising and marketing junk food. Some argue that it is just a business that provides cheap, fast food for the community. Therefore, it is worth advertising. It is their right to run their business and advertise it the way they see it the best. However, It is our responsibility as a community to show the other side of their business. We are responsible for teaching kids about the negative side effects of junk food. By becoming adults and responsible for their decision, they will be much better at dealing with junk food.

To sum up, to avoid junk food and its negative impacts on our health, we need to be more aware and educated about the numerous health problems that junk food can bring. Establishing the definition of junk food is step one for us to understand why we should avoid it. In general, junk food has low nutritional value and high calories. Most people who consume junk food are already aware of its nutritional facts. However, people still consume it on weekly bases.

Moreover, there are several tips or ways to decrease the low-nutritional food market. Governments can raise taxes to reduce the quantity demanded by junk food markets. Communities and organizations can also help promote better public awareness of food and health. If the majority of the community cooperated on reducing the junk food market and increasing public awareness, we would be much healthier and hopefully live longer. Understanding the effects of junk food on our health and seeing the relationship between them can be a primary factor in keeping your healthy lifestyle. Reading books or watching television shows can alter someone’s point of view regarding junk food. Knowing the facts and seeing others’ experiences with junk food can also promote motivation for us to quit junk food. Although, some techniques can be required when deciding to quit junk food. Increasing your confidence, changing your habits, control your decisions can provide strength to avoid junk food. Even though it can be hard for most of us to just quit junk food while we have easy access to it and are exposed to it, we can still survive and keep our healthy lifestyle because it is our responsibility.

Herman Bailey

With a student-centered approach, I create engaging and informative blog posts that tackle relevant topics for students. My content aims to equip students with the knowledge and tools they need to succeed academically and beyond.

Food Safety through Microbiological Analysis and Controls

by Herman Bailey | May 24, 2023 | Essays | 0 comments

Introduction

In today’s hassle and bustle world, it is not uncommon to forgo bagging food and instead to grab a meal on the go. It is not a surprise to spot food retailers from extra-large supermarkets to small convenience stores carry pre-packaged sandwich for the hungry and the hurried customer. Ham and cheese, cheese and tomato, chicken or turkey salad, just a few of many varieties of sandwiches you can buy have ready-made. Sandwiches are amongst the popular fast marketing plan. This conception is focused entirely on stable a start-up company like Nom Foods in the country and most people consider them as light meals to be taken at lunch hours. Since many people prefer eating them, their choices can be the pre-packaged sandwiches that are available commercially (Panos 2012). In most restaurants, Panos (2012) noted that there are different styles of sandwiches available on the menus. Large chain stores of sandwiches may supply other different kinds of refreshments like fruits, salad, roll, bagel to the customers. Moreover, sandwiches are also available in most supermarkets. Typical sandwiches comprise one or two bread pieces with different flings in the middle such as vegetables, cheese, egg, fish, meat, or sauces, depending on the orders of the customers (Panos 2012). Furthermore, sandwiches may be served hot or cold. Retail costumers specify the type of ingredients they wish to be used or included in their sandwich order and then the company sets up the assembly line accordingly.

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Objective

This report is intended to explain the microbiological issues around changes in ready to eat food product formulation, processing, packaging, and to explore the measures that a food company must consider to ensure the microbiological safety of the new product.

The assignment addresses microbiological issues around food product formulation, processing, and packaging changes. When a change is made, it often prevents or delays the growth of some microorganisms but creates opportunities for the growth of other organisms. The paper will be aligned to a scenario of meeting consumer needs. In the case of the café, the consumers often need to eat, fresh and tastefully prepared food company that has been making a high-risk product, Pre-packaged roast chicken salad sandwich for many years and has an excellent safety record. However, sales have been dropping and the company is now considering making a new range of related products. The new products are a Pre-packaged roast chicken salad sandwich, prepared by chili but not mayonnaise, and another product, a Pre-packaged roast chicken salad sandwich without salad leaves and also prepared by chilly instead of mayonnaise. These two new products use similar components but are processed in different ways. The three Pre-packaged products of sandwich each consist of two slices of bread with filling in the middle. Different fillings, including roast chicken, lettuce & cucumber, mayonnaise, chili sauce, and brown bread.

Product 1: Pre-packaged roast chicken salad sandwich

Pre-packaged roast chicken salad sandwiches production includes the purchase of raw materials, preparation of the filling, assembly of the fillings and the bread, packaging, delivery to the retailers, and serving the customers. Figure 1 indicates the flow chart of the Pre-packaged roast chicken salad sandwich production.

The raw materials of Pre-packaged roast chicken salad sandwiches include poultry products, sauce, vegetables, and bread. Panos (2012) stated that some of the raw materials such as vegetables and poultry must be processed first. However, other raw materials such as sauces are usually available ready for use. According to Raphael (2014), to control the food products quality, large chain stores of sandwich products were unable to develop. The investment was directed at building a new brand name. The more than two-billion-dollar investment is allowed Tata to purchase from suppliers the ready to use fillings, normally packed in packaged of below 3 kilograms per bag.

The raw ingredients processing for fillings undergoes different steps of washing, marinating, cutting, mixing, and cooking with the salad dressing depending on the fillings styles. The salad dressings according to Panos (2012) may be added to improve taste, bind ingredients in the fillings, and improve product texture. In some instances, they may be added to create a preservation effect to a certain extent to food.

Raphael (2014) stated that when all the ingredients to be used are ready, sandwiching will follow where the bread will be assembled with fillings including the introduction of roast chicken salad. The sandwiches are manually placed in individual plastic packages before the conveyor belt transports them to the sealing heat machine. Moreover, different filling styles may be put depending on the choice of the customer, afterwards, they will be cut into triangular shapes. Lastly, the ready sandwiches or the finished products are packaged for the consumers.

Pre-packaged roast chicken salad sandwiches are one of the universal offerings in most of the deli counters and look delicious and attractive. The Pre-packaged sandwiches are provided from some media may be restricted from advertising some products. For example, the advertisement of large food plants to stores and/or supermarkets therefore including transport step in production.

Most sandwiches including Pre-packaged roast chicken salad sandwiches in local markets are commonly made fresh in restaurants and sandwich chain stores. Moreover, the Pre-packaged roast chicken salad sandwiches are also supplied to retail outlets and restaurants from food factories hence involve a step of delivery in the production process.

Raw ingredients

• Roast chicken
• Tomato,
• Lettuce, and cucumber
• Mayonnaise,
• Brown sliced bread
• Salad leaves
• Black pepper and salt

Processing method

In preparing the chicken salad sandwiches, chicken is prepared separately and served as sandwiches among the bread/rolls with lettuce on top.

1. The oven is heated to 400⁰F and the rack is arranged in the middle. The chicken is then rubbed with oil on both sides and generously seasoned with black pepper and salt on both sides.
2. The chicken is then placed on a baking sheet and cooked until the instant-read thermometer reads 160⁰F, for about 45-50 minutes. It is then removed to the cutting board from the baking sheet and let to rest until it has cooled down to the point that it can be handled for approximately 30 minutes
3. When it has cooled and it is ready, the chicken meat is removed from the bone, discarding fat, cartilage, and the skin.
4. Meat is torn into bite-sized pieces and then mayonnaise is added and then seamed with black pepper and salt. Next, it is stirred to combine evenly then covered and refrigerated until it is chilled thoroughly waiting to be severed as sand wishes with bread. The processing method for bread is below:
5. Load fresh bread into an automated machine. Moreover, this is done by visually inspecting the slices and removing any flaws and withholds
6. The machine then drops the slices facing up onto the moving belt on the production line, where first a depositor that is automated squirts on the type and quantity of mayonnaise requested by the customer.
7. Workers lay on the specific ingredients manually such as grated lettuce and cucumber
8. In the prep area, the workers load on to slicer the sandwiches. The customer has specified the weight and the size of the slices it wants in the sandwich, and therefore the factory programs accordingly the slicer.
9. The slices then go to the assembly line where they are added to the sandwiches by the workers.
10. Next, the workers close up the sandwiches and stack them in piles of two
11. The moving belt then moves the sandwiches to the mechanized cutter which works like a reciprocating saw. The vertical blade in the mechanized cutter oscillates at a high speed cutting the sandwiches into halves as it travels through. Each side of the stacked halves will be packaged together as one.
12. Next, the robot suctions the slices of the bread and places them on the moving belt. The positioning plates adjust decently the slices so that they are cantered perfectly under the nozzles that dispense the ingredients of the sandwiches.
13. The nozzle deposits a quantity set of mayonnaise on every second slice. The robotic arms in the next station aligned with the suction cups grab the slices that are empty and then flip them over on to the slices that are filled
14. At the next stop, the ultrasonic knife slices the sandwiches into two using the produced vibrations by sound waves of high frequency. This method of cutting gives a deanery edge.
15. The robotic arms next pick up half of each of the sandwiches, then spin it and stack it on the other half. The robot grabs four sandwiches finished at a time putting them in plastic trays that are triangular, which then moves on to the labeling and sealing stations.
16. Back to the semi-automated assembly line, workers place the refrigerator chicken pieces between the sandwiches manually, then stack the sandwiches, and then place them in plastic-lined packages made of cardboard individually.
17. The conveyor belts then bring them to a machine that presses down the flap and seals and shut with heat.
18. Within 12 hours of production, the sandwiches hit store shelves. They then stay fresh for more than three days after which the manufacturer or the sandwich company removes the sandwiches that are unsold while making their daily delivery of the new sandwiches (Panos 2012).

Figure 1: Adapted from Centre for Food Safety

From the flow chart above indicating the production process, the processing begins with purchase and receipt, then storage, cooking, and finally packaging/storage/transportation

Purchase and receipt-the manufacturer purchases the ingredients and ensures that they are not damaged or contaminated or have not passed the “best before,” “expiry” date

Storage– the ingredients are stored at temperatures immediately. Moreover, manufacturers should practice the method of first-in-first-to stock rotation. Lastly, ready-to-eat and raw ingredients should be stored separately and kept at 4⁰C or below (the United States 2011).

Cooking/preparation/cooling– The ingredients required for the preparation of the Pre-packaged roast chicken salad sandwich have to be thoroughly cooked until the core temperatures are reached. That is 75⁰C and above for about 15 seconds

Next, the capital for individuals to venture into the grocery vending business using carts as advised by Michimi & Wimberl (2010). They would aid bring healthy food is cooled immediately from 60⁰C to 20⁰C in 2 hours, and in the next four hours to 4⁰C. To avoid cross-contamination, separate utensils should be used in the handling of raw around the world have been rising because of several reasons. This indicates that many children are consuming high fat and sugar content foods and the ready to eat foods. Lastly, the dressings and the fillings should be kept at 4⁰C or below and be covered, and consume as soon as possible (the United States 2011).

Potential microbiological hazards

Some ingredients that are of high risk such as vegetables are commonly used in sandwiches. Adams & Moss (2008) asserted that raw vegetables are known well to be used in a sandwich together with dressings of salad. Vegetables would be contaminated with Clostridium Perfringens and Listeria monocytogenes if not properly cleaned (Barbut 2002).

Preparation of the sandwich in most instances involves handling of ready to eat or pre-cooked ingredients, therefore environmental and good personal hygienic practices should be observed to reduce chances of microbiological hazards cross contaminations. According to Curtis & Lawley (2003), the commonly transmitted pathogens through bare hand handling include S. aureus and Salmonella spp.

Final composition

Intrinsic factors

Intrinsic factors are the factors that are the food characteristic. The need for temperature or time control is determined primarily by the contamination potential with the pathogenic microorganisms of great concern, and the potential for toxin production and subsequent growth. The intrinsic factors of pre-packaged roasted chicken salad sandwich according to FDA (n.d) is tabulated in Table 1 below:

Table 1: The intrinsic factors of a pre-packaged roasted chicken salad sandwich

Extrinsic factors

These are factors that refer to the surrounding environment of the food. They are the storage environment properties that may affect the microbes, the food, or even both. The extrinsic factors in pre-packaged roasted chicken salad sandwiches include the storage temperature, the environment relative humidity, and the gas concentration in the environment.

The temperature of storage– According to Jay (2000), all microbes have a growth range of temperature. The optimum growth range of the psychrophiles is 15-30, mesophiles 30-40, and thermophiles 45-65. Therefore, holding temperatures dictate the type of spoilage.

Relative humidity– this refers to the content of water in the foodstuffs immediate environment. This also depends on the foodstuffs, where there can be a surface interchange depending on relative levels of RH and A_w. Therefore, consideration should be given to the material for a package of the roast chicken salad sandwich, whether they decrease or increase RH. Moreover, consideration must also be given to the quality of the foodstuffs and the potential surface growth.

Gaseous concentration-specific requirements of gases influence the flora supported by that environment. In the packaging of the sandwiches, the use of a modified or controlled atmosphere is now used extensively. A variety of gases have been used with vacuum packaging of the sandwiches and they include 0₃ /N₂/ C0_2. This results in a shift in for or retardation of their growth (Mortimore & Wallace 1998)_.

Micro-organisms related to Pre-packaged roast chicken salad sandwich

Given that bare hands are used by most workers in the production steps of sandwiches, many microbiological hazards are eminent. According to FAO & WHO (2008), Listeria Monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, and Salmonella species can be introduced through cross-contamination between raw items, ready- to-eat [8] Moreover, the place is also a market mid-point for the people from the land of the black people on their route to Barbary. Alvise da Cadmasto further describes the natives’ food by saying that the foods, and by food handlers. Therefore, sandwich producers must take precautionary measures in their subsequent steps of production to prevent potential risks of microbiological hazards.

However, as for the salmonella contamination. The pathogens may be introduced through cross-contamination during the processing like vegetable salad preparation. For the chicken meat not properly cooked, species of salmonella may be found, or be multiplied in the end products if the conditions for storage such as pH value, nutrient contents, time, and water activity are favorable for their growth (Harrigan & Park 1991).

HMSO. (1990) pointed out that vegetables are frequently eaten raw in Pre-packaged roast chicken salad sandwich sandwiches, and they include tomatoes, cucumbers, and lettuce which are the common ones. It is therefore significant that the vegetables be thoroughly washed to minimize microbiological hazards. HMSO. (1995) suggested that disinfectant may be applied to eliminate or decrease the log of bacteria. However, when chemicals are uses, it is paramount for the handlers to follow the suppliers’ instructions on the disinfectant labels. This is to avoid any chemical hazard from being introduced in the final products

HMSO (1990) also pointed out that in the human nasopharynx, Staphylococcus aureus is naturally present. This reflects poor food handling and personal hygiene. Therefore good personal hygiene and health education are important in the prevention of food contamination by such bacterial agents.

Mayonnaise spoilage results from different causes such as hydrolysis, oxidation, and emulsion of the oils by biological or chemical action, and growth of the microorganisms that process off-flavors or gas. Kurtzman Rogers & Hesseltine (1971) indicated that the microbiological spoilage of mayonnaise is generally caused by bacteria and yeast similar to Zygosaccharomyces globiformis. Other microbes that spoil mayonnaise according to Kurtzman Rogers & Hesseltine (1971) include Bacillus subtilis

According to Hong Kong (2000), just like any other perishable poultry, bacteria can be found on undercooked or raw chicken. They rapidly multiply at temperatures ranging between 4.4⁰c and 60⁰c (40⁰F and 140⁰F) (Jay 2000). Before thorough cooking and out of refrigeration. ICMSF (1997) asserted that freezing does not kill bacteria but cooking destroys them. Some of the bacteria associated with the raw chicken include:

• Salmonella Enteriditis often associated with poultry animals. ICMSF (1997) pointed out that FSIS requires all establishments of poultry to meet standards of salmonella performance as a way of verification of the production systems that they are effective in controlling contamination caused by the pathogens
• Staphylococcus aureus can be carried in nasal passages, human hands, or in the throats. According to Jay (2000), the bacteria is found in f food prepared by hand and then refrigerated improperly such as the chicken salad.
• Campylobacter jejuni is amongst the most common diarrheal illnesses causes in humans. By using proper methods of cooking and preventing cross-contamination by Campylobacter jejuni reduces infection.
• Listeria monocytogenes also cause human foodborne illnesses. However, it can be destroyed by proper cooking but cooked products can also be contaminated by poor sanitary practices and improper handling in storage areas and also during food preparation. Mortimore & Wallace (1998) indicated that Listeria monocytogenes risk can increase when it has a growing opportunity for food in storage. Therefore, manufacturers and consumers should observe “use-by” labels and dates, and to keep them refrigerated
• Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria live in the humans and animal intestines (Pawsey 2002). Some kinds of bacteria are harmful and they contaminate animals including chickens during the slaughter process. Even though Escherichia coli (E. coli) presence is an indicator of fecal matter for organisms, it does not mean, in fact, that the product is contaminated by feces. Environmental contaminants such as dust, the present Escherichia coli (E. coli) in feathers, can also contaminate the carcasses of the poultry.

Conclusions and recommendations

It is ethical and also a governmental regulatory that all companies and individuals handling in sandwiches business must practice goof manufacturing principles. However, Pre-packaged roast chicken salad sandwiches are perishable with a shelf life of about 1 to 2 days. Therefore, the manufacturers should take precautionary measures especially in the filling preparation to improve the quality and good hygiene of the Pre-packaged roast chicken salad sandwich products, moreover, the consumers should be hygienic to avoid microbiological hazards. The recommendations of the paper are categories into two; sandwiches manufacturers and the consumers

Manufacturers of sandwiches

In handling the raw materials, the sandwich manufacturers should:

1. Choose fresh ingredients of food
2. Obtainable the sandwich raw materials from reliable and reputable suppliers
3. Refrigerate the salad dressings that are opened
4. Thoroughly wash all the vegetables
5. Cook chicken meat thoroughly
6. Observe food hygiene and good personal hygiene
7. Observe optimal duration and storage temperature
8. Prevent cross-contamination (RIPHH 1995).

Sandwiches consumers

The consumers need to understand some clues on how they can choose good quality sandwiches;

1. Buy the sandwiches from reliable and reputable suppliers
2. Pay attention to the temperature f storage of the pre-packaged sandwiches, and always check for the expiry dates
3. Consume a Pre-packaged roast chicken salad sandwich as soon as possible
4. If not consumed immediately, the Pre-packaged roast chicken salad sandwich should be separated from the raw food, packed and stored at a temperature of 0-4⁰c, and be consumed within 1 to 2 days (the United States 1997).

Product 2: Pre-packaged roast chicken salad sandwich

Ingredients

• Roast chicken
• Tomato
• Lettuce, and cucumber
• Salad leaves
• Chili sauce
• Brown bread
• Black pepper and salt

Processing method

The processing method of product 2 is similar to product 1 with the only exception being the replacement of mayonnaise in product one with chili sauce. To produce a safe product and extend the shelf life, the manufacturer has replaced mayonnaise with chili sauce, the latter has a very low PH & A_w, and hence the environment is not supportive for microbial growth. The pH of mayonnaise and A_w is 4.2 and 3.7-4.0 respectively (FDA n.d). Similarly, the pH and Aw of chili sauce are 2.8-3.7 and 2.7-3.2 respectively (FDA n.d). By replacing mayonnaise with chili sauce in product 2, it will hamper the growth of Zygosaccharomyces globiformis and Bacillus subtilis which thrive in higher pH and Aw found in mayonnaise and low in chili sauce hence hampering their growth and lengthens the shelf life of product 2

Product 3: Pre-packaged roast chicken salad sandwich

Ingredients

• Roast chicken
• Tomato
• Chili
• Brown bread

Processing method

The processing method of product 3 is similar to product 2 but without the salad leaves. The processing, storage, and distribution are similar to product 2 above. The company decided to take off salad leaves, to minimize the risk and extend the shelf life of the product, because salad leaves have a PH of 5.5-6.5 and an Aw 0.97-1.00, and most microorganisms grow well at 0.91 to 0.99. Clostridium botulinum will grow and produce deadly botulism toxin if the pH is above 4.6 and the water activity is above 0.85 (see tableau 1 above)

Why the Company’s good record for safety and quality may be compromised in the production and distribution process

In a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) system, the hazard is defined as physical, chemical, or biological property that may foods to be unfit or unsafe for consumption by human beings. In the production and distribution process, a company is a good record for safety, and quality may be compromised by many factors, either biologically, chemically, or physically (RIPHH 1995).

In the production and distribution process of sandwiches, biological hazards, especially bacteria can cause both intoxications and foodborne infections. A foodborne infection is caused when human beings ingest pathogenic microorganisms that are sufficient to cause an infection after their multiplication n the body. On the other hand, a foodborne intoxication results from ingestion of produced preformed toxins by some bacteria when they multiply and release harmful toxins into the food products. In Pre-packaged roast chicken salad sandwich, there are different pathogenic bacteria implicated in the foodborne illnesses associated with poultry and they include; Bacillus cereus, Campylobacter jejuni, Clostridium perfringens, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Staphylococcus aureus, Clostridium botulinum, and Yersinia enterocolitica (RIPHH 1995).

According to Adams & Moss (2008), in the production and distribution process, chemical hazards also causes foodborne illnesses just like biological hazards, although it affects few people. The chemical hazards originate from four sources in general during the production and distribution of Pre-packaged roast chicken salad sandwich.

1. Chemicals unintentionally added– these can be agricultural chemicals such as fertilizers, animal drugs, herbicides, and pesticides added on the raw materials of sandwiches such as in poultry products and vegetables. Moreover, there are also plant chemicals during the production process such as pesticides, paints, lubricants, oils, sanitizers, and cleaners. Lastly, the environmental contaminants unintentionally added chemicals may also compromise a company’s good production and distribution process and they include PCBs, arsenic, mercury, cadmium, and lead (Barbut 2002).
2. Chemical hazards naturally occurring– these include the products of animal, plant, or microbial metabolism such as aflatoxins during the production process of the sandwich raw materials
3. Chemicals intentionally added– these include the processing aids, sulfating agents, food additives, acids, preservatives, and flavor enhancers
4. Sanitation– these are used to clean the companies where the processing of the sandwiches occurs and they include sanitizers, cleaners, and pesticides.
5. Storage and shipping– this incorporates all types of chemicals and cross-contamination (Curtis & Lawley 2003).

FAO & WHO (2008) pointed out that in the in production and distribution process, physical hazards cause injury or illnesses to the person consuming the food products the physical products include different foreign objects or particles or extraneous materials. Physical hazards in Pre-packaged roast chicken salad sandwich can arise from multiple sources such as poorly maintained or designed equipment and facilities, contaminated raw materials, improper training and practices of the employees, and faulty procedures during the processing. Forsythe (2000) identified some of the physical hazards and their sources and causes during the production and distribution process which can compromise the safety measures put in place by a company as shown in table 2.

Table 2: The physical hazards and their sources and causes during the production and distribution process which can compromise the safety measures put in place by a company.

Measures that the Company could adopt to control microbial hazards and maintain its good track record.

When the microbial hazards are identified with their occurrence points, a company needs to need to identify preventive measures of the hazards from compromising the finished Pre-packaged roast chicken salad sandwich safety. The controls or the preventive measures can be defined as microbial factors that can be used to limit or remove a hazard identified. Some of the preventive measures that a company could adopt to control microbial hazards and maintain its good track record according to Harrigan & Park (1991) are tabulated below in table 3.

Table 3: preventive measures that a company could adopt to control microbial hazards and maintain its good track record

References

Adams, M.R & Moss, M.O (2008) Food Microbiology. 3^rd Edt. Royal Society of Chemistry.

Barbut, S. (2002). Poultry products processing: an industry guide. Boca Raton, Fla, CRC Press.

CFS. 2014. Centre for Food Safety. [ONLINE] Available at http://www.cfs.gov.hk/english/programme/programme_rafs/programme_rafs_fm_01_07_shk.html. [Accessed 23 December 14].

Chef Raphael. 2014. How to make Roast Chicken Sandwich. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQxWYB3-k1g[accessed 14/11/2014 20:43].. [Accessed 23 December 14].

Curtis, L & Lawley, R. (2003) Micro-Facts – The Working Companion. Royal Society of Chemistry.

Food And Agriculture Organization Of The United Nations, & World Health Organization. (2008). Microbiological hazards in fresh leafy vegetables and herbs meeting report. Geneva, World Health Organization.

Forsythe, S.J. (2000) The Microbiology of Safe Food. Blackwell Scientific Ltd.

Harrigan, W.F. & Park, R.W.A. (1991) Making Food Safe (A management guide for microbiological safety). Academic Press.

HMSO. (1990) The Report of the Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food- Richmond Report. Vol 1 & 2.HMSO

HMSO. (1995) The Food Safety (General Food Hygiene) Regulations. HMSO.

Hong Kong (China). (2000). Sandwiches in Hong Kong. Hong Kong, The Dept. retrieved from www.cfs.gov.hk/english/programme/programme_rafs/files/report_4.pdf

ICMSF. (International Commission on the Microbiological Safety of Foods) (1992-1997) Microorganisms in Foods. Aspen Publishers Inc.

Jay, J.M. (2000) Modern Food Microbiology. 6^th Edt. Aspen Publishers Inc.

Kurtzman Cp, Rogers R, & Hesseltine Cw. (1971). Microbiological spoilage of mayonnaise and salad dressings. Applied Microbiology. 21, 870-4.

Mortimore, S & Wallace, C. (1998) HACCP: A practical approach. 2^nd. Edt.

Panos Egglezos. 2012. How It’s Made – Pre-Packaged Sandwiches. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HS_hnmHWEcg.. [Accessed 23 December 14].

Pawsey, R.K. (2002) Case studies in food microbiology. Royal Society of Chemistry.

Royal Institute Of Public Health And Hygiene. (1995). HACCP principles and their application in food safety: training standard. London, The Institute.

The United States. (1997). Meat and poultry products hazards and control guide. [Washington, D.C.], The Service. Retrieved from http://www.haccpalliance.org/sub/haccpmodels/hzrdcontrolguid.pdf

The United States. (2011). Chicken from farm to table. [Washington, D.C.], U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Food Safety, and Inspection Service. Retrieved from http://purl.fdlp.gov/GPO/gpo10983.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (n.d.). income taxes and personal revenues. However, as much as the healthcare system in Canada is social and universal, the plan does not cater to Drugs U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Silver Spring, MD, U.S. Food and internet also promotes the establishment of illegal pharmacies that may be dealing in unapproved or recalled drugs. Besides, online Drug Administration.

Herman Bailey

With a student-centered approach, I create engaging and informative blog posts that tackle relevant topics for students. My content aims to equip students with the knowledge and tools they need to succeed academically and beyond.

Key Influences on Undocumented Resident Numbers in US States

by Herman Bailey | May 24, 2023 | Essays | 0 comments

Why Do Some States Have A Higher Percentage of Undocumented Residents Than Do Other States?

Undocumented residents are the foreign nationals who live in United States without the permission of the government through visa, or are staying beyond the end date of their visa (United States. General Accounting Office, 24). Undocumented residents in United States are a demographic phenomenon that is complex and has been a major cultural change and population growth source throughout the United States history. The political, social and economic immigration aspects in United States have created controversy regarding settlement patterns, jobs for the non documented citizens, economic benefits, ethnicity, upward social mobility impact, voting behavior and crime. There are many reasons why some states in United States have a higher percentage of the undocumented residents compared to the other states. The essay will focus on the four main areas; family, region, party and unemployment. The number of undocumented residents in United States continues to rise in many states

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Family

Re-unification of families accounts for about two thirds of the undocumented residents in United States yearly. According to Passel, Jeffrey and D’Vera (117) the increase of the undocumented citizens especially the Mexicans in United States has resulted to the network effect. This has increased the number of the undocumented residents as they moved in to join their relatives who are already in United States. The description by the Pew Hispanic Center is that once the extended families of the undocumented residents cross the national borders of United States, they form a network effect by building up larger communities composed of families (pew Hispanic center, 19).

Region

In general, undocumented residents from Central America or Mexico come for economic reasons and also political oppressions. From sub-Saharan Africa, the undocumented citizens come for economic activities and also slave trade by chance. From Asia, they come because of economic reasons, some involuntarily as sex slaves and indentured servants. From Eastern Europe and Middle East, they come to rejoin their families already in United States and also for economic reasons (Chatman et al, 317).

Party (Democrats)

Party politics that favor immigrants have seen high percentage of the undocumented residents in states that are sympathetic to Democrat party. The Democrat party has always embraced the diversity of United States since the country has a rich heritage of immigration. According to Sarasohn (84), Democrats party supports a very comprehensive reform that is based on principles of accountability and responsibility. That is the federal government responsibility to secure the national borders, responsibility from the unscrupulous business that constantly break the law and the responsibility of the undocumented residents who live in united states.t5his is evident when the Obama administration based on Democrats party filed a lawsuit to prevent a potentially and extreme unconstitutional immigration law from being implemented in the Arizona State

Unemployment

Unemployment of the un documented residents is very high in united states and this has attrite a lot of sentiments from the public and the activists (Abraham, 970).According to U.S. General Accounting Office (29), some the undocumented residents in some states take away jobs from the citizens of America while in some states that are characterized by large agricultural activities and business the undocumented residents are many because they take up the jobs perceived to be unattractive. This supported further by the CBS News/New York Rimes poll report on May 2006 that documented that 53% of the Americans feel that the undocumented residents take up the Americans do not want (CBS News/New York Times Poll, n.d). 

Work Cited

Abraham, David. “Doing Justice on Two Fronts: the Liberal Dilemma in Immigration.” Ethnic and Racial Studies. 33.6 (2010): 968-985. Print.

Chatman, Daniel, and Nicholas Klein. “”Immigrants and Travel Demand in the United States.” Public Works Management & Policy. 13.4 (2009): 312-327. Print.

CBS News/New York Times Poll. May 18–23, 2006

Number of Undocumented Aliens Residing in the United States Unknown: Report to the Congress. Washington, D.C: U.S. General Accounting Office, 2011. Print.

Passel, Jeffrey S, and D’Vera Cohn. Trends in Unauthorized Immigration: Undocumented Inflow Now Trails Legal Inflow. Washington, DC: Pew Hispanic Center, 2008. Internet resource.

Sarasohn, David. The Party of Reform: Democrats in the Progressive Era. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 2013. Print.

The State of American Public Opinion on Immigration in Spring 2006: A Review of Major Surveys, pew Hispanic center,PewHispanic.org,May 17, 2006

Herman Bailey

With a student-centered approach, I create engaging and informative blog posts that tackle relevant topics for students. My content aims to equip students with the knowledge and tools they need to succeed academically and beyond.

Comprehensive School-Based Program for Child Sexual Abuse and Mental Health

by Herman Bailey | May 24, 2023 | Essays | 0 comments

Abstract

Child sexual abuse and mental problems are social problem that affect our society. The paper began by discussing the conceptualization of childhood sexual abuse and mental health in psychological and sociological perspective. Furthermore, it discusses the treatment models and intervention strategies currently used to address children sexual abuse and mental health. Under these current treatment and intervention programs, the article explained the following approaches: Group therapy where it is applied in many people, Individual treatment designed for the offended victim, Dyadic treatment to enhance mother daughter relationship or daughter father relationship. Family therapy is administered to the whole family members and multiple therapists involve deployment of many clinicians.

The article included two empirical studies that were conducted to support the current treatment and intervention programs.

On the second part of the article, it discusses the proposed comprehensive School based support intervention service program. It outlines the objective of the program, geographical focus of the program and services that will achieve the programs objectives with their theoretical rational. Moreover, how the program will be implement is discussed in detail. This includes the team’s blueprint, partnerships, role and boundaries, and confidentiality. The proposed implementation cost and the source of funding is also included in the paper. Lastly, it describes the evaluation plan.

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School based support intervention service program

The comprehensive school based program will incorporate an outside school team of behavioral health professionals, such as the community provider of mental health, that partner with the staff of the school. This program will be effective because it will enable specialists to identify quickly issues of students and triage care immediately based on the circumstances severity.

Whether it is a small emotional disturbance that needs basic support or a very complicated mental health issue requiring intensive intervention, the school based intervention program will enable full range of options to a school that adopts it. Furthermore, appropriate care levels can then be formed based on mental/emotional health issue severity. Brown-Chidsey (2005) suggested that community mental health team members can be activated when more intensive and complex services are needed. Moreover, the school social workers or psychologists can provide education, wellness and prevention programs.

Objective

The program is designed for the youth and the children under 18 years who are under group homes or foster care or at a high risk of placement due to sexual abuse or mental health problems. The main objective of the program is for family re-unification and maintaining the stability of the home placement.

Geographical focus

The program will be based within a school setting

Services that will achieve the programs objectives

To achieve the objectives of the program, the following services will be offered:

1. Behavioral management
2. Anger management
3. case management
4. Assistance in budgeting and financial planning
5. Building communication skills
6. Community resource linkage
7. Conflict resolution

Similarly, the program can offer the following additional services:

1. Crisis intervention services
2. Building coping skills
3. Effective discipline training
4. Parenting education skills
5. Medication management skills
6. Building social skills
7. Stress management

The theoretical rationale for the services

The services chosen will be provided to teach the children and extol values that ensure maximum success. The services have been chosen under realizable rationale. For instance, in anger management and conflict resolution, the services are important because it will work on issues that will show how to express and manage conflict and anger effectively. The children will be provided with assistance by identifying anger reactions causes and methods of treating it.

Similarly, the services have been chosen to empower self identity and enhance self esteem to become strong, healthy and independent. Moreover, social skills services will be adopted because it will augment positive behavior and social skill and decrease negative .This will ensure that the objective of the program of transiting the sexually abused and mentally children into self sufficient, confident successfully living in the community.

How the program will be implemented

The support intervention service program will incorporate a supplementary community team of mental health professionals incorporated into the school services. Children sexually abused and the presence of mental illness among school children, if not diagnosed and treated properly, increases the probability of other health issues, and this limits their ability to be productive as societal members.

For the adolescents, the initial signs of emotional distress or mental illness can be noticed in the school environment. According to Brown-Chidsey (2005), it is known that issues of mental health such as family problems, depression and anxiety often are the main causes of poor performance in academics, truancy and disciplinary issues.

As observed by Brown-Chidsey (2005), many schools has social workers, psychologists and counselors, many progressive schools recognize the importance of a more comprehensive approach whereby supplementary community mental health professional team is integrated into the service array of the school. To implement this comprehensive school based program effectively, the following guidelines are important.

Team blueprint

Because of the wide range of issues that can come up in a school setting, the team of the program will be structured in a manner that practice or expertise area can be invoked quickly when needed. While the staffs contracted are not always around the school, the advantage of engaging the community providers of mental health professionals is that they can assemble quickly in the event they are urgently needed.

The point person of the team will serve as an intermediary between the community organization of the mental health and the school. The individual holding the position should be dedicated, be on site to quickly identify the need, triage and assess that connect the children to families with the appropriate service providers.

Brown-Chidsey (2005) pointed out that the point mans duty is to ensure quick mobilization and optimal marketing as selling and advertising, however marketing consists of different activities. Kotler and Make define marketing as the set of activities, and communication. Furthermore, he or she will collaborate with the administrators, nursing staff and deploy the community provider of mental health services when needed. The individual has all access to all services provided such as group or individual therapists, chemical dependent advisors , crisis management experts , poverty on America’s families:Assessing our research knowledge”. Journal of family counselors and psychiatrists.

Partnerships

They are key to school based program success. It will include the school district security division and safety since care plans, confidentiality issues and communications must comply with the policies and protocols established. Moreover, family members play an important role in the program, by providing ongoing guidance; maintain an understanding and a nurturing environment where adolescents can recover and being a participant in the family therapy.

According to Brown-Chidsey (2005), mental health organizations for the community are indispensable through established relationships with agencies of the state and serves the children. These may include children and family services departments and juvenile rehabilitation administration. Partnership with these organizations will maintain care continuity, provide exposition, cut through the bureaucratic red tape and provide tailoring context for care plans.

Finally, another significant partnership is of the school itself. Teachers, school administrators, medical staff will be the foot soldiers of the purposed program. They will act as the ears and the eyes to provide early detection. By collaborating and interacting frequently with the community mental health organizations, the staff members of the school will become more adept in detecting early warning sign and being able to distinguish nuanced behaviors.

Roles and boundaries

According to Brown-Chidsey (2005), clarifying the programs roles and setting boundaries that are clear is important to prevent unreasonable expectations and confusion. Defining of roles and setting of the boundaries for the program will be done at the initial stages of planning with agency leadership and school administrators. Upon establishing down the framework of these roles, it will be much easier to clarify roles among the service providers such as the counselor, school social worker, family support worker and nurse.

Furthermore, the school staff will know their contribution and roles early to ease tension and not feel threatened. The mental health professionals on the other hand, understand where they fit in the program.

Confidentiality

According to Brown-Chidsey (2005), the members of the school staff takes seriously their students welfare. However, the mental staff contracted must be conscious about the confidentiality. They should adhere to the confidentiality regulations and the code of ethics of the social workers to protect the privacy of the clients.

Therefore, the professional contracted to the program must toe the line while promoting collaboration, building trust and investing in the necessary team work to support the students. Thus, for this reason, the staff will have proper release forms and direct consent, when applicable of any student before starting a case discussion. Moreover; the mental health staff will release only relevant information to school life issues of a student.

Implementation cost

A 12 MONTH BUDGET FOR THE FIRST YEAR

The program will be funded by the school budget, the parents sponsors, well wishers and the local government.

Evaluation plan for the program

The evaluation framework for the school based program will offer way to understand and improve the program using useful, proper, feasible and accurate methods. The evaluation framework that will be adopted is a practical tool that summarizes the programs elements. The evaluation framework has two related dimensions, that is, evaluation practice steps and good evaluation standards .the evaluation practice plan consists of six flexible connected steps. The steps include

1. Stakeholder’s engagement
2. Description o f the program

The description of the program is the intervention summary being evaluated. It will explain what the program will accomplish and how it will bring the changes. It will be an illustration of the core components of g the program, and its ability to bring changes.

3. Focusing of the evaluation design

Focusing of the design means doing some advance Samsung’s Diversification Strategy: The Case of Samsung Motors Inc. Long Range planning on the direction of the evaluation, and the necessary steps the program will need to realize the dream. A well focused plan safeguards a program from using resources and time ineffectively.

4. Gathering of the credible evidence

Credible research should address pediatric infections and resistant organisms in Aseptic Technique for peripheral IV insertion. There are much evidence will be the raw material for evaluation. The learned information should be recognized by the stakeholders as trustworthy, believable and relevant in answering their questions

5. Justification of the conclusion

The justification of solution process recognizes that evaluation evidence does not speak for itself necessarily. Careful consideration should be given to the evidence from the stakeholder’s perspectives for conclusion to be derived, justified and substantiated

6. Ensuring use and sharing of the learned lessons

Deliberate efforts on the evaluators part is needed in ensuring that findings in the evaluation will be appropriately used. Preparations for their use include continued vigilance and strategic thinking. To be sure that the evaluation recommendations, five elements are important. They include design, preparation, feedback, follow-up and dissemination.

The second plan framework is a set of standards for assessing the activities of evaluation quality. These are organized into four groups; feasibility, utility, accuracy and propriety.

References

Brown-Chidsey, R. (2005). Assessment for intervention: A problem-solving approach. New York: Guilford Press.

Herman Bailey

With a student-centered approach, I create engaging and informative blog posts that tackle relevant topics for students. My content aims to equip students with the knowledge and tools they need to succeed academically and beyond.