Which of the following statements is not supported by the Salmonella item in the material?

Which of the following statements is not supported by the Salmonella item in the material?

• A. Symptoms appear within 12 hours.
• B. Refrigeration of food will prevent salmonellosis.
• C. The Salmonella bacterium produces toxins that cause food poisoning.
• D. The Salmonella bacterium itself causes food poisoning.

Answer: (B)

The statement hinges on how Salmonella illness is described and what prevention claims are supported. Salmonella illness results from ingesting live bacteria that invade the gut and can produce toxins that contribute to symptoms, so the bacterium itself is the cause and toxins may play a role in the illness. The material also notes that symptoms can appear relatively quickly, within about 12 hours of exposure. However, refrigeration of food will not reliably prevent salmonellosis because cold temperatures slow growth but do not reliably kill Salmonella; viable bacteria can survive in refrigerated foods and still cause illness if consumed. So the refrigeration claim isn’t supported by the material, while the other points fit with what the material says about Salmonella.

The statement hinges on how Salmonella illness is described and what prevention claims are supported. Salmonella illness results from ingesting live bacteria that invade the gut and can produce toxins that contribute to symptoms, so the bacterium itself is the cause and toxins may play a role in the illness. The material also notes that symptoms can appear relatively quickly, within about 12 hours of exposure. However, refrigeration of food will not reliably prevent salmonellosis because cold temperatures slow growth but do not reliably kill Salmonella; viable bacteria can survive in refrigerated foods and still cause illness if consumed. So the refrigeration claim isn’t supported by the material, while the other points fit with what the material says about Salmonella.