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TAENIA SOLIUM
Taenia solium, a parasite also known as pork tapeworm, can be transmitted via food. Symptoms include nausea, epigastric fullness and vomiting. Appendicitis can result if proglottids (end of tapeworm that contains eggs) become lodged in the appendix, or if the actual tapeworm physically blocks the intestinal tract. Humans become infected through foodborne transmission by eating undercooked pork. In addition, ill food handlers or food handlers with poor personal hygiene can transfer the worm from their unclean hands to ready-to-eat food, which in turn can be ingested by an unsuspecting individual. Taenia solium is not a notifiable disease in the United States. Therefore the number of foodborne cases is unknown.

TEMPORARY FOOD ESTABLISHMENT
A food establishment that operates for a period of no more than 14 consecutive days in conjunction with a single event or celebration.

THERMOCOUPLE
A high-tech, fast, accurate and reliable (but expensive) thermometer that uses electricity to measure temperature.

THERMOMETER
An instrument used to measure heat.

TIME AND TEMPERATURE PRINCIPLE
Hazardous food should be maintained at an internal temperature below 45 degrees F or above 140 degrees F during storage, transport, handling, preparation and serving. Four hours is the limit for potentially hazardous food to remain at temperatures in the danger zone.

TOXOPLASMOSIS
A disease caused by a parasite that is found in many kinds of meat (and cat fecal matter). It causes severe illness, especially in pregnant women, but is easily destroyed through cooking.

TRAVELERS’ DIARRHEA
This illness is often caused by Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli. Symptoms include abdominal pain, watery diarrhea, fever, nausea and fatigue. Although ETEC is not considered a serious foodborne disease in the United States, it is commonly associated with travelers to foreign countries where conditions may not be as sanitary. Water contaminated with human sewage may lead to contamination of foods. Infected food handlers may also contaminate foods by failing to wash their hands thoroughly before preparing food. Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli is not a notifiable disease in the United States, therefore its frequency is for the most part unknown.

TRICHINOSIS
A disease caused by a worm-like parasite. It used to be a problem in pork, but is now rare in the United States.