FOOD POISONING

Mummy my stomach! Ouch! Little Jessica groaned, rolling on the floor. I have been to the toilet seven (7) times today and there is blood in my stool, I feel very weak and am feeling dizzy too. Mummy i am in pains! Stella, Jessica’s mum was confused; she couldn't stand the pain her daughter was going through. Where is the key to my car she asked herself. Within 5 minutes she was already on her way to the hospital.

Stella, Jessica is suffering from food poisoning the doctor said.

Food poisoning? How come? Who poisoned my little angle? She was lost in thought

Ah! My enemies are at work again! Jesus! Have mercy on me

Calm down Mrs Stella, food poisoning is not a spiritual attack. It is a general term that refers to gastrointestinal illnesses (usually diarrhea and/or vomiting) caused by food that is contaminated with:

·         Parasites,

·         Viruses, or

·         Toxic substances.

Ignorance they say is a disease which kills faster than any other disease.

What is food poisoning?

Food poisoning might be described as a food borne disease.Food poisoning is any illness resulting from the consumption of contaminated food, pathogenic bacteria,viruses, or parasites that contaminate food, as well as chemical or natural toxins such as poisonous mushrooms. Food borne illness usually arises from improper handling, preparation, or food storage. Good hygiene practices before, during, and after food preparation can reduce the chances of contracting an illness.

Those symptoms may be related only to the gastrointestinal tract causing vomiting or diarrhea or may involve other organs such as the kidney, brain, or muscle. Typically most food borne diseases cause vomiting and diarrhoea that tend to be short lived and resolve on their own, but dehydration and electrolyte abnormalities may develop. 

If you've ever experienced food poisoning, you'll know how unpleasant it can be, even for a fit and healthy person. Sometimes food poisoning can cause serious illness and even death. Most people assume that food poisoning comes from restaurants, cafes and fast food outlets, but research has shown us that you’re just as likely to get ill from food prepared at home.

So many events can cause food contamination. They include:

·           Food growing: The use of chemicals, fertilizers, manures etc, all have the potential to contaminate food as it is being grown. Never hold an expectation that an item is washed before it leaves the farm.

·         Environmental factors: Bacteria, parasites etc. travel happily in the wind, float in the water, hitch lifts with dust and reside snugly in the soil. They are part of nature's web of life and will always be a possible source of contamination if not dealt with appropriately as part of a consistent and dedicated approach to food hygiene.

·         Food processing: Whether in a large factory or in your own kitchen, food processing can be a major source of contamination. Areas used for processing need to be kept scrupulously clean or cross-contamination can easily occur, especially with meat products (natural bacteria residing in the intestines of animals are a major source of cross-contamination when mishandled).

·      Food storage: Food that is stored incorrectly (for instance an uncooked chicken thigh resting next to a bunch of grapes) can be a source of transferring bacteria and other contaminants from one food to another. This is a very tricky area because often people don't think that some foods could be a source of contamination but are unaware that cross-contamination has occurred.

·      Food preparation: A great deal of food contamination occurs during the preparation stage. A sick person can pass on germs, from 'flu to gastroenteritis. A chopping board used for meat that is not washed and then used for vegetables is another source of possible contamination. Unwashed hands, dirty kitchen spaces, insects and rodents in the kitchen etc. are all possible sources of food contamination.

It is advisable to wash fruits and vegetables with warm water and salt

Temperature – food poisoning bacteria grow best in the temperature range between 5 °C and 60 °C. This is referred to as the ‘temperature danger zone’. This means that we need to keep perishable food either very cold or very hot, in order to avoid food poisoning

High-risk foods

Food contamination is not just limited to foods you may consider risky,such as chicken or fish. Prepared fruits, vegetables and salads can also be potentially dangerous. Contaminated food will usually look, smell and taste normal. Food poisoning bacteria can grow and multiply on some types of food more easily than others.

Potentially high –risk foods include:

·         Raw and cooked meat, including poultry such as chicken and turkey, and foods containing these, such as casseroles, curries, etc

·         Dairy products, such as cheesecake

·         Eggs and egg products

·         Cooked rice and pasta

·         Prepared salads like coleslaw's, pasta salads and rice salads

·         Prepared fruit salads

·         Ready-to-eat foods, including sandwiches, rolls, and pizza that contain any of the foods above.

High-risk groups for food poisoning

Some people are more at risk of getting food poisoning than others. Take special care when buying, storing and preparing food for these people

Vulnerable groups include:

·         Pregnant women

·         The elderly

·         Young children

·         People with chronic illness.

Symptoms of food poisoning

The symptoms of food poisoning may vary depending on the type of bacteria causing the illness. Symptoms can range from mild to very severe. They can occur almost immediately after eating, or a number of  hours later and they can last from 24 hours to five days.

When you get sick, you usually experience one or more of:

·         Nausea

·         Stomach cramps

·         Diarrhea

·         Vomiting

·         Fever

·         Headaches.

If you think you have food poisoning

If you experience some of these symptoms and think you have food poisoning, see your doctor as soon as possible. It’s also a good idea to report your illness to your local council or the Department of Health, so that the causes be investigated.

This is particularly important if you think the illness is related to eating out at a restaurant or cafe, or to food purchased from a shop or take –away outlet.

How to prevent food poisoning

There are some simple rules you can follow to minimize the risk of food poisoning. You should take steps to:

·         Prevent food from being contaminated

·         Prevent the bacteria in the food from growing and multiplying.

BUYING FOOD

When you buy food:

·         Try to keep potentially high-risk foods outside the ‘temperature danger zone’ and buy hot and cold foods at the end of your shopping trip.

·         Keep hot foods and cold foods separate.

·         Avoid food past its use-by date and always check labels.

·         Avoid food in swollen, dented, leaking or damaged cans, containers or other packaging.

·         Don’t buy frozen or chilled foods that have been left out of the freezer, and only buy hot foods that are steaming hot.

·         Check that serving staff use separate tongs when handling separate food types, such as meats and vegetables.

·         Check that serving staff wear gloves when they handle the food, but not when they are cleaning surfaces or taking money.

·         Make sure that eggs in cartons identify the supplier, and never buy cracked or dirty eggs.

·         Take your shopping home quickly and store it immediately.

PREPARING FOOD TO AVOID FOOD POISONING

When you prepare food:

·         Wash your hands in warm, soapy water before preparing food.

·         Don’t use the same cutting board for raw food that will be used for cooked (meat) and foods that are served raw (such as salads). This reduces the chances of cross contamination of food.

·         Note that most food should be cooked to a temperature of at least 75 °C.

·         Check the cooking temperature with a thermometer. If you don’t have one, make sure you cook poultry until the meat is white, particularly near the bone. Cook hamburgers, mince, rolled roasts and sausages right through until their juices run clear. Cook white fish until it flakes easily with a fork.

STORING FOOD TO AVOID FOOD POISONING       

When you store food:

·         Separate raw food from cooked food, and store raw food at the bottom of the fridge to avoid juices dripping onto and contaminating other food.

·         Check your fridge temperature is below 5 °C and your freezer temperature is below -15 °C.

·         Allow cooked foods to cool to room temperature (about 21 °C) before storing in the refrigerator. (This should not take more than two hours – cooling will be quicker if you put the hot food into a number of smaller containers rather than leaving it in one large one.) This prevents the refrigerator temperature from rising and reduces the risk of bacterial growth in all food stored in the fridge.

·         Cover all food with lids, tin foil or plastic wrap.

·         Don’t store food in opened tin cans.

Things to remember

·         Food poisoning bacteria can multiply very quickly, particularly in certain conditions.

·         Pregnant women, young children, the elderly and those with an illness are more at risk of food poisoning.

·         Take care when preparing, storing or serving food, especially potentially high-risk foods.

·         See your doctor as soon as possible if you experience symptoms of food poisoning.