Food Poisoning--An Overview

What is Food Poisoning?

Food poisoning results when you eat food contaminated with bacteria or other pathogens such as parasites or viruses. Your symptoms may range from upset stomach to diarrhea, fever, vomiting, abdominal cramps and dehydration. Most such infections go undiagnosed and unreported.

But the Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that each year about 76 million people in the United States become ill from pathogens in food, and about 5,000 of them die.

Over 55% of such cases are caused by improper cooking and storage of foods, and 24% by poor hygiene, such as not washing your hands while preparing food. Only 3% of cases are from unsafe food sources. Keeping your hands clean while working with food is the single most important thing you can do to prevent food poisoning.

About 20 organisms can cause food poisoning. After you eat food contaminated with bacteria, they will multiply in your stomach and bowels. Some bacteria give off a toxin when they multiply. As a result, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps and diarrhea occur. Vomiting and diarrhea are the body's way of eliminating the toxin, and most cases of food poisoning run their course without needing medical attention.

Not all invasive organisms cause vomiting as a symptom, but almost all of them cause diarrhea. Blood in your stool occurs in many types of food poisoning and is considered to be serious. Abdominal cramps are also common, and sometimes you will have a fever. Be sure to contact a physician if a fever or bloody stools are present.

Common Sources of Food Poisoning

Campylobacter is the leading cause of bacterial food poisoning in the USA. It causes several million cases a year, resulting in hundreds of deaths. Eating undercooked chicken or food that has been in contact with raw chicken most commonly causes campylobacter. The Center for Disease Control estimates that up to 70%-90% of chickens are infected with campylobacter.

To prevent the disease, cook chicken thoroughly, with no pink remaining. Wash your hands frequently when handling raw chicken. Use paper towels to dry your hands. If you are using a sponge or dish-cloth to clean the counters, use a fresh one after working with raw chicken. Wash your cutting board with a diluted bleach solution before using again. And any utensils or dishes having contact with raw chicken need to be washed and rinsed with soap and water before using again.

E. coli 0157: H7 infection causes an estimated 25,000 cases of food poisoning each year in the USA. Most of these result from undercooked, contaminated ground beef. The organism lives in the intestines of healthy cows. Meat can become contaminated during slaughter when intestinal fecal matter is mixed with beef that is ground into hamburger. Contaminated meat looks and smells normal, so it is not readily detectable. Bacteria on cow udders or milking machines can also contaminate raw milk.

To prevent this form of food poisoning, cook all ground beef until no pink is showing. Make sure all of the meat juices are clear, not pink or red, and that the inside of the meat is hot. If you are served an undercooked hamburger in a restaurant, send it back. Consume only pasteurized milk products, and drink only water treated with chlorine or other disinfectants.

Botulism is caused by clostridium botulinum, a spore-forming bacteria. This form of food poisoning is very rare, but can be life-threatening. It may result from eating improperly processed, low-acid foods such as green beans, mushrooms, spinach, olives and beef or fish. Improper home canning methods often account for botulism cases. Improperly processed commercial products can also cause this serious disorder.

To avoid botulism, don't even taste canned food that is soft, deteriorating, fermenting or doesn't smell right. It isn't worth a life-threatening illness. When in doubt, throw it out.

Infant botulism is more common in spring and summer, and is rare in winter. Infants younger than one year of age are at the highest risk. Symptoms include muscle weakness, a weak cry, difficulty in feeding, constipation, head lag, increased heart rate and a decreased gag reflex. A baby with botulism is described as a "floppy baby," as the infant will have weak muscles, especially in the arms, legs and neck.

Infant botulism has been associated with eating honey. The Center for Disease Control suggests that honey should not be given to infants under six months old, and the Honey Industry Council extends the safety limit to one year. Honey is not an essential food for infants, and should never be given to them.

Summary of Food Poisoning

Most symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps and diarrhea are due to viral infections and are not true cases of food poisoning. An accurate diagnosis can be difficult because the pathogenic organisms are found in different kinds of food and have varying incubation periods. Also, eating a substance and getting sick immediately afterwards is not the typical course for food poisoning. Most people are not aware that food eaten several days previously can be the cause of food poisoning. Always be sure to consult a physician when experiencing severe gastrointestinal symptoms.

Information in this article was gathered from the Safety Information website at http://wellness.ucdavis.edu/safety_info/poison_prevention/poison_book/food_poisoning.html and the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse website at http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/bacteria/index.htm.

RAINBOW WRITING, INC. -- featuring Karen Peralta, copy editor, ghost writer and book author -- EXPERT FREE DOWNLOAD COMPUTER FIXER PROGRAM! We also offer inexpensive professional freelance and contracted writing, editing, copy editing and writing, rewriting, ghost writing, graphics design and CAD, Internet marketing, publishing assistance, search engine optimization, professional free services and ultra-cheap dedicated web hosting and website development services. http://www.rainbowriting.com/

---

Dutch Oven Cooking Basics

Pioneer CookingWhen you think of a cast iron Dutch oven,... Read More

Cool Summertime Cooking

Summertime--and the living is easy! But the kitchen is hot!!... Read More

Alone In the Kitchen: Stirring Up Mindfulness

Put on your apron! It's time to stir up a... Read More

Working with Eggs

Bad eggs are rare but they do occur. Crack eggs... Read More

Grilling Vs. Barbecue

Grilling and Barbecuing, two of the most popular cooking methods... Read More

Vegetarian Cooking - Three Basics

For any of the many reasons people choose to eat... Read More

Kitchen Canister Sets - How to Beautify Your Kitchen

Kitchen canister sets are a great way to accent your... Read More

What is a Serving Size?

Have you ever wondered how much a serving really is.... Read More

Whisk Your Way To a Perfect Meal Every Time!

The whisk. A true versatile cooking utensil. Whisks come in... Read More

Barbecue Success With The Rule Of Thirds

Ever been to a barbecue party where the 'chef' placed... Read More

Baking Bread and Your Freezer

There's a lot of bread in our freezer. In our... Read More

Baking Perfect Breads, Cookies, and Desserts

We're all looking for that perfect pie, or cookies, or... Read More

Two for One Dinners: Beans

If you find leftovers boring, uninviting or downright "yuck," then... Read More

Do a Dry Rub First

The debate on ribs has ended in my home. After... Read More

How to Care for Your Cast Iron Skillet (includes recipes)

Some of the best meals I've ever eaten were made... Read More

Save Time in the Kitchen - Cook Pasta the Way Restaurant Chefs Do

Have you ever wondered how a restaurant can get a... Read More

The Best-Kept Secrets of Beef Revealed! Get Ready to Become the Meat Expert in Your Family!

Do you helplessly stand at the meat counter looking from... Read More

Christmas Cookie Decorating 101

Many bakers ask for tips and instructions on decorating cookies.... Read More

10 Easy Ways To Protect Your Family From Food Poisoning

Do you realize the many ways that bacteria can contaminate... Read More

The Right Grill for Your Barbecue

Barbecue is a mix of talents. There is the choice... Read More

Understanding Baking: How Yeast Works

Did you ever wonder why flour tastes like sawdust but... Read More

Slimming Secrets From The Kitchen

To get the svelte figure, start in the kitchen. Slimming... Read More

Do you own an AGA or RAYBURN cooker ?

The Cooker-rail....This is a novel way of increasing the drying... Read More

Season Your Pans for Non Stick Cooking

Nothing is more frustrating than trying to cook a delicious... Read More

Peppercorns & Ways To Use Them

New and exciting varieties of peppercorns are becoming available to... Read More