What is Food borne Sickness and what are Statistics?

What is Food borne Sickness and what are Statistics?

Depending on your age, you may remember the days that grandma cooked Sunday dinner around 2 pm for the entire family. Everyone ate, then the leftovers remained on the table, maybe a tablecloth thrown over them, and everyone either at them later or packed a to-go bag. While grandma's cooking may be beyond delicious, that left over food might leave a lot to be desired.

Food Poisoning It can make you feel like you have been run over by a semi, yet lived.

Severe vomiting, diarrhea, cramps, and fever are all symptoms of food poisoning. In many cases People may assume they have a stomach virus, when in fact it is due to foods they have consumed. For people that have a normal, healthy immune system, most cases of food poison can be treated without the intervention of medical help. It should last no more than two days, and it is important to at least keep hydrated with liquids. Once the vomiting has ceased, it's best to reintroduce foods at a slow pace. The digestive system is still somewhat in a state of shock, soups, jello or toast is a good option to start back into the normal eating process. If you are unable to keep liquids down after 24 hours, consult with your physician.

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Everyone assumes when they get food poisoning that it was from certain foods they have always been warned about. That certainly can be the case, however, not always. Several years ago, a family style restaurant, with a large serve yourself food bar, was shut down after people became ill. Sadly a two year old child and an elderly woman died from food poisoning after eating there. After an investigation, it was determined it was watermelon that was the culprit. A kitchen worker used a knife to cut the melon, after the knife was used to cut raw meat. Any utensil that touches raw meat should not touch anything else, the bottom line. I remember when I first began eating Christmas dinner with my in laws; they cooked (sort of) prime rib to serve. I understand prime rib is served rare, however, their idea was more like raw in the center. The day after Christmas they always talked about the yearly stomach virus they would get. They are smart people, but old school when it comes to food safety.

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Common Food Mistakes Grilling out is great, however, taking raw meat in a pan to the grill, then keeping the pan or utensils to remove and carry the cooked meat is contaminating the food you are about to eat. Change the pan and utensils, always.

Undercooked foods, meats in particular. Use a meat thermometer, and be sure meat is cooked in the center.

Don't use the same knife or fork for different raw foods Refrigerate leftovers promptly. Food can develop bacteria at room temperature in less than one hour.

Throw leftovers out after 2-3 days.

There are numerous ways to contract a case of food poisoning. A Farm that has cattle in one area should comply and ensure crops are not what is considered to be downstream from the cattle. During heavy rains cattle feces could wash down onto the growing crop and contaminate them. Always wash fresh fruit and vegetables well prior to eating and using in dishes. When grocery shopping, watch that meat does not leak onto fresh vegetables, fruit, or any exposed foods. When possible bag meat separatel. The new reusable grocery bags are great for the environment; however, they are notorious for harboring germs. Opt to use store disposable bags for meat, and wash reusable bags regularly.

Be sure to wash hands well after the groceries are put away, you would be shocked to see the bacteria on your hands from handling foods and the cart at the store.

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Food borne Illness Statistics It is very difficult to account for food poisoning cases due to several reasons. Food can be contaminated in a number of different ways.

Contamination can originate from bacteria, viruses, parasites, and chemicals, which makes it difficult to track down. Contamination can come from contact with animals, contaminated water, or a host of other pathogens. Many cases of food poisoning go unrecognized or misdiagnosed, so it's hard to say many actually occur. A small portion is reported to public health agencies, however, this is generally when there is a major outbreak. Surveillance equipment is an excellent tool for diagnosing the problem of contamination in factories or processing plants.

Often a trained eye can spot the source or problem in a factory setting.

Proper training and educating workers in food safety and handling is essential to providing the public with safe food forms-consumption.

Food poisoning is rarely dateline, however, it can be. Anyone with a compromised immune system is at a higher risk of contracting a foodborne illness. The elderly, or very young, and pregnant women are at especially high risk, and extra caution is advised with certain foods.      

Cook food to correct and recommended temperatures Avoid raw eggs, or undercooked eggs, especially pregnant women or anyone at high risk.

Use clean plates and utensils for different foods, and don't reuse anything raw meat has touched.

Wash fruits and vegetables prior to serving Discard leftovers after 2-3 days Refrigerate leftovers immediately

A good rule to remember, if in doubt, throws it out.

Food borne illnesses can be difficult to diagnose, and even more difficult to treat if they reach advanced stages. For anyone that thinks they may be suffering from food poisoning, it is advisable to see a healthcare provider if symptoms exceed 12 hours or are accompanied by severe pain. It's important to stay well hydrated. Gatorade is fine since it will replace electrolytes, but it should be consumed in moderation. Good hygiene and proper food handling could eliminate 90% of food poisoning cases each year.

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