Symptoms and Prevention of Food Poisoning

The symptoms of food poisoning may vary depending on the type of bacteria causing the illness, and the quantity of contaminated food is consumed. Symptoms can range from mild to very severe contaminated food is eaten.

Symptoms can occur almost immediately after eating, or a number of hours later, and they can last from 24 hours to a week. They may even take as long as several weeks before manifestation. They include:

» Nausea
» Stomach cramps
» Diarrhoea
» Vomiting
» Fever
» Headaches.
» Abdominal pain
» Loss of appetite
» Muscle pain

Some toxins can cause food poisoning within a much shorter time. In these cases, vomiting is the main symptom. Some food-borne pathogens cause other symptoms. For instance, pathogenic Listeria bacteria may cause miscarriage or meningitis in susceptible people. Food poisoning can also lead to other long-term illnesses and symptoms, and even death.

                                          HOW TO PREVENT OF FOOD POISONING.

It is widely believed that food poisoning is only caused by contamination while preparing or serving food at home. This is wrong. Infectious organisms or their toxins, as a matter of facts, can contaminate food at any point of processing or production.

The best way to avoid getting food poisoning is to ensure you maintain high standards of food hygiene when storing, handling and preparing food.

According to the Food Standards Agency (FSA), a useful way of preventing food poisoning is to remember the four Cs: Cleaning, Cooking, Chilling, Cross-contamination (avoiding it).

» CLEANING: You can prevent the spread of harmful bacteria and viruses by maintaining good personal hygiene standards and keeping work surfaces and utensils clean.

Make sure you regularly wash your hands with soap and warm water, particularly after going to the toilet, after handling raw food, before preparing food, after touching bins and after touching pets. You should never handle food if you are ill with stomach problems, such as diarrhoea or vomiting, you have sores and cuts (unless they are covered with a waterproof dressing).

» COOKING: It is important to cook food thoroughly, particularly poultry, pork, burgers, sausages and kebabs. This will kill any harmful bacteria that may be present, such as listeria and salmonella. And when reheating food, make sure it is steaming hot all the way through. Do not reheat food more than once.

» CHILLING: Certain foods need to be kept at the correct temperature to prevent harmful bacteria from growing and multiplying. Always check the storage instructions on the label. If food has to be refrigerated, set your fridge to 0–5°C (32 - 41°F). If food that needs to be chilled is left at room temperature, bacteria can grow and multiply to dangerous levels. Cooked leftovers should be cooled quickly, ideally within 1–2 hours, and put in your fridge or freezer. Dividing food into smaller amounts and putting it into shallow containers will speed up the cooling process.

» CROSS-CONTAMINATION: Cross-contamination occurs when bacteria are transferred from foods (usually raw foods) to other foods. Contamination can be:

» Direct – where one food touches or drips onto another food

» Indirect – where bacteria on your hands, work surfaces, equipment or utensils are spread to food

To prevent cross-contamination:

* always wash your hands after handling raw food

* store raw and ready-to-eat foods separately

* store raw meat in sealable containers at the bottom of your fridge so that it cannot drip onto other foods

* use a different chopping board for raw food and ready-to-eat food, or wash it thoroughly in between preparing different types of food

* clean knives and other utensils thoroughly after using them with raw food

* do not wash raw meat or poultry – any harmful bacteria will be killed by thorough cooking, and washing may splash harmful bacteria around the kitchen.

It's also recommended that you stick to a food’s ‘use by’ date and the storage instructions on the packet. These steps are important because things such as a food's appearance and smell are not a reliable way of telling if it's safe to eat.

Food poisoning can be avoided by taking these very simple precautions. There is no need in causing ourselves harm.


REFERENCES:
Better Health Channel
NHS Choices

Listeria and Food poisoning

 Listeria is a bacteria primarily found in soil and water. According to the CDC, vegetables can become contaminated from soil or from manure used as fertilizer. Animals carrying the bacterium can also contaminate food. Listeria has been found in many types of uncooked foods, such as meats and vegetables, as well as in processed foods that become contaminated after processing, such as soft cheeses (like feta and crumbled blue cheese) and cold cuts.

Unpasteurized milk or foods made from unpasteurized milk may also be sources of listeria infection. Listeria is killed by pasteurization, and heating procedures used to prepare ready-to-eat processed meats should be sufficient to kill the bacterium. However, unless good manufacturing practices are followed, contamination can occur even after processing.
 The CDC estimates 1,600 illnesses and 260 deaths from listeria infection each year. The CDC reports that those at increased risk for developing listeriosis include: pregnant women, people with weakened immune systems, people with cancer, diabetes, or kidney disease, people with AIDS, people, such as those with asthma, who take steroid medications, and the elderly.

Symptoms of a listeria infection can include: fever, muscle aches, nausea, and diarrhea. If listeria infection spreads to the nervous system (brain and spinal cord), the following symptoms can occur: headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, convulsions, infected pregnant women may experience only a mild, flu-like illness; however, infection during pregnancy can lead to premature delivery, infection of the newborn, or even stillbirth.

There is no routine screening test to find out if you are likely to contract listeria infection during pregnancy. If you have symptoms of listeriosis, consult your doctor immediately.

                      DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF LISTERIA

Listeria infection is often diagnosed by a medical history and confirmed by blood or spinal fluid tests.

Antibiotic treatment will usually cure the infection, and when given promptly to an infected pregnant woman, may prevent infection of her foetus.

Even with prompt treatment, some infections result in death. In the elderly and people with other serious medical problems, these infections are more likely to be fatal.

SOURCE:
WebMD