| | | | | same contaminated food. |
| Food poisoning | | | | Even though food poisoning is relatively rare in the |
| Food poisoning is a common, usually mild, but | | | | United States, it affects between 60 and 80 million |
| occasionally deadly illness. | | | | people worldwide each year and results in |
| Food poisoning happens when someone eats food or | | | | approximately 6 to 8 million deaths. |
| drink that is contaminated with bacteria, or its toxins. | | | | Food poisoning tends to occur at picnics, school |
| Very occasionally, toxins from chemicals or pesticides | | | | cafeterias, and large social functions. These are |
| can also cause food poisoning. | | | | situations where food may be left unrefrigerated too |
| You might think the solution is to get rid of all the | | | | long or food preparation techniques are not clean. |
| bacteria. But it isn't possible and you wouldn't want to | | | | Food poisoning often occurs from eating undercooked |
| do it, even if you could. Bacteria are all around us, | | | | meats, dairy products, or food containing mayonaise |
| including in food, and sometimes they can be good for | | | | (like coleslaw or potato salad) that have sat out too |
| you. | | | | long. |
| Food Poisoning Symptoms | | | | The first step in preventing food poisoning is to |
| Symptoms of food poisoning depend on the type of | | | | assume that all foods may cause food-borne illness. |
| contaminant and the amount eaten. The symptoms | | | | Follow these steps to prevent food poisoning: |
| can develop rapidly, within 30 minutes, or slowly, | | | | Wash hands, food preparation surfaces and utensils |
| worsening over days to weeks. Most of the common | | | | thoroughly before and after handling raw foods to |
| contaminants cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and | | | | prevent recontamination of cooked foods. |
| abdominal cramping. | | | | Keep refrigerated foods below 40 degrees F. |
| The symptoms of food poisoning occur because | | | | Treatment of food Poisoning |
| food-borne bacteria release toxins or poisons as a | | | | Most infections last 24 to 48 hours, during which time |
| byproduct of their growth in the body. These toxins | | | | fluid is often lost from vomiting and diarrhea. To |
| (except those from C. botulinum) cause inflammation | | | | prevent dehydration, drink plenty of cooled boiled |
| and swelling of the stomach, small intestine and/or | | | | water and use dehydration powders if the symptoms |
| large intestine. The result is abdominal muscle cramping, | | | | continue. |
| vomiting, diarrhea, fever, and the chance of | | | | Sometimes antibiotic treatment is necessary; this can |
| dehydration. The severity of symptoms depends on | | | | be determined by testing for the micro-organism |
| the type of bacteria, the amount consumed, and the | | | | responsible. |
| individual's general health and sensitivity to the bacterial | | | | The most common treatment for simple food |
| toxin. | | | | poisoning is simply supportive care at home with clear |
| Causes | | | | liquids to stay hydrated, and after vomiting or diarrhea |
| Food poisoning can affect one person or it can occur | | | | subside, the gradual return to eating beginning with a |
| as an outbreak in a group of people who all ate the | | | | bland diet (such as rice, bread, potatoes and milk). |