The ABCs of food poisoning
May 3, 2005 | 12:00am
Recently, we’ve had a rash of food poisoning incidents, some of which sadly resulted in death. We can’t be too careful when it comes to what we eat – or what could be in what we eat. In this case, innocence ain’t no bliss. Of course, we’re talking about the common food bacteria, which may not be all that common to a lot of us. So, here’s everything you’ve always wanted to know about these pathogens (from the book Safe Food – Eating Wisely in a Risky World by Michael Jacobson, PhD, Lisa Lefferts, and Anne Witte Garland) but didn’t know who to ask:
• Salmonella. Its symptoms range from none to serious illness like meningitis. Most cases cause gastroenteritis (inflammation of the stomach or intestines), with symptoms of nausea and diarrhea. Even extremely low levels of salmonella (like a single organism) can make the victim sick.
• Campylobacter. It is the leading cause of acute gastroenteritis. Raw milk and poultry are pinpointed as the most common causes. It has also been found in cake icing, eggs, beef, and even drinking water because of fecal contamination.
• Escherichia coli (E. coli). Existing naturally in the human intestinal tract, it is the most common cause of diarrhea in infants and travelers. One uncommon strain of E. coli, called 0157:H7, causes two life-threatening conditions. One is hemorrhagic colitis, whose symtoms include severe abdominal cramps, followed by bloody diarrhea. The other is hemolytic uremic syndrome, which is the leading cause of acute kidney failure in children. Raw and undercooked beef and raw milk have been the only foods associated with E. coli, although 0157:H7 E. coli bacteria have also been identified in pork, lamb, and chicken from grocery stores.
• Staphylococcus. It is found in the nose and throat and on the skin of healthy people as well as on infected cuts and pimples. The bacteria multiply at warm temperatures, producing a toxin that causes illness. The toxin is resistant to mild heat, refrigeration, and freezing.
• Listeria. It is common throughout the environment. A lot of people exposed to listeria experience only mild, flu-like symptoms. But it can be deadly to fetuses and newborns, and to people with weakened immune systems. It is one tough bug that can survive mild heat and grow at refrigeration temperatures.
• Yersinia. One type of yersinia causes the plague. Another type has been linked to foodborne illnesses, whose symptoms may be mistaken for appendicitis. The yersinia strains that cause illness in people are most frequently found in pork. Like listeria, yersinia can grow at refrigeration temperatures. But unlike listeria, it is not very heat resistant.
• Clostridium botulinum. These bacteria are present throughout the environment. Botulism is very rare, but the overall fatality rate is high (about eight percent). Unlike the usual gastrointestinal symptoms of food poisoning, the most common symptoms of botulism are fatigue and blurred vision. Botulism outbreaks have been linked to salad, sauteed onions, chopped garlic, raw cabbage, among other things. And take note, mothers: Infant botulism, which could be fatal, can be caused by honey, which often contains botulinum bacteria. So never give honey to an infant under one year old.
• Trichinella. Mostly associated with eating game (like wild boar and other non-commercial meats), cases of trichinosis are on the wane. Still, be careful – and be wary of homemade pork sausage.
• Toxoplasmosis. It’s a common parasitic infection in cats that can be transferred directly to humans through cat feces or indirectly through improperly cooked meat or poultry. At home, it can be spread from an infected cat to meat. Infants who get the parasite from their mothers before birth are at risk of mental retardation, among others. Pregnant women should wash their hands after touching cats and should have somebody else attend to the cat litter box.So, how do we protect ourselves from these pathogens in our midst?
The DTI Consumer Welfare & Trade Regulation Group, through info officer Anne Giselle Guevarra, gives the following food safety tips:
• First things first – remember that fresh is not always safe. Raw meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, and fresh produce are considered potentially hazardous foods, or those where bacteria are usually present. Take note as well that the temperature requirement for bacterial growth is five to 60°Celsius (40 to 140°Fahrenheit), and within this range is room temperature (32°Celsius).
• Keep everything clean. Use warm and soapy water for washing cutting boards, utensils, pots, dishes, counter tops, including your hands, especially before and after preparing meals.
• Before serving ready-to-eat food (like luncheon meat, corned beef, cold cuts), reheat them until steaming hot to help kill any bacteria that might be present in them.
Avoid cross-contamination by separating in different containers or plastic bags the different raw animal meats. Also, keep them from vegetables, fruits, breads, and other food that do not need cooking.
• Keep cold food cold. Always shop for refrigerated and frozen food last, which means right before lining up at the counter. When driving in an air-conditioned vehicle, put perishable items inside and not in the trunk. Go straight home and store these in the freezer.
• Keep hot food warm. Never leave cooked food sitting on the table for several hours, especially when waiting for all family members to finish eating. Clean up in the kitchen right away and store leftovers in the refrigerator.
• Do not defrost frozen foods at room temperature. These can be done by leaving them overnight in the refrigerator, by heating in the microwave, or by placing under running water.
• Wash fresh fruits and vegetables thoroughly in running tap water before eating to remove remaining dirt and bacteria. Also, cut away parts that have bruises (lamog) or damages.
• Aside from these, always check the expiration dates of perishable items for you to determine how much longer the food stays safe for consumption. Proper food labeling is required under the Consumer Act (Republic Act 7394) to ensure that consumers are well-informed of the nature, characteristics, benefits, and hazards of the products they wish to buy. When applicable, some foods are required to be labeled with additional information such as: W
hether the product is semi-processed, fully processed, ready-to-cook, ready-to-eat, prepared food or just plain mixture; its nutritive value (if any); whether the ingredients used are natural or synthetic; among other labeling requirements that the Bureau of Food and Drugs may deem necessary and reasonable.
Eat, drink and ever be wary!
We’d love to hear from you. E-mail us at ching_alano@yahoo.com.
• Salmonella. Its symptoms range from none to serious illness like meningitis. Most cases cause gastroenteritis (inflammation of the stomach or intestines), with symptoms of nausea and diarrhea. Even extremely low levels of salmonella (like a single organism) can make the victim sick.
• Campylobacter. It is the leading cause of acute gastroenteritis. Raw milk and poultry are pinpointed as the most common causes. It has also been found in cake icing, eggs, beef, and even drinking water because of fecal contamination.
• Escherichia coli (E. coli). Existing naturally in the human intestinal tract, it is the most common cause of diarrhea in infants and travelers. One uncommon strain of E. coli, called 0157:H7, causes two life-threatening conditions. One is hemorrhagic colitis, whose symtoms include severe abdominal cramps, followed by bloody diarrhea. The other is hemolytic uremic syndrome, which is the leading cause of acute kidney failure in children. Raw and undercooked beef and raw milk have been the only foods associated with E. coli, although 0157:H7 E. coli bacteria have also been identified in pork, lamb, and chicken from grocery stores.
• Staphylococcus. It is found in the nose and throat and on the skin of healthy people as well as on infected cuts and pimples. The bacteria multiply at warm temperatures, producing a toxin that causes illness. The toxin is resistant to mild heat, refrigeration, and freezing.
• Listeria. It is common throughout the environment. A lot of people exposed to listeria experience only mild, flu-like symptoms. But it can be deadly to fetuses and newborns, and to people with weakened immune systems. It is one tough bug that can survive mild heat and grow at refrigeration temperatures.
• Yersinia. One type of yersinia causes the plague. Another type has been linked to foodborne illnesses, whose symptoms may be mistaken for appendicitis. The yersinia strains that cause illness in people are most frequently found in pork. Like listeria, yersinia can grow at refrigeration temperatures. But unlike listeria, it is not very heat resistant.
• Clostridium botulinum. These bacteria are present throughout the environment. Botulism is very rare, but the overall fatality rate is high (about eight percent). Unlike the usual gastrointestinal symptoms of food poisoning, the most common symptoms of botulism are fatigue and blurred vision. Botulism outbreaks have been linked to salad, sauteed onions, chopped garlic, raw cabbage, among other things. And take note, mothers: Infant botulism, which could be fatal, can be caused by honey, which often contains botulinum bacteria. So never give honey to an infant under one year old.
• Trichinella. Mostly associated with eating game (like wild boar and other non-commercial meats), cases of trichinosis are on the wane. Still, be careful – and be wary of homemade pork sausage.
• Toxoplasmosis. It’s a common parasitic infection in cats that can be transferred directly to humans through cat feces or indirectly through improperly cooked meat or poultry. At home, it can be spread from an infected cat to meat. Infants who get the parasite from their mothers before birth are at risk of mental retardation, among others. Pregnant women should wash their hands after touching cats and should have somebody else attend to the cat litter box.So, how do we protect ourselves from these pathogens in our midst?
The DTI Consumer Welfare & Trade Regulation Group, through info officer Anne Giselle Guevarra, gives the following food safety tips:
• First things first – remember that fresh is not always safe. Raw meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, and fresh produce are considered potentially hazardous foods, or those where bacteria are usually present. Take note as well that the temperature requirement for bacterial growth is five to 60°Celsius (40 to 140°Fahrenheit), and within this range is room temperature (32°Celsius).
• Keep everything clean. Use warm and soapy water for washing cutting boards, utensils, pots, dishes, counter tops, including your hands, especially before and after preparing meals.
• Before serving ready-to-eat food (like luncheon meat, corned beef, cold cuts), reheat them until steaming hot to help kill any bacteria that might be present in them.
Avoid cross-contamination by separating in different containers or plastic bags the different raw animal meats. Also, keep them from vegetables, fruits, breads, and other food that do not need cooking.
• Keep cold food cold. Always shop for refrigerated and frozen food last, which means right before lining up at the counter. When driving in an air-conditioned vehicle, put perishable items inside and not in the trunk. Go straight home and store these in the freezer.
• Keep hot food warm. Never leave cooked food sitting on the table for several hours, especially when waiting for all family members to finish eating. Clean up in the kitchen right away and store leftovers in the refrigerator.
• Do not defrost frozen foods at room temperature. These can be done by leaving them overnight in the refrigerator, by heating in the microwave, or by placing under running water.
• Wash fresh fruits and vegetables thoroughly in running tap water before eating to remove remaining dirt and bacteria. Also, cut away parts that have bruises (lamog) or damages.
• Aside from these, always check the expiration dates of perishable items for you to determine how much longer the food stays safe for consumption. Proper food labeling is required under the Consumer Act (Republic Act 7394) to ensure that consumers are well-informed of the nature, characteristics, benefits, and hazards of the products they wish to buy. When applicable, some foods are required to be labeled with additional information such as: W
hether the product is semi-processed, fully processed, ready-to-cook, ready-to-eat, prepared food or just plain mixture; its nutritive value (if any); whether the ingredients used are natural or synthetic; among other labeling requirements that the Bureau of Food and Drugs may deem necessary and reasonable.
Eat, drink and ever be wary!
We’d love to hear from you. E-mail us at ching_alano@yahoo.com.
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