What Is Food Poisoning?
Food poisoning comes from eating foods that contain germs like bad bacteria or toxins, which are poisonous substances. Bacteria are all around us, so mild cases of food poisoning are common. You may have had mild food poisoning — with diarrhea and an upset stomach — but your mom or dad just called it a stomach bug or stomach virus.
You might think the solution is to get rid of all the bacteria. But it isn't possible and you wouldn't want to do it, even if you could. Bacteria are all around us, including in food, and sometimes they can be good for you. It's confusing, but one thing is for sure — the bacteria in the rotten leftovers weren't good for you. But you can learn how to avoid those bad germs in food.
What is the Causes of Food Poisoning
There are more than 200 known diseases that are transmitted through food, but the risk is very low if the food is prepared, cooked and stored properly.
You can get food poisoning:
- from eating food that has not been cooked properly so that the bacteria have not been destroyed, or
- by eating food that has been contaminated because someone did not wash the food, or their hands, properly before handling the food.
Bacteria cause food poisoning either by their sheer numbers or, more commonly, through the toxins they produce. When they are present in food, bacteria can reproduce very quickly as one bacterium becomes two, two becomes four, and so on. Some bacteria produce toxins when they multiply and, in many cases, it is these toxins that cause you to become ill, which can be some time after you ate the contaminated food. In other cases, the number of bacteria alone can cause food poisoning.
The most common bacterial cause of food poisoning is Campylobacter, which is found in raw poultry, unpasteurised milk, red meat and untreated water. Salmonella is the next most common type and is found in unpasteurised milk, eggs and raw egg products, raw meat and poultry. Other common causes include listeria, shigella (Traveller's diarrhoea) and clostridia.
There are other bacteria that produce harmful poisons in food such as Staphylococcus Aureus, Clostridium Perfringens and Bacillus Cereus. These bacteria cause vomiting and mild to moderate diarrhoea.
Some types of normal intestinal bacteria can cause food poisoning. For example, E. Coli is usually harmless but particular strains such as E157 can cause severe illness, kidney failure or blood damage. Serious infections with E.coli are rare.
All cases of food poisoning have to be reported to the local authority (usually the Environmental Health Office) by your GP. The local authority will investigate the cause and if necessary take precautions to prevent it happening again. In serious cases, they will also warn the public about any likely risks and what measures to take to avoid it. They also have the power to prosecute the person or people responsible for causing the food poisoning if they have breached food safety regulations.
Treatment of Food Poisoning
Self-Care at Home
Short episodes of vomiting and small amounts of diarrhea lasting less than 24 hours can usually be cared for at home.
* Do not eat solid food while nauseous or vomiting but drink plenty of fluids.
o Small, frequent sips of clear liquids (those you can see through) are the best way to stay hydrated.
o Avoid alcoholic, caffeinated, or sugary drinks. Over-the-counter rehydration products made for children such as Pedialyte and Rehydralyte are expensive but good to use if available.
o Sports drinks such as Gatorade and Powerade are fine for adults if they are diluted with water because at full strength they contain too much sugar, which can worsen diarrhea.
* After successfully tolerating fluids, eating should begin slowly, when nausea and vomiting have stopped. Plain foods that are easy on the stomach should be started in small amounts. Consider eating rice, wheat, breads, potatoes, low-sugar cereals, lean meats, and chicken (not fried) to start. Milk can be given safely, although some people may experience additional stomach upset due to lactose intolerance.
* Most food poisonings do not require the use of over-the-counter medicines to stop diarrhea, but they are generally safe if used as directed. It is not recommended that these medications be given to children. If there is a question or concern, you should always check with a doctor.