Bad Food Ruins Good Days
With the holiday eating season commencing, people are focused on oven-roasted turkey, ham, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, and a whole assortment of possible desserts. It is also an important time to be aware of the dangers of food-borne illnesses, and their causes and symptoms. Some of the types of food poisoning include Campylobacter, Salmonella, Shigella, E. coli, Listeria, and Botulism. These range in severity (with some of the worst having particularly scary symptoms, as in the case of Botulism, which can cause blurred vision, slurred speech, and difficulty breathing), but most of them have some basic symptoms in common. These would include diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, and fever. The time between consumption of contaminated food and the appearance of symptoms, known as the incubation period, can vary from hours to days.
Clearly, no one wants a big, icky batch of bacteria ruining all the holiday fun. So what are some things that can be done to prevent food-borne illness? Here's a few tips:
1. Shop safely: Keep raw meat, fish and poultry in separate bags from other foods. Don't dilly dally after loading goods in the vehicle; come straight home and refrigerate promptly.
2. Safe preparation: Wash your hands! Do it before food preparation, and by all means do it after using the bathroom. Any utensils that come into contact with raw meat should be washed in hot, soapy water (bleach solution is also helpful), and caution must be exercised to avoid cross-contamination (for example, slicing up a loaf of bread with the same knife just used to chop up the chicken-a big no-no).
3. Safe cooking and temperature maintenance: Reheat leftovers to at least 165 F. Hot foods should be kept at 140 F or above, and cold foods at 40 F or below. Make sure the fridge is set at 40 F or below. Follow the instructions on food packaging for safe handling and storage. Food should not be left out for more than two hours, and for those hot summer picnics when the temperature is over 90 F, no more than one hour.
And of course, the old adage "when in doubt, throw it out" bears remembering. If not completely confident in that morsel of food, discard it, no matter how tantalizing it may be. Need convincing? Just review the symptoms of the various illnesses listed above; they are sure-fire appetite killers.
Clearly, no one wants a big, icky batch of bacteria ruining all the holiday fun. So what are some things that can be done to prevent food-borne illness? Here's a few tips:
1. Shop safely: Keep raw meat, fish and poultry in separate bags from other foods. Don't dilly dally after loading goods in the vehicle; come straight home and refrigerate promptly.
2. Safe preparation: Wash your hands! Do it before food preparation, and by all means do it after using the bathroom. Any utensils that come into contact with raw meat should be washed in hot, soapy water (bleach solution is also helpful), and caution must be exercised to avoid cross-contamination (for example, slicing up a loaf of bread with the same knife just used to chop up the chicken-a big no-no).
3. Safe cooking and temperature maintenance: Reheat leftovers to at least 165 F. Hot foods should be kept at 140 F or above, and cold foods at 40 F or below. Make sure the fridge is set at 40 F or below. Follow the instructions on food packaging for safe handling and storage. Food should not be left out for more than two hours, and for those hot summer picnics when the temperature is over 90 F, no more than one hour.
And of course, the old adage "when in doubt, throw it out" bears remembering. If not completely confident in that morsel of food, discard it, no matter how tantalizing it may be. Need convincing? Just review the symptoms of the various illnesses listed above; they are sure-fire appetite killers.
Labels: food poisoning, food safety, illness prevention
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