Food poisoning is an illness caused by eating contaminated food. It's not usually severe, and most people get better within a few days without treatment. In most cases of food poisoning, the food is contaminated by bacteria, such as salmonella or Escherichia coli (E. coli), or a virus, such as norovirus.
Food poisoning affects millions of people every year and is one of the
most common reasons for visiting a GP. Although food poisoning usually
clears up without treatment within 24 hours, it can cause an upset stomach,
diarrhea, and vomiting – not to mention ruining your weekend!
What causes food poisoning?
Food poisoning is caused by eating contaminated food. This can happen
during cooking, if the food isn't frozen or stored at the right temperature.
Food can also be contaminated when handled and prepared, by staff who don't
wash their hands after using the toilet or changing a nappy, for example.
You're more likely to get food poisoning from:
Raw or undercooked meat, fish and shellfish. These should be heated to a
really high temperature so that all the bacteria they may contain are killed (see
How to tell when food is cooked) Foods which have been kept for longer than
their use-by date – even if they look fine and smell fresh Shellfish from warm
countries where there is a high risk of food poisoning from bacteria such as
vibrio If you're already unwell, such as with a stomach upset, and eat food
that upsets your tummy. Drinking too much alcohol (more than four units
at once) can increase the risk of food poisoning because it affects your body's
ability to fight infection.
What are the symptoms of food poisoning?
The main symptoms of food poisoning include: nausea (feeling sick)
vomiting diarrhoea a high temperature either feeling very weak and tired, or
experiencing shaking chills. Anyone who is experiencing these symptoms
after visiting a restaurant, café, bistro, or other type of food establishment
should contact their GP immediately and explain this is about the
establishment's food. It is then vital they write down or take note of when and
what they ate, as well as any symptoms they experienced during their
visit. The doctor will advise them on whether an urgent appointment at a
hospital is required for tests.
In some cases, people can have a stomach bug without experiencing any
symptoms. This is very common and many people have a stomach bug every year,
but don't realize it or remember their doctor advising them that they may have
had one because they didn't think to mention it. Stomach bugs are usually
caused by viruses such as norovirus – the virus most commonly associated with
outbreaks of vomiting and diarrhoea in places such as hospitals.
Like other types of food poisoning, stomach bugs tend to be a lot milder
than norovirus, which tends to cause severe vomiting and diarrhoea for one or
two days. You can get advice about this from your GP.
If you think you might have had food poisoning, see your GP for advice or
if you think that food poisoning may be related to any other symptoms which are
worrying you, contact your GP.
All GPs have access to a 24 hour NHS helpline where they can get advice
on how best to treat their patients. There are also national helplines
for food poisoning, which you can call.
If you think that a member of your family has died from food poisoning,
or if something's happened which means they may have been poisoned by poisonous
substances or medicines.
The preventive measures of food poisoning can be
broken into the following steps:
1. Store food correctly
- You should store foods like meat and fish in the fridge, where it is safe to
eat for 3-4 days after you first buy it.
Store ready-to-eat meals as per
their instructions on the packaging. Throw away any leftovers which are
not reheatable, as this can lead to bacteria growing in the food.
2. Keep work surfaces clean
- Wash your hands with soap and water before preparing food. Rinse your
hands afterwards, too, and dry them well on a lint-free cloth or paper towel.
If you're using a hand gel product, follow the instruction to make sure it's
used correctly.
3. Pay attention to food safety
- ensure that all cooked dishes are hot throughout, and keep cold foods
refrigerated at 4°C or below (see What is the safe temperature for storing
cooked and chilled food? ) . If you're defrosting frozen food, don't
leave it in the fridge to thaw.
4. Cook it right -
making sure that meats are properly cooked until steaming hot all the way
through and that any food is cooked thoroughly before serving . Also make
sure fish is always served with its skin and scales removed, as this can
contain bacteria which cause food poisoning once consumed.
5. Give it enough time
- Food needs to be left to cool down after being cooked, which means that you
shouldn't serve it straight away. Make sure that you let food cool at the
temperature where it was cooked before storing or reheating it once more.
If these steps are not followed correctly, bacteria can survive and multiply in
your dishes.
6. Keep your fridge to the correct
temperature - Make sure that your fridge is set between 3°C and
5°C, and that any food which needs to be stored in the fridge is kept at this
temperature. A fridge thermometer can help you keep an eye on whether
your refrigerator is working correctly.
7. Beware of cross contamination
– Be careful when eating raw foods, as this could cause you to become
ill. This means that you need to keep your hands clean and make sure that
you don't contaminate cooked food with any bacteria from raw ingredients such
as meat or eggs.
8. Beware of cross contamination
– This also means paying special attention when chopping vegetables so that the
juices do not touch anything potentially contaminated with harmful bacteria—Wash
hands before and after handling raw meat, fish, or eggs.
9. Keep your food covered
- Covering leftovers in the fridge will stop any flies from getting into them
while you prepare meals for the next day, which means that you'll have little
to worry about when it comes down to eating your meals the following day.I suggest you to use Instant pot which is a healthy cooking device with a many features . It is more safe than other pot .
10. Use your senses -
If food looks, smells, or tastes unusual, it may have been contaminated with
harmful bacteria. Also, remember that most foods should not look slimy,
as this can indicate bacterial contamination.
If you follow these steps to
prevent food poisoning, then you are likely to enjoy a safe and happy holiday.
However, if you do get food poisoning, make sure to contact your healthcare professional right away, as they will be able to help with any potential symptoms of bacteria-related illness which may emerge.
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