The Ins and Outs of Food Poisoning

While outdoor barbecues and social gatherings are meant to be fun for the whole family, they can quickly take a turn for the worse if you aren’t careful with your food safety. Mixing many picnic foods with the intense summer heat can be a recipe for disaster.

Read on to learn how to prevent food poisoning and how you can protect your family from uncomfortable symptoms.

What Is Food Poisoning?

Food poisoning is an infection in your gastrointestinal (GI) tract caused by bacteria, viruses or parasites that can grow and multiply within food. These organisms can get into your body through the food you eat any time it’s prepared, stored or served improperly — and can cause infection and illness.

How Can I Prevent Food Poisoning?

There are many ways to prevent food poisoning, including proper food storage and being mindful of food recalls. Let’s take a closer look at each of these.

Proper Food Storage and Handling

When handling and cooking food in your kitchen, you should:

• Always thaw foods in the refrigerator, not on the counter
• Cook all foods to a safe temperature: red meat and pork to 145 degrees Fahrenheit and poultry to 165 degrees Fahrenheit
• Keep raw meats away from ready-to-eat foods like vegetables
• Pay attention to expiration dates and labels
• Refrigerate foods that require it within two hours of buying or preparing them
• Use hot, soapy water to wash your hands, utensils and prep surfaces frequently
• Use separate cutting boards for raw meats and produce

We know this can seem tedious, but keeping you and your loved ones safe and healthy is worth the effort.

Pay Attention to Food Recalls

Contamination can happen while foods are grown or produced, leading to E. coli or listeria outbreaks. If you’ve purchased food that’s part of a recall, return it to your grocery store for a refund.

What You Need to Know About E. Coli

Escherichia coli, also known as E. coli, is a group of bacteria that can cause infections in your GI tract, urinary tract and other parts of your body. For the most part, it can live in your gut without causing any harm. However, some strains can cause severe symptoms, including:

• Bloody or watery diarrhea
• Loss of appetite
• Low fever
• Nausea and vomiting
• Stomach pains and cramps

If you or a loved one are experiencing symptoms of E. coli, it’s time to see your doctor.

How Does E. Coli Spread?

While you can’t get E. coli from someone coughing or sneezing, it still is a contagious disease. It’s important to be aware of how it spreads so you can better prevent a diagnosis.

Contaminated Food

• Fresh produce: Runoff from cattle farms can contaminate fields where produce is grown
• Ground beef: E. coli that was living in the cattle’s intestines can spill onto the meat
• Unpasteurized milk: E. coli bacteria that’s on a cow’s udder or milking equipment can infect the milk we buy from the store

Contaminated Water

E. coli living in human and animal feces can easily contaminate natural water sources like lakes and rivers. Private water wells cause greater concern because many people don’t have a way to disinfect the water, leading to more outbreaks.

Personal Contact

E. coli is easily spread from person to person if infected individuals don’t wash their hands thoroughly and touch a shared surface. Outbreaks can occur at zoos and county fairs where surfaces aren’t regularly disinfected.

Currently, no vaccination or medication can treat E. coli. Your best defense is to cook all meat to a safe temperature before eating, wash your hands often, watch out for cross-contamination and avoid swallowing water from lakes or pools.

Be Aware of What You’re Eating, No Matter Where You Are

You won’t always be the person preparing the food your family will eat at summer gatherings. Before eating, you should ask yourself (and teach your children to also ask themselves):

1. When was this food brought outside?
2. How long has the food been sitting?
3. Does the food require — or contain any ingredients that require — refrigeration?
4. What’s the temperature outside?

These foods or ingredients can put you at the greatest risk for food poisoning, especially if it’s warm outside:

• Dairy products
• Foods made in bulk
• Fresh produce
• Raw eggs
• Raw or undercooked meat or seafood
• Unpasteurized milk or juice

Keep in mind that in 90-degree heat, food can spoil within an hour.

What Are the Symptoms of Food Poisoning?

Symptoms of food poisoning can start within hours, days or weeks of eating contaminated food, but you’re most likely to experience them within a few hours. Symptoms may include:

• Abdominal pain and cramping
• Diarrhea
• Fever
• Nausea
• Vomiting

While food poisoning usually isn’t serious, it can pose a greater risk for serious complications in pregnant women, older adults, infants and young children. You should see a doctor if you have bloody vomit or diarrhea or if your illness lasts more than three days. You should also seek medical attention for a fever above 100.4 degrees or if you have more serious symptoms like blurry vision or weakness in your muscles.

How Is Food Poisoning Diagnosed?

Typically, your doctor can diagnose food poisoning simply by asking questions about your symptoms and what food you’ve eaten lately. Sometimes, your doctor may use a stool sample or blood test to identify the exact cause of your food poisoning.

How Is Food Poisoning Treated?

Usually, food poisoning will just need to run its course. However, since dehydration can be a serious complication of food poisoning, replacing all the fluids and minerals you lose when vomiting or having diarrhea by drinking water, electrolyte sports drinks or broth is important.

If you’re having especially severe symptoms and have food poisoning caused by bacteria, your doctor may prescribe antibiotics. As you recover from food poisoning, be gentle on your stomach. Eat small amounts of food at a time and avoid foods that can be hard to digest, like dairy products, high-fat foods, spicy foods, alcohol and caffeine.

Know Where to Go When You Need Help

It’s important to have a firm foundation of what food poisoning is and how to avoid it so you can better protect your family, friends and neighbors. However, if food poisoning happens to you or someone you love, it’s important to know where to seek medical help.

Seeing your primary care physician is a great first step unless you’re pregnant, especially vulnerable or experiencing serious symptoms. If that’s you, go to your nearest emergency room. If your primary care physician isn’t available, you can visit your closest AdventHealth Centra Care urgent care center for immediate treatment. Find your nearest location to schedule your appointment. Trust us to help you feel whole.