Sept. 17, 2012 | According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, contaminated foods cause an estimated 48 million illnesses and 3,000 deaths each year in the United States. The symptoms of a foodborne illness may occur within minutes to weeks and often resemble the flu, as the ill person may experience symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or fever. Because the symptoms are often flu-like, many people may not recognize that the illness is caused by harmful bacteria or other pathogens in food. Everyone is at risk for getting a foodborne illness but some face a greater risk of experiencing a more serious illness or even death should they ingest contaminated food. Those at greater risk are infants, young children, pregnant women and their unborn babies, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems. Some people may become ill after ingesting only a few harmful bacteria while others may remain symptom-free after ingesting thousands.

Sept. 17, 2012 | Despite what you may have heard, there’s no such thing as a “five-second rule” when it comes to food dropped on an unclean surface. A better rule might be, “when in doubt, throw it out.” Any item dropped on a counter or floor is immediately contaminated, and rinsing it with water may not clean it completely although it could reduce the amount of bacteria. How much bacteria the item picks up and what type of microbes are involved depends on the object and where it falls. Some food items pick up microbes easier than others and a relatively clean table is less likely to be contaminated with bacteria than a kitchen floor, for example. Clean hands are just as important as a clean surface because anything you touch could become contaminated after handling raw meat or poultry. Be sure to wash your hands with warm water and soap for 20 seconds before and after handling food, and after using the bathroom, changing diapers, tending to a sick person and handling pets.

Sept. 17, 2012 | It may not surprise you that the number of cases of food poisoning goes up in the United States during the summer. Do you know why? First, there are the natural causes. Bacteria are present throughout the environment in soil, air, water and in the bodies of people and animals. These microorganisms grow faster in the warm summer months. Most foodborne bacteria grow fastest at temperatures from 90 to 110 degrees Fahrenheit. Bacteria also need moisture to flourish, and summer weather is often hot and humid. Given the right circumstances, harmful bacteria can quickly multiply on food to large numbers. When this happens, someone eating the food can get sick. Second, outside activities increase. More people are cooking outside at picnics, barbecues, and on camping trips. The safety controls that a kitchen provides, thermostat-controlled cooking, refrigeration, and washing facilities, are usually not available at such locations.

Sept. 17, 2012 | Even if you are a Kenny Loggins fan, when it comes to cooking, it’s best to avoid “The Danger Zone.” Bacteria multiply rapidly between 40 degrees and 140 degrees Fahrenheit. To keep your food out of this “danger zone,” remember to always keep cold food cold and hot food hot.
Store food in the refrigerator at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below and cook food to a safe minimum internal temperature. All raw beef, pork, lamb and veal steaks, chops, and roasts should be cooked at a minimum internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit as measured with a food thermometer before removing meat from the heat source. For safety and quality, allow meat to rest for at least three minutes before carving or consuming. For reasons of personal preference, you may choose to cook your meat to higher temperatures. Maintain any hot cooked food at 140 degrees or above and when reheating cooked food, it should be reheated to 165 degrees.

Sept. 17, 2012 | Treating someone for food poisoning depends on the source of the illness and the severity of their symptoms. For most people, the illness resolves itself with a few days, although there are some types of food poisoning that may last a week or two. Fluids and electrolytes, minerals such as sodium, potassium and calcium that maintain the balance of fluids in your body, lost to persistent diarrhea need to be replaced. Children and adults who are severely dehydrated will require treatment in a hospital, where they can receive salts and fluids intravenously rather than by mouth. Intravenous hydration provides the body with water and essential nutrients much more quickly than oral solutions. Food poisoning caused by listeria, a type of bacteria found in soil, water and animal feces, needs to be treated with intravenous antibiotics. And the sooner treatment begins the better. During pregnancy, prompt antibiotic treatment may help keep the infection from affecting the baby.