Foodborne Illness Information Report

What is it? | Who is at risk? | Where is it? | When to report it? | How to prevent it?

What is it?

There are more than 250 food borne illnesses. The most common symptoms of a food borne illness include: vomiting, diarrhea (sometimes with blood), nausea, abdominal cramps, fever, and dehydration. http://www.hoptechno.com/bookunwelcom.htm. Food Borne illnesses are caused by consuming a live pathogen or a toxic substance that is contaminated by bacteria, viruses, parasites, fungal, or algal.

The most commonly recognized food borne infections are those caused by the bacteria Campylobacter, Salmonella, C. Botulinum and E. coli O157:H7, C Botulinum, and by a group of viruses called Calicivirus (also known as the Norwalk).

CAMPYLOBACTER

• Symptoms: Abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting
• Sources of illness: Raw and undercooked meat and poultry
• FYI: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs255/en/

SALMONELLA

• Symptoms: Nausea, vomiting, fever, abdominal cramps, and diarrhea
• Sources of illness: Raw and undercooked eggs
• FYI: http://mayoclinic.com/health/salmonella/DS00926

E.COLI O157:H7

• Symptoms: Abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting
• Sources of illness: Raw and undercooked meat and poultry
• FYI: http://www.about-ecoli.com/

C. BOTULINUM

• Symptoms: Double vision, inability to swallow, difficulty speaking, and inability to breathe. Seek medical help right away if you experience any of these symptoms.
• Sources of illness: improperly canned goods; smoked or salted fish
• FYI: http://www.cdc.gov/nczved/dfbmd/disease_listing/botulism_gi.html/

CALICIVIRUS (or Norwalk)

• Symptoms: Acute Gastroenteritis, nausea, vomiting, loss of taste
• Sources of illness: undercooked shellfish and food prepared by infected food handlers
• FYI: http://www.dhpe.org/infect/Norwalk.html/

Remember!

Food poisoning is a general term that refers to any type stomach sickness. Food Borne Illness is a specific reaction to live bacteria. http://www.helium.com/items/1187090-food-poisoning-food-borne-illness/

Who is at risk?

Everyone is at risk when talking about contaminated foods. Food borne illnesses can severely affect anyone at anytime.  Basically, food borne illnesses exist anywhere we enjoy food: restaurants, schools, cafeterias, movie theaters, picnics, parties, and even our own kitchens.  The risks are abundant and it is necessary for everyone to be informed about the dangers. However, there are certain groups that need to be extra careful. These groups include pregnant women, babies, young children, and the elderly. Anyone who has a pre-existing illness or a weak immune system is also considered a high risk category.

Information for high risk categories:

• Pregnant women and the elderly

  Pregnant women are a high risk for Listeria. Listeria is found in undercooked animal products, hotdogs, and sliced deli meats.  Unpasteurized juices, soft cheeses and pates should be avoided.

  FYI: http://www.fda.gov/Food/ResourcesForYou/HealthEducators/

• Infants and young children

  Infants that are bottle fed are at a higher risk of Salmonella or other bacteria. Multiple bacteria can grow in the bottles if left at room temperature for many hours. Leftover milk, formula, or juice should never be used if left in the bottle for an extended period of time. All baby bottles must be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected after each use.

  FYI:  http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3765/is_2_24/ai_80517264/

• People with low immune systems

  People with weakened immune systems should be aware of all the dangers. However, certain foods carry more risks. For example, Vibrio vulnificus is a microbe that, although rare, can be found in oysters.

  FYI: http://www.textbookofbacteriology.net/V.vulnificus.html

Where is it?

Food borne illness is one of the most serious health issues in the world today. It is easy to think that this type of illness only exists in under-developed countries where sanitation resources are limited. Or perhaps we can put the blame on restaurant workers who aren´t following proper sanitary guidelines? Well, the fact is that the majority of food borne illnesses start in our own homes!

Contamination can occur anywhere there is food. The basic factor of any food borne illness is bacteria. Bacteria can grow and spread in different forms depending on the environment. Certain factors are necessary to promote bacterial growth.

• Food is the home base for bacteria. It serves as a catalyst for bacteria to form and to thrive.
• Acidity stimulates the growth of bacteria. Most bacteria can be found in low or neutral acidity environments.  Any   food with a high PH level will most likely prohibit bacterial growth. FYI: http://www.energiseforlife.com/food_ph.php
• Temperature should be considered one of the most important factors when talking about Bacteria. Food products should be under 41° F and over 140° F. This is considered the safety zone. Temperatures between 70 °F and 139°F are the danger zones.
• Time is the critical factor. When food is left in the danger zone for a period of time it may become contaminated.
• Oxygenis usually needed to ¨feed¨ the bacteria.  Although in some cases, pathogens such as spores can grow in the absence of oxygen.
• Moisture is a magnet for bacteria.  Just like people, bacteria need water to survive.

For more information on specific bacteria: http://www.textbookofbacteriology.net/

When to report it?

Food borne illnesses may be difficult to detect. The symptoms may begin a few hours or a few days after consumption. Common symptoms include vomiting, nausea, fever, diarrhea, headache, and or fatigue.   If symptoms occur immediately, however, this usually indicates a reaction to a toxin or a chemical rather than a live bacterium. If it is a food borne illness, the body is usually able to recover after a period of two to three days from the start of the first symptom. However, some food borne illness can result in permanent health problems and sometime even death for people at high risk. For example, some bacteria such as salmonella or campylobacter can cause Reactive Arthritis: http://www.medicinenet.com/reactive_arthritis/article.htm

Similarly, high risk people are especially susceptible to infections from Vibrio Vulnificus: http://www.fda.gov/Food/ResourcesForYou/HealthEducators/ucm085310.htm .

Others risks include: Listeriosis http://www.health.gov.on.ca/english/public/pub/disease/listeria.html or Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease http://www.cjdfoundation.org/.

If you suspect a food borne illness, you should check with your doctor immediately. The majority of food borne illness last only a few days, but it is best to consult with a doctor in any case. If you need to report a case of food borne illness, you should:

• call your local board of health in the town in which the suspected food was consumed or purchased or,
• call the local board of health in your town or city.  http://www.nalboh.org/

You must be prepared to answer some questions. Try to write down what you have eaten in the last 72 hours. Commonly, you do not get sick from the last thing you ate and food borne illnesses take several days to cause symptoms.

The local health department in your town is responsible for reviewing the complaint. If you give the name of the establishment where the food was purchased, there should be an investigation of that place.

For more information contact the FDA:

• FDA’s Bad Bug Book: http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/%7Emow/intro.html
• FDA’s Food borne Illness: http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~mow/foodborn.html

How to Prevent Food Borne Illness?

Food Safety is the key to preventing food borne illness. To be safe, it is imprtant to make a special effort at every stage of food preparation. http://www.foodpoisoningprevention.com/

Tips for Shopping:

• When doing the shopping it is best to buy the cold food last and get it home quickly! Frozen foods like ice cream or meat should be bought last so that they do not begin to thaw before being put back into the freezer at home.
• Check the expiration dates very carefully! Do not buy anything that is remotely close to expiring.
• Check the packaging to make sure that nothing is damaged or punctured.  It is best to make sure that all the packages are secure and of high quality. Frozen foods like ice cream should be rock solid. Cans and jars should be free from cracks or dents and the lids should be on tight.

Tips for Preparing Food:

• Wash your hands thoroughly before and after preparing foods.
• Wash all utensils and surfaces with hot soapy water before and after preparing food.
• Separate cooked and uncooked food as you prepare meals. Avoid cross-contamination by not using the same plates or cutting boards for both raw and cooked foods.
• Always store food in secure covered container. Leftovers should never be left out for more than 3 hours.
• Wash all raw fruits and vegetables under running water.
• Do not defrost food on the kitchen counter—use the refrigerator, running water, or the microwave. Remember to put on food that is defrosting on a plate in the refrigerator to prevent raw juices from spreading on refrigerator shelves.

Food Safety Links:

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - www.cdc.gov
• Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition - www.cfsan.fda.gov
• Gateway to Government Food Safety Information - www.foodsafety.gov
• Partnership for Food Safety Education - www.fightbac.org
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services - www.os.dhhs.gov
• U.S. Food and Drug Administration - www.fda.gov
• U.S. Department of Agriculture - www.usda.gov
• Food Safety - http://www.foodsafety.gov/

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