Guard against food, drink contaminants

May 13, 2013 by Solaade Ayo-Aderele Leave a Comment

   

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Food is good for the body; and delicious, well-prepared food appeals to the taste any day, any time and everywhere. However, it is also possible to get gastrointestinal tract infections as a result of eating tainted foods or drinking contaminated beverages.

Food-borne illnesses often show up with symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal cramps, chills or fever; and many people may not realise that their problem came from the food they had eaten.

Family physician, Dr. Mary Olojede, says most food-borne illnesses happen suddenly and last a short time, and most people recover on their own without treatment. She notes, however, that in severe cases, eating contaminated food can result in death. Experts say the symptoms and severity of food poisoning vary, depending on which bacteria or virus is involved.

While anyone can get a food-borne illness, experts say some people are more prone than others, and these include infants and children, pregnant women and their foetuses, older adults and people with weak immune systems, such as people living with HIV/AIDS.

This group also has a greater risk of developing severe symptoms or complications of food-borne illnesses, experts warn.

But then, what makes food or beverage impure? Olojede says they are mainly bacteria, viruses, parasites or harmful chemicals that find their ways into the food chain, like when we eat unwashed fruits and vegetables that contain high concentrations of pesticides.

The bacteria and viruses that cause the most illnesses, hospitalisations and deaths include the following:

Salmonella enteritidis

Experts say salmonella lives in animals’ intestinal tracts, and is usually transmitted through contaminated animal faeces. In eggs, the bacterium infects the ovaries of hens and contaminates their eggs before the shells are formed. The bacteria can also be present in unpasteurised (raw) milk.

Again, experts say, foods may be contaminated with bacteria during preparation in a restaurant or home kitchen. That’s why those who handle foods are advised to thoroughly wash their hands, kitchen utensils, cutting boards, and other kitchen surfaces that come into contact with raw foods.

Salmonella enteritidis strikes when we eat meat, poultry and eggs that are undercooked, as it is only thorough cooking of foods that can kill bacteria generally.

Nutritionists say infection symptoms — fever, stomach cramps and diarrhoea — begin to manifest between 12-72 hours after eating tainted food and the effects may linger for up to seven days.

Campylobacter jejuni

This bacterium is also found in intestinal tracts of animals and birds (chickens, turkey, etc.), raw milk and untreated water. Its manifestations include fever, headache, and muscle pain, followed by (bloody) diarrhoea, abdominal pain and nausea about two or five days after eating, while the effects may last for up to 10 days.

Again, maintaining good personal hygiene when handling raw foods and cooking foods well should take care of this bacterium.

Listeria monocytogenes

This group is found in soil and water, and it could also infect uncooked meats, vegetables, cold meats, unpasteurised milk and soft cheeses. Foods like tomatoes, fruits and vegetables that are usually consumed raw such as lettuce, cabbage, etc. are prone to being infected with this bacterium.

Fever, muscle aches and sometimes nausea or diarrhea are its hallmark. Worse still, many people may not trace their illness to the food, as scientists say it may take up to three weeks after one may have eaten contaminated food before becoming sick. As terrible as this bacterium is, physicians say infants who survive listeriosis may have long-term neurological damage.

Escherichia coli

Also called E. coli, this bacterium is found mostly in meat, raw milk and untreated water. It causes severe stomach cramps due to often bloody diarrhoea, vomiting, low fever or pneumonia; as well as increased risks of high blood pressure, kidney problems, and cardiovascular disease.

Symptoms manifest within two to five days of eating tainted food, and experts say most infections are mild, but that in severe cases, it could result in a life-threatening condition — haemolytic uremic syndrome — characterised by anaemia, acute renal failure and low platelet count, which increases the risk of bleeding from the nose and gums, among others.

Clostridium perfringens

Party goers, patrons of office canteens and people who dine out on a regular basis have to beware of this bacterium. This is because though cooking kills the bacterium, if cooked food is not promptly served or refrigerated, the spores can grow and produce new cells at room temperature. As with other bacteria mentioned so far, storing unused foods and drinks in refrigerator or freezer temperatures are the ways to stave off the infection.

Experts say even if food is well cooked but left warm for a long time, the bacterium could still strike. That is why its outbreaks are usually linked to institutions such as hospitals, school cafeterias, prisons, nursing homes, and social events.

It presents with diarrhoea and abdominal cramps within six hours of eating, and the symptoms may last between 24 hours and two weeks, depending on the severity.

Norovirus

Noroviruses are said to be the most common cause of acute infection of the stomach and intestines, and the illness spreads easily. That’s why it’s called viral gastroenteritis, as people who are infected can contaminate other people, food or drinks they come in contact with.

The virus is present in fresh fruits and vegetables, ready meals such as salads, biscuits, sandwiches, etc., handled by an infected person. In adults, it manifests within three days with watery diarrhoea, vomiting, nausea, and stomach pain; while in children, vomiting is more common, alongside other symptoms. The effects can last for upwards of six days.

Washing hands very well after using the bathroom, and being generally careful with handling meals, are some ways of preventing this food-borne bacterium.

Clostridium botulinum

It’s common to see damaged or rusty canned foods being sold in the market at rock bottom prices. Yet, such canned foods harbour C. botulinum, nutritionists say. It could also be found in improperly handled baked foods wrapped in foil.

Experts say symptoms, which usually appear within 12 and 36 hours after eating, include lethargy and muscle weakness, double or blurred vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing and dry mouth. As deadly as this food contaminant is, physicians say if left untreated, symptoms may graduate to irreversible paralysis!

Prevent food poisoning

•Refrigerate or freeze raw or perishable foods promptly

•Foods should be cooked long enough and at a high enough temperature to kill the harmful bacteria that cause illnesses

•Keep cold foods cold and hot foods should be kept hot

•Fruits and vegetables should be washed under running water just before eating, cutting, or cooking

•Raw meat, poultry, seafood, and their juices should be kept away from other foods

•Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with warm, soapy water before and after handling raw meat, poultry, fish, shellfish, produce, or eggs

•Wash your hands after using the bathroom, changing diapers, or touching animals

•Utensils and surfaces should be washed with hot, soapy water before and after they are used to prepare food