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Site FeedbackFood Poisoning: How to Eat Safely this Summer
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Summer eating means barbeques, picnics, salads and dining alfresco. By keeping a few facts in mind, you can make sure your summer eating remains not just enjoyable, but safe.
What Is Food Poisoning?
David A. Birdsall, M.D., assistant medical director at John Muir Medical Center, Concord Campus's emergency room, says that food poisoning is usually brought about by ingesting harmful bacteria or toxins, often from foods that were not safely handled or that spoiled without proper refrigeration.
"We see cases that probably came from eating potato salad, fried rice, bad hamburger meat, pork, chicken and egg dishes," he notes. Shellfish, pasta, chili and hot dogs are also on the list of frequent offenders.
How Can You Tell if it's Food Poisoning or Stomach Flu?
The abrupt onset of symptoms such as stomach cramps, nausea, diarrhea, and sometimes fever or chills can accompany either condition. Symptoms for food poisoning may appear from as early as two hours after eating to a few days after exposure.
It can sometimes be hard to differentiate between food poisoning, stomach flu, or a viral infection transmitted by person-to-person contact, according to Theophile G. Koury, M.D., an emergency medicine physician at John Muir Medical Center, Walnut Creek Campus.
"Though they can cause extreme discomfort, most cases are actually not serious, and are treated in the same way," he says. "That includes rest, hydration and perhaps anti-emetic medications for nausea. Most people do not need antibiotics."
Because of its "incubation period," food poisoning often strikes after hours or on weekends, and its acute symptoms often send people to seek help at local emergency rooms, according to Dr. Birdsall. The good news is that most cases are self-limiting, and those stricken are back on their feet within a day or two.
Suspected food poisoning may be confirmed if several people ate the same food and also had symptoms, or by testing the food or doing a stool culture.
Seeing a health care professional may be a good idea when you have severe symptoms, because some other serious or long-term illnesses — such as Giardia, caused by a parasite — may need to be treated differently. Symptoms may also represent a different condition entirely, i.e., a chronic digestive problem such as inflammatory bowel disease.
What to Know
Health professionals say that one important way to prevent viral, bacterial, and other illnesses is to wash your hands thoroughly before you prepare foods, after you handle raw meat or eggs, and after you visit the bathroom. Antibacterial wipes or other products may help if you are without running water.
Making sure foods are thoroughly cooked and then stored at the right temperature is also of prime importance — and is sometimes difficult in the summertime.
A common mistake people make, according to Dr. Koury, is leaving sauces and condiments, such as mayonnaise and dressings, unrefrigerated. These can provide an excellent medium for bacteria growth.
Marinating foods can also cause problems that many people are not aware of. "You should marinate in one dish, and then change to another dish and utensils for the cooked food. Salmonella may be in the first dish, and even after the food is cooked, you could re-contaminate it," he says.
Who Is At Risk?
Drs. Koury and Birdsall agree that while food poisoning can strike anyone, those at the extreme ends of the age spectrum face greater risks from it. The elderly may have less efficient digestive systems, and less stomach acid (which destroys bacteria). "They can also get dehydrated very easily, as can children," Dr. Birdsall warns. Children may also face more serious consequences from food poisoning. Pregnant women should be especially careful, as foodborne illness can pose a greater problem for them.
Those people with chronic health or immune system problems, such as diabetes, cancer or AIDS, can also be harder hit by foodborne illness, and be more difficult to treat.
Awareness is Half the Battle
Increasing your awareness of situations that can cause food poisoning can help ensure that you enjoy your summer meals. See the box for some helpful tips.