How to Guard Yourself Against Foodborne Illnesses
A major E. coli outbreak connected to McDonald's Quarter Pounders prompted the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to issue a food safety alert last week. The outbreak was reportedly responsible for at least 75 illnesses spread over a dozen states.
One fatality has been blamed on the outbreak as well as dozens of hospitalizations.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been investigating the outbreak. On Sunday, the Colorado Department of Agriculture reached the conclusion that the hamburger patties were safe and it was likely the slivered onions that were the culprit.
The McDonald's outbreak is just the latest in a slew of highly publicized foodborne illnesses. This is what you need to know about these issues and how to protect yourself from the dangers.
Most Common Causes of Foodborne Infections
Foodborne illnesses can be caused by a variety of different types of parasites, viruses, and bacteria. The most common foodborne infection is the result of norovirus, responsible for about half of food-related illnesses in the country. This virus is easily spread through food and drink between people on shared surfaces.
Likewise, the most common bacteria responsible for foodborne illness is known as the Campylobacter bacteria. These infections are most often caused by consuming raw or undercooked poultry such as chicken. Other bacteria infections are caused by E. coli, listeria, and salmonella.
What Makes These Infections Dangerous?
What may surprise most people is that E. coli actually lives in the intestines of humans and other animals. While there are hundreds of strains of this bacteria, one of them is especially dangerous. Known as O157:H7, this strain causes issues every year throughout the U.S. This is also the same strain that is being blamed for the outbreak at McDonald's.
The O157:H7 strain generates a toxin that damages the intestinal wall and triggers severe infection as well as bloody stools.
Although most people will recover without the help of medical treatment, other sufferers go on to develop severe complications. For instance, the side effect known as hemolytic uremic syndrome triggered by E. coli can cause kidney failure or death.
Listeria is most often linked to deli meat and unpasteurized milk or dairy products. Most healthy individuals will not develop any serious symptoms after a listeria exposure.
However, individuals who are immunocompromised, pregnant women, the elderly, and babies are at risk of developing life-threatening complications from listeria. For instance, listeria has been linked to miscarriage, preterm labor, and stillbirth in pregnant women.
Understanding the Symptoms of Foodborne Illnesses
It can be difficult to distinguish between the symptoms of specific foodborne illnesses and various digestive issues such as the stomach flu. The most commonly reported symptoms of foodborne infection include diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. Some sufferers also may report fever and body aches.
The specific symptoms are dependent on the organism responsible for the infection. Sick people who do not see the infections resolve without treatment may need to be hospitalized.
You should seek help if you are unable to keep fluids down or if you are experiencing severe abdominal cramping accompanied by bloody diarrhea.
How to Lower Your Risk of Foodborne Illnesses
It is easy to erroneously believe that most outbreaks are the result of eating at restaurants or pre-prepared food purchased from stores. However, the majority of foodborne illnesses originate in the home.
The good news is that there are a number of steps that you can take to reduce your risk of contracting a foodborne illness.
Basic hygiene such as proper hand washing is a great first step. Washing your hands frequently with warm water and soap is the first line of defense against norovirus. While old-fashioned soap and water is always the best course, you can also use hand sanitizer as an alternative.
Consuming undercooked fish and meat is another common trigger of foodborne illnesses. It is important to know what temperatures specific food products need to reach to be safely consumed. For example, poultry products should be cooked to a temperature of 165 degrees before eating.
It is also a good strategy to be cognizant of the utensils, cutting boards, and other surfaces you are using when handling raw meat. Do not use the same knife or board to handle raw meat that you are also using for vegetables.
Experts also recommend to take care in washing produce. You should wash fresh vegetables and fruits even if you are not eating the peel.
Additionally, it is important to be cautious with food storage. Food that needs to be refrigerated or frozen should not be kept outside of this cool environment for more than two hours.
You can protect yourself and your loved ones by staying abreast of updates from your local health department. This is a good resource for learning about potential outbreaks and recalled foods.
Lastly, it is important to understand that some populations are naturally more vulnerable to foodborne illnesses. Workers in the food industry are exposed to these illnesses with greater frequency.
Older adults, babies and toddlers, pregnant women, and people with underlying health conditions are also more susceptible to the serious impacts of foodborne illnesses.
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