Understanding the Food Poisoners

What is Food Poisoning? Food poisoning, caused by harmful bacteria, normally produces intestinal flu-like symptoms lasting a few hours to several days. But in  cases of botulism, or when food poisoning strikes infants, the ill or the elderly, the situation can be serious

Where do these bacteria come from and how can they be stopped?

Food poisoning bacteria, microscopic in size, surround us— in the air, soil, water, in our own digestive tracts and in those of many animals. The only way they can effectively be stopped is by careful attention to food handling rules like those outlined in this booklet

Bacteria

How  it Attacks

Symptoms

Prevention

Staphylococcus aureus (Staph) 

Staph spreads from someone handling food. It is found on the skin and in boils, pimples and throat infections. At warm temperatures, staph. produces a poison

2-8 hours after eating, you could have vomiting diarrhea lasting a day or two.

Cooking won’t destroy the staph poison, so: --Wash hands, utensils before preparing food.
—Don’t leave food out over 2 hours.
—Susceptible foods are meat, poultry, meat and poultry salads, cheese, egg products, starchy salads (potato, macaroni, pasta and tuna), custards, cream-filled desserts.

Salmonella                                   

You can get salmonella when infected food meat, poultry, eggs, fish undercooked. Other cases? When cocked food comes in contact with infected raw food, or when an infected person contaminates food

In 12-36 hours you could have diarrhea, fever and vomiting lasting 2-7 days

Keep raw food away from cooked food, and:
 —Thoroughly cook meat, poultry, fish.
—Be especially careful with poultry, pork,
roast beef, hamburger.
—Don’t drink unpasteurized milk

Clostridium perfringens         

This “buffet germ” grows rapidly in large portions of food that are cooling slowly. It can also grow in chafing dishes which may not keep food sufficiently hot, and even in the refrigerator if food is stored in large portions which do not cool quickly

In 8-24 hours you could have usually in less than a day. But older people and ulcer patients can be badly affected.

Keep food hot (over 140° F) or cold (under 40° F), and:
—Divide bulk cooked foods into smaller portions for serving and cooling

---Be careful with poultry, gravy, stews, casseroles

Campylobacter jejuni

You drink untreated water on an outing. Your pet becomes Infected and spreads it to the whole family, or you eat raw or undercooked meat, poultry or shellfish

In 2-5 days you could have severe (possibly bloody) diarrhea, cramping fever and headache lasting 2-7days

Don’t drink untreated water or un pasteurized milk, and:

—Thoroughly clean hands, utensils and surfaces that touch raw meats,
—Thoroughly cook meat, poultry and fish

Clostridium Botulinum

Often occurs in home-canned or any canned goods showing warning signs — clear liquids turned milky, cracked jars, loose lids, swollen or dented cans or lids. Beware of any jar or can that spurts liquid or has an off-odor when opened.

. In 12-48 hours your nervous system could be affected. Symptoms? Double vision, droopy eyelids, trouble, speaking and swallowing, difficulty breathing. Untreated, botulism can be fatal

Carefully examine home-canned goods be fore use, and:

—Don’t use any canned goods showing danger signs.

—If you or a family member has botulism symptoms, get medical help immediately.

Note:      While the chart highlights the preventive measures most important in avoiding each type of bacteria, you should understand that all the rules of prevention should be followed with all food.