What Are The Symptoms of Food Poisoning?
The symptoms of food poisoning may begin within an hour of eating contaminated food, or they may take up to a few weeks to appear. There are a variety of symptoms associated with food poisoning. Each one is different, and each may have different signs of sickness. The following is a list of some of the more common symptoms:
- Diarrhea
- Abdominal cramping
- Fever
- Headache
- Vomiting
- Exhaustion
Although unpleasant, food poisoning should not have long-term or critical consequences if you are a healthy person. However, if you have certain medical conditions, including cancer, HIV, or diabetes, food poisoning may have serious effects on your health.
What Are The Causes of Food Poisoning?
Food poisoning is caused by bacteria, viruses, and parasites. Foods that have not been properly handled or stored may pose a threat to consumers.
Often, food poisoning can be prevented by ensuring you wash your food, do not let perishables stay out of the fridge, and do not eat food that is left out or prepared inappropriately.
What Are Some Common Foods That May Be Hazardous?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it is estimated that 1 in 6 people get sick from eating contaminated food every year in the U.S.
Whether food has been improperly prepared or left at room temperature, the levels of illness can vary greatly. Usually, you can treat yourself after a bout of food poisoning through rest and hydration, but more serious cases could require medical treatment.
Some potentially dangerous foods include:
- Eggs that are raw or undercooked
- Raw milk
- Produce
- Chicken
- Tuna
- Macaroni salad
- Potato salad
- Raw seafood
- Clams
- Scallops oysters
- Mussels
While these foods have higher chances of containing bacteria and other food poisoning possibilities, they are not the only foods or types of food that can cause food poisoning, including severe cases.
Anything you ingest can cause internal infections. Foods such as chewing gum, candy, nuts, and even water can cause internal infections and food poisoning.
Top 17 Food Illness Outbreaks in US History
Over time there have been many cases of food poisoning that leave victims in pain and suffering serious side effects. There have even been extreme cases involving victims who have succumbed to their fatal infections.
Here is a list of the Top 17 food illness outbreaks in U.S. history, information quoted and provided by HealthLine.com. Link to article below list.
2009: PCA peanut butter
2011: Cargill ground turkey
2013: Foster Farms chicken
2015: Mexican cucumbers
1993: Jack in the Box hamburgers
2006: Dole baby spinach
2006: Taco Bell fast food
2015: Chipotle Mexican Grill fast food
1977: Trini & Carmen’s hot sauce
2015: Home-canned potatoes
1985: Jalisco Products cheese
1998-1999: Hot dogs
2002: Pilgrim’s Pride turkey meat
2011: Cantaloupes
1997: Frozen strawberries
2003: Chi-Chi’s salsa and chili con queso
2016: Tropical Smoothie Cafe drinks
For more on the above information and to learn specifics of each event, visit healthline.com/health/worst-foodborne-illness-outbreaks.
How Do I Prevent Food Poisoning at Home?
Remember to clean cutting boards, work areas, and utensils during and after food preparation to prevent contamination from food drippings. Cleanliness is an easy way to prevent many kinds of foodborne illnesses. The following are some simple to follow tips to keep you safe:
- Use soap and warm water to wash hands
- Wash hands before preparing food and after touching raw meat or poultry.
- Use clean cooking utensils.
- Wash cutting boards frequently with warm water and soap, especially after cutting raw meat, fish, or poultry.
- Keep hair tied back or use a hair net.
- Wash fruit and vegetables with water before consuming them.
- Use a smooth, non-porous cutting board to avoid absorbing the juices of raw meat.
- Cleanse the lids of canned food before opening.
- Wash dish towels in hot water once a week or whenever dirty.
During the holidays it is especially important to practice safe food handling. If you are eating out make sure all poultry and fish are thoroughly cooked. Food poisoning from roadside restaurants while traveling is very common and can ruin your holiday vacation.
If you or a loved one has become seriously ill from eating contaminated food, please contact one of our food poisoning attorneys. Contact us today for a free case consultation with no hassles and no obligations.
