Food Poisoning

What is Food Poisoning?

Food poisoning is an illness caused by eating spoiled, toxic or contaminated food. The good news is food poisoning cases often resolve on their own within three to five days.

How does food become contaminated?

Food can become contaminated by:
• Not cooking thoroughly (particularly meat,poultry)
• Not chilling below 5C
• Exposing to warm temperatures for too long
• Not sufficiently reheating previously cooked food
• Person preparing food doesn’t wash their hands
• Eating expired food
• Spreading bacteria between contaminated foods
• Eating raw food such as, meat, eggs, and dairy products

Food Poisoning Symptoms:

Symptoms of food poisoning do vary depending on the infection source. Following are the most common food poisoning symptoms
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Fever
• Stomach cramps
• loss of appetite
• Aching muscles
• Weakness
• Nausea
• Headaches

Food Poisoning Treatment:

Most people with food poisoning recover without taking any specific treatment.
• Stay at home until you feel better
• Drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration
• Eat when you feel up to it, but start with light meals such as crackers, bananas etc until you feel better.

Preventing Food Poisoning:

You can prevent food poisoning by handling your food safely and avoiding contaminated food.
Avoid eating raw meat, poultry, eggs, and shellfish. These foods may harbor bacteria and must be cooked thoroughly before they are consumed.

Food Poisoning Diagnosis:

Food poisoning can be diagnosed by taking blood test, stool tests and tests on food that you have consumed to determine what is responsible for the food poisoning.