How to Prevent Food Poisoning

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Healthy Eating

How to Prevent Food Poisoning

January 19, 2023

Food poisoning is an infection or irritation of the gastrointestinal tract caused by food or drinks that contain bacteria, parasites, viruses, or harmful chemicals. Each year, it claims the lives of 420,000 people worldwide. But with a few simple measures, it can be prevented.

Unlike other public health problems, food poisoning or “foodborne illness” is always a challenge for health organizations because it can occur at any stage of the food production process, even if similar cases have been controlled in the past. Specialists say that the primary cause of food poisoning is cross‑contamination.

In general, food poisoning is acute: it occurs suddenly and lasts a
short time. In most cases, people recover without treatment. This
condition can cause different symptoms, the most common of which are
vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, fever, and chills. These can appear
minutes to weeks after ingesting the contaminated product.

Experts
report that eating food that is contaminated by bacteria, viruses,
parasites, or harmful chemical substances can trigger approximately 200
different diseases, from diarrhea to cancer. The most common
contaminants are Escherichia coli, hepatitis A, listeria, norovirus,
rotavirus, and salmonella.

Among the foods and drinks that can be contaminated and cause an infection, eggs, meat, and fish are the ones that pose the greatest risk when not cooked properly.

A golden rule: wash your hands before, during, and after handling food. Ideally, you should wash your hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds. This extends to utensils you use and contact surfaces (tables, refrigerators, and freezers).

Another important precaution is to not mix raw foods. Cross‑contamination can occur when juices from raw meat or germs from dirty items accidentally touch cooked or ready‑to‑eat foods, such as fruits and vegetables. Try to have two chopping boards or wash them after handling different foods.

When you return from the grocery store, remember to put raw foods in the refrigerator right away. This reduces the growth of bacteria. If you have leftovers from food you already prepared, refrigerate them as soon as possible. They should not spend more than two hours outside of the refrigerator. Small, shallow containers are ideal.

Although doneness is often considered a question of taste, especially with meat, it is important to reduce raw areas as much as possible to prevent the presence of bacteria. Use cooking thermometers and check the right time and temperature for each dish.

While the symptoms of food poisoning are common ailments and you can find medications to treat them, experts recommend not self‑medicating. Instead, try to stay hydrated. If the signs of food poisoning last for more than three days, contact a doctor.

Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database; National Library of Medicine;
Mayo Clinic; National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.

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