Don’t end up a victim of food poisoning misery
MILLIONS OF PEOPLE GET FOOD POISONING IN THE UK EVERY YEAR. LISA SALMON TELLS YOU HOW TO MAKE SURE YOUR FAMILY IS NOT AMONG THEM
FROM cramps to nausea and worse, food poisoning can be truly miserable when it strikes, and in some cases even lifethreatening.
Every summer, the number of reported cases almost doubles – and that’s just the people who make the effort to see a doctor. It’s thought that for every one person who makes an appointment with their GP, there could be as many as 10 unreported cases.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) says there are more than half a million reported cases of food poisoning from known pathogens (disease-causing micro-organisms) in the UK each year, and that figure would more than double if poisoning from unknown pathogens was included.
Symptoms include nausea and vomiting, diarrhoea, stomach cramps, weakness, loss of appetite and fever, and usually begin one or two days after eating contaminated food.
Shirley Cramer, chief executive of the health education charity Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH), says: “Food poisoning in the UK is a vast and underreported public health problem, but the good news is it’s also highly preventable.
“No home can stay entirely germ-free, but by taking on-board some simple pointers about how germs spread, people can drastically reduce their chances of getting seriously ill.”
The RSPH reveals how to make sure that you and your family stay safe around food...
WASH YOUR HANDS – REGULARLY AND THOROUGHLY
WASHING hands removes pathogens and stops them being transferred to another food – or directly into your mouth.
All foods carry some bacteria, and the RSPH advises washing your hands whenever you’re touching food, and even suggests wearing gloves.
Antibacterial soap will help kill most germs and bacteria.
Make sure your little ones are shown how to wash theirs properly and that they actually do it before sitting down to meals, even if the meal is a barbecued burger in the garden.
JUST BECAUSE IT LOOKS AND SMELLS OK, DOESN’T MEAN IT’S FINE TO EAT
THE RSPH points out that many of the most harmful and widespread pathogens can cause severe illness (and even death) when present only in very low numbers.
Because of this, you won’t be able to tell from the taste, appearance, smell, or texture of the food that it’s contaminated.
Andrew Green, RSPH spokesperson, stresses: “Anything that’s given moisture, time and temperature will start to have bacterial growth and multiply, and the more growth, the greater the chance to infect food.”
USE MORE THAN ONE PAIR OF BARBECUE TONGS
BARBECUING is a common cause of food poisoning. Many barbecue chefs spread germs via their equipment, by handling raw meat, cooked meat, and sometimes even salads with the same tongs.
Though most people know to avoid this cross-contamination, and would do so in their kitchen, it’s often forgotten when the barbecue is lit.
...AND ALWAYS COOK YOUR BARBECUED MEAT PROPERLY
THE FSA stresses cooking food at the right temperature and for the correct length of time will ensure any harmful bacteria are killed.
When cooking staple barbecue fare like burgers and sausages, or chicken and pork, always check meat is steaming hot throughout, there’s no pink meat even in the thickest part, and juices run clear.
SEGREGATE RAW AND READY-TO-EAT FOODS
THE RSPH says many of us don’t appreciate the higher risks of food poisoning from mixing raw meat with ready-to-eat food (even if it’s just the tiniest of touches).
Campylobacter is found on the outside packaging of 5.7% of supermarket chickens, highlighting the importance of segregating food from the moment it hits the shopping trolley.
DON’T WASH RAW CHICKEN
CAMPYLOBACTER, found on nearly 60% of supermarket chicken, will be killed by thorough cooking, but could spread throughout a kitchen when people try to wash raw chicken under the tap.
KEEP PETS OUT OF THE KITCHEN
PETS wandering around the hub of the home is common practice in many homes. But the RSPH warns that even where pets are kept off work surfaces, they will still spread all kinds of pathogens.
Ideally, they should be kept out of kitchens entirely.
DON’T LEAVE FOOD OUT
ONCE served, dishes shouldn’t be left out for longer than two hours, or one hour if it’s very hot.