| What is Food Poisoning?Food poisoning results when | | | | raw milk.To prevent this form of food poisoning, |
| you eat food contaminated with bacteria or other | | | | cook all ground beef until no pink is showing. Make |
| pathogens such as parasites or viruses. Your | | | | sure all of the meat juices are clear, not pink or red, |
| symptoms may range from upset stomach to | | | | and that the inside of the meat is hot. If you are |
| diarrhea, fever, vomiting, abdominal cramps and | | | | served an undercooked hamburger in a restaurant, |
| dehydration. Most such infections go undiagnosed and | | | | send it back. Consume only pasteurized milk products, |
| unreported.But the Center for Disease Control and | | | | and drink only water treated with chlorine or other |
| Prevention estimates that each year about 76 million | | | | disinfectants.Botulism is caused by clostridium |
| people in the United States become ill from | | | | botulinum, a spore-forming bacteria. This form of |
| pathogens in food, and about 5,000 of them die.Over | | | | food poisoning is very rare, but can be |
| 55% of such cases are caused by improper cooking | | | | life-threatening. It may result from eating improperly |
| and storage of foods, and 24% by poor hygiene, | | | | processed, low-acid foods such as green beans, |
| such as not washing your hands while preparing food. | | | | mushrooms, spinach, olives and beef or fish. Improper |
| Only 3% of cases are from unsafe food sources. | | | | home canning methods often account for botulism |
| Keeping your hands clean while working with food is | | | | cases. Improperly processed commercial products can |
| the single most important thing you can do to | | | | also cause this serious disorder.To avoid botulism, |
| prevent food poisoning.About 20 organisms can | | | | don't even taste canned food that is soft, |
| cause food poisoning. After you eat food | | | | deteriorating, fermenting or doesn't smell right. It isn't |
| contaminated with bacteria, they will multiply in your | | | | worth a life-threatening illness. When in doubt, throw |
| stomach and bowels. Some bacteria give off a toxin | | | | it out.Infant botulism is more common in spring and |
| when they multiply. As a result, nausea, vomiting, | | | | summer, and is rare in winter. Infants younger than |
| abdominal cramps and diarrhea occur. Vomiting and | | | | one year of age are at the highest risk. Symptoms |
| diarrhea are the body's way of eliminating the toxin, | | | | include muscle weakness, a weak cry, difficulty in |
| and most cases of food poisoning run their course | | | | feeding, constipation, head lag, increased heart rate |
| without needing medical attention.Not all invasive | | | | and a decreased gag reflex. A baby with botulism is |
| organisms cause vomiting as a symptom, but almost | | | | described as a "floppy baby," as the infant will have |
| all of them cause diarrhea. Blood in your stool occurs | | | | weak muscles, especially in the arms, legs and |
| in many types of food poisoning and is considered to | | | | neck.Infant botulism has been associated with eating |
| be serious. Abdominal cramps are also common, and | | | | honey. The Center for Disease Control suggests that |
| sometimes you will have a fever. Be sure to contact | | | | honey should not be given to infants under six |
| a physician if a fever or bloody stools are | | | | months old, and the Honey Industry Council extends |
| present.Common Sources of Food | | | | the safety limit to one year. Honey is not an essential |
| PoisoningCampylobacter is the leading cause of | | | | food for infants, and should never be given to |
| bacterial food poisoning in the USA. It causes several | | | | them.Summary of Food PoisoningMost symptoms |
| million cases a year, resulting in hundreds of deaths. | | | | such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps and |
| Eating undercooked chicken or food that has been in | | | | diarrhea are due to viral infections and are not true |
| contact with raw chicken most commonly causes | | | | cases of food poisoning. An accurate diagnosis can |
| campylobacter. The Center for Disease Control | | | | be difficult because the pathogenic organisms are |
| estimates that up to 70%-90% of chickens are | | | | found in different kinds of food and have varying |
| infected with campylobacter.To prevent the disease, | | | | incubation periods. Also, eating a substance and |
| cook chicken thoroughly, with no pink remaining. | | | | getting sick immediately afterwards is not the typical |
| Wash your hands frequently when handling raw | | | | course for food poisoning. Most people are not |
| chicken. Use paper towels to dry your hands. If you | | | | aware that food eaten several days previously can |
| are using a sponge or dish-cloth to clean the | | | | be the cause of food poisoning. Always be sure to |
| counters, use a fresh one after working with raw | | | | consult a physician when experiencing severe |
| chicken. Wash your cutting board with a diluted | | | | gastrointestinal symptoms.Information in this article |
| bleach solution before using again. And any utensils or | | | | was gathered from the Safety Information website |
| dishes having contact with raw chicken need to be | | | | at and the National Digestive Diseases Information |
| washed and rinsed with soap and water before using | | | | Clearinghouse website at WRITING, INC. -- featuring |
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| 25,000 cases of food poisoning each year in the USA. | | | | author -- EXPERT FREE DOWNLOAD COMPUTER |
| Most of these result from undercooked, | | | | FIXER PROGRAM! We also offer professional |
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