Tag Archives: food poisoning prevention

The Four Types of Food Poisionings

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Food poisoning can be classified as to the area where the infection occurs.

Type 1 Poisons (toxins) produced in the food
Short incubation periods.
Examples:
Staphylococcus Aureus – or staph, found in open wounds and sinus infections.
Bacillus Cereus – “Fried Rice Syndrome” caused by improperly cooked or refrigerated items.
Botulism – an anaerobic (no air), bacteria caused by improper canning.

Type 2 Poisons (toxins), released in the intestines.
Clostridium Perfringens – a bacteria found in all of nature. In plants, animals, humans, air, and soil. When the thing – plant, animal, or human dies, it grows rapidly and decomposed the plant or animal. The smell of decaying vegetation and dead animals is caused by the gas produced by C Perfingens doing its natural job. This is why anything left out for over three hours has to be thrown away. There is no fixing it because the toxins it produces can not be killed.

Type 3 Infections in the intestines.
Salmonella – most common food poisioning. Naturally occuring in poultry, eggs, and all meats. If not cooked to the proper temperature, it will survive. Only a thermometer can tell you when something is done.
Campylobacter – (meaning “twisted bacteria”),Campylobacter jejuni is now recognized as one of the main causes of bacterial foodborne disease in many developed countries.At least a dozen species of Campylobacter have been implicated in human disease, with C. jejuni and C. coli the most common.C. fetus is a cause of spontaneous abortions in cattle and sheep, as well as an opportunistic pathogen in humans.

Type 4 Infections in the blood and body.
Of the over two thousand strains of Salmonella, at least three have the capability to leave the intestines and enter the blood stream. Salmonella Typhi caused Typhoid Fever, for example.

The Best Way to Prevent Food Poisoning

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What is one of the most important thing you can do to fight food poisoning?

It takes only 20 seconds (if you do it the right way).
It requires only 3 ingredients.
Anyone can do it, even very young children.

The answer is Wash Your Hands. Over and over again, studies have shown that handwashing is one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of many types of infection and illness—including foodborne illness.
Wash Your Hands the Right Way

When you wash your hands the right way, it takes only 20 seconds and requires only three ingredients: running water, soap, and something to dry your hands (a clean towel or air).

Here’s how to do it:

Wet your hands with clean running water (warm or cold) and apply soap.
Rub your hands together to make a lather and scrub them well; be sure to scrub the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
Continue rubbing your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice.
Rinse your hands well under running water.
Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry.

And here’s when to do it:

Before, during, and after preparing food
Before eating food
After using the toilet
After changing diapers or cleaning up a child who has used the toilet
Before and after caring for someone who is sick
After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
After touching an animal or animal waste
After touching garbage
Before and after treating a cut or wound

What About Hand Sanitizers?

Washing hands with soap and water is the best way to reduce the number of germs on them. But, if soap and water are not available, use a hand sanitizer.

Important: Hand sanitizers are not effective if your hands are visibly dirty.

Alcohol-based hand sanitizers can quickly reduce the number of germs on hands in some situations, but sanitizers do not eliminate all types of germs.

Always use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Here’s how to use hand sanitizer properly:

Apply the product to the palm of one hand.
Rub your hands together.
Rub the product over all surfaces of your hands and fingers until your hands are dry.

Developed from an article by By Michael J. Beach, PhD, Associate Director for Healthy Water and Chief, Waterborne Disease Prevention Branch, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, CDC