No Likey Food Poisoning

One of my friends came down with a case of food poisoning today. In order to poke fun at them for it "honor" their plight, I decided to hang out with 'em. I've lost track of the time, so I decided to pull one from the "In Case of Emergency" folder again. And whaddya know - it fits well with today's scenario!

Anyway, enjoy this crappy high school paper I found. (Geez, reading it makes me nauseous... urp.)



Picture yourself at home cooking a delicious dinner: a nice, juicy chicken steak made to order. As you eat it, you wonder how you made that steak so tasty. A few short hours later, you’re sitting back relaxing when you suddenly feel nauseous. Your stomach growls in pain and you feel like you just got punched in the abdomen. Seconds later, you find yourself rushing to the bathroom sink vomiting your guts out as you realize that you have a case of food poisoning.

Food poisoning is common throughout the world. The number of food poisoning cases throughout the United States per year is estimated at 80 million. California alone gets at least 27,000 incidents annually. At least half of all known cases were caused by improper cooking or storage of foods, and about a quarter of instances were due to poor hygiene. Only three percent of occurrences originated from the food itself.

There are around 20 organisms that can cause food poisoning; most being bacteria. Once inside the digestive tract, the bacteria grow and multiply. That is the time when all of the symptoms start kicking in at full force. It could be anything from the common symptoms of vomiting and nausea to the rare but fatal symptoms, like death. Most of the time the victim’s condition gets worse, although they often think of it as nothing major.

A very common poison is campylobacter. Campylobacter is the leading cause of food poisoning in the U.S., and one of the three major bacteria that cause food poisoning in California. It is to blame for two to eight million cases annually, with only 200 – 800 dead. Campylobacter is caused by eating contaminated chicken or foods that have been in contact with contaminated chicken. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) reports that around 7 – 9 out of 10 chickens are infected.

Symptoms of campylobacter are so ordinary; people will not even think that it was caused by food poisoning. They are stomachaches, stomach cramps, bloody diarrhea, and fever. It only lasts for about a week. Unfortunately, there is a chance that you could get something long-term. It is believed that campylobacter can cause Guillain-Barre Syndrome, which causes paralysis.

Perhaps one of the most infamous and deadliest bacteria is E. coli 0157: H7. It creates a powerful toxin that results in 25 thousand cases each year in the U.S. Most cases are caused by undercooked ground beef. E. coli lives in healthy cows’ intestines, and when they are slaughtered, feces inside their intestines are mixed in with the meat, which is usually made into hamburger, where it cannot be externally detected. Even raw milk can be contaminated since E. coli can exist on cow udders.

Ground beef isn’t the only place to get E. coli. Alfalfa and radish sprouts, as well as lettuce and other ground-growing crops can be infected if it grows on or is watered with sewer water. There was also a case of E. coli involving fecal-infect apples that have fallen. Drinking or swimming in sewer water can also cause infection. E. coli is very sneaky when it comes to finding out if your own food, water, or pool is safe for use.

In June of 1998, there was an E. coli epidemic in a water park in Atlanta, Georgia. Apparently, an infected child somehow passed the bacteria in a kiddie pool. The result: a two-year-old girl dead and dozens more infected. Health officials have traced the E. coli back to a Georgian school system, where contaminated meat was served. It is now believed that secondary infections (passed from person to person) was how it spread.

E. coli 0157: H7 has various side effects. Generally, the victim suffers watery diarrhea and/or severe abdominal cramps. Around 2 – 7% of those infected develop Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS), a condition in which red blood cells are destroyed and kidney failure arises. HUS is extremely deadly to young children (ages 2 – 5) and the elderly, but can be treated by kidney dialysis (which may be long-term) and blood transfusions. Just 3 – 5% of E. coli infected people die.

Another deadly strain of bacteria related to food poisoning is botulism. Botulism is instigated by the bacteria Clostridium botulinum. It creates spores that release an illness-inducing toxin. It can originate from improperly packaged food (both industrialized and home-canned), particularly from foods with a low acidity, like beef, fish, and greens. Most botulism cases are a result of home-canning methods.

Symptoms of botulism are very different than those of campylobacter or E. coli. While those two (along with other bacteria) cause symptoms that usually involve the digestive system (e.g.: vomiting, diarrhea, cramps), botulism damages the muscles and the nervous system. Most of the time a person faces the effects from 12 – 36 hours after contact. Problems, such as muscle weakness, blurry/double vision, and dilated pupils, can result. Botulism becomes life-threatening, however, when it hits the muscles required for breathing. By then, the person has already dismissed the regular symptoms and thinks it’s over. Antitoxin and medical care is the way to cure botulism.

Prevention is simple and thwarts most food poisoning cases. Washing you hands is one of the most important rules when it comes to food. It’s a good idea to wash before or after handling raw meats and other food and after using the restroom. 20 seconds under soap and warm water will surely help lessen chances of infection.

Washing all kitchen tools and boards will also help stop the spreading of the bacteria. Never use the same plate, cutting board, counter top, or utensil(s) when handling two different kinds of food. It ensures that if there were any bacteria, it would be washed away. Taste foods that have only been thoroughly cooked. Just use a clean utensil each time.

Keep all foods/liquids at the temperature that they are supposed to be in. In other words, keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold. Never leave food at room temperature unless it is okay to do so (substances like chips, sodas, and bread have no need for refrigeration). If food is left at room temperature for at least two hours, then bacteria will surely grow, resulting in contamination. Also, you don’t have to cool off food to place it inside the refrigerator.

A very important rule to cooking is to cook thoroughly. Make sure that meats are cooked around 160˚ (Fish can be cooked around 130 - 140˚), making sure that there is no pinkness, the center comes out clean, and that any juices run translucent. All leftovers should be around 165˚, but any leftover gravies, sauces, and soups should be brought to a boil. Also, don’t use leftover marinades unless you are sure that you will be cooking it somehow. Since a marinade involves raw meat juices, it is wiser, however, to not use it at all.

Discarding food is another way to prevent food poisoning. Obviously, if the food or liquid is spoiled (can be confirmed by smell and sight), dispose of it. Do not even think about tasting a food to confirm your suspicion. You could get infected even with just one little taste! On the other hand, if there is no noticeable smell or sight, but there is doubt about the food, throw it out anyway (better safe than sorry).

However, as most circumstances of food poisoning can be prevented by simply cooking well, throwing away suspicious foods, and good hygiene, botulism can be very tricky to defeat. First off, it is extremely resilient to heat. Although the botulinum toxin can be destroyed at boiling point (212˚ F; 100˚ C) in ten minutes, the spores themselves can last hours at that same temperature! If you pressure cook at 240˚ F (100˚ C) for a half-hour, it would kill the spores. Then again, you can avoid the risk by simply discarding the food if you feel suspicious.

A week after that "incident" with the chicken steak, you have become more wary about your cooking, and the cooking of others. Your doctor has just told you that the campylobacter bacterium has left your entire system. He warns that you should watch your cooking and make sure it is through. At least you have recovered from it. Then, hunger strikes again, and you pull up at a fast food restaurant, ordering a hamburger...





Until the 'morrow, everyone! Try not to get sick!