Stomach Virus or Foodborne Illness?

The next time you come down with diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea, and vomiting, and you think you have a stomach virus, think again. It may be caused by something you ate. Foodborne illness, or "food poisoning," as it is sometimes called, is often mistaken for a virus. The food service industry generally does a good job of providing us with a wholesome food supply. However, there are several factors that can change good foods into foods that are unfit to eat. Foodborne illnesses are usually caused by mishandling of food and/or bad hygiene habits of food workers that lead to illness-causing bacteria in the food. This article describes some of the most common foodborne illnesses and how to prevent them.

Salmonellosis

Salmonella bacteria can be found in food products such as yeast, coconut, pasta, baked products with cream fillings, milk, milk products, and raw poultry, beef, eggs, and shrimp. They also may be found on unwashed fruits and vegetables. The symptoms of salmonellosis generally occur six-48 hours after eating the contaminated food. Symptoms include nausea, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, fever, and headache. Symptoms are most severe for infants, young children, the elderly, and people with chronic conditions. Salmonellosis accounts for 1,000 deaths each year.

Salmonella bacteria are easily killed by heat. Some ways to prevent salmonellosis include:

• Thoroughly cook all foods that could be contaminated with the salmonella bacteria.
• Avoiding cross-contamination. Do not prepare cooked or ready-to-eat foods on surfaces that previously contained raw meat or raw eggs unless the surface has been thoroughly washed and sanitized.
• Avoiding undercooked eggs or foods containing raw eggs, such as cookie dough, cake batter, homemade Caesar salad dressing, and homemade eggnog.
• Thoroughly washing hands, foods, or equipment that have had contact with raw meat or eggs, or with pets, insects, or other household pests.

Campylobacter Jejuni

Poultry, sheep, and cattle waste are the main sources of these bacteria; but feces (waste) from kittens, puppies, and birds also may be contaminated. People can become infected with the campylobacter jejuni bacteria from eating undercooked poultry, handling raw poultry or raw meat, drinking non chlorinated water or unpasteurized (raw) milk, and handling infected human or animal feces. Symptoms occur two-five days after eating contaminated food, and include diarrhea (often bloody), nausea, vomiting, fever, abdominal cramping, and pain.

These bacteria also are easily killed by heat. To prevent this illness:

• Thoroughly cook all meat and poultry. Maintain hot foods at 140°F or above when serving.
• Wash hands properly before preparing food, after handling raw meats, and after handling pets or pet feces.
• Thoroughly wash all kitchen areas and utensils that have come in contact with raw meat.
• Drink pasteurized milk and chlorinated water.

Escherichia coli (E. coli)

Several strains or types of E. coli can cause diarrheal disease. The most common is E. coli 0157:H7, which can severely damage the lining of the intestines. This type of E. coli is transmitted by undercooked or raw hamburgers, salami, alfalfa sprouts, lettuce, unpasteurized milk, unpasteurized apple cider and apple juice, and contaminated well water. Symptoms usually begin two-five days after eating contaminated food, and include nausea, vomiting, severe abdominal cramping, watery or bloody diarrhea, and tiredness. This infection also can produce an uncommon but extremely severe complication-hemolytic uremic syndrome. Some of the ways to prevent E. coli infection are:

• Thoroughly cook all beef and beef products, especially ground beef.
• Drink only pasteurized milk.
• Do not drink unpasteurized juices and ciders.
• Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly before eating or cooking.

Clostridium Perfingens

Meats and meat products, especially gravies, soups, leftovers, stews, and stuffing, are the foods commonly associated with this illness. Clostridium perfingens is resistant to heat, so proper cooking may not kill all the bacteria. Usually, clostridial food illness is caused by failure to keep food hot. As the cooked food cools to a lower temperature, the bacteria may multiply and produce toxins that can cause illness. Symptoms usually occur eight-12 hours after eating, and include abdominal pain, diarrhea, and sometimes nausea and vomiting.

Tips for avoiding clostridium perfingens include:

• Keep hot foods hot until they are served.
• Cool leftovers, meat and gravy, soups, and stews quickly. Store leftovers in small containers and refrigerate them so they will cool as quickly as possible to slow the growth of these organisms.

General Tips

• Clean hands. Hands and fingernails should be washed thoroughly and often with soap and warm water, especially before handling or preparing food.
• Correct temperatures. Cold temperatures often stop germs from growing, and heat can help kill germs. Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold. Prepared food should never be left standing at room temperature; food should be properly stored immediately.
• Clean food. Foods should be protected during delivery, storage, preparation, display and service. Make sure food does not become infected by coughs, sneezes, dirty hands, dirty equipment, pests, animals, or cross-contamination.
• Cooked food. Foods should be cooked thoroughly at proper temperatures, particularly meat and meat products. While certain foods like steak and some fish are often prepared rare or "pink" inside, food for children, pregnant women, and people with health conditions should be cooked well done. Ground meats in particular should never be "pink."
• Clean service. Contaminated utensils may spread disease. Disposable eating utensils are clean and should be handled in such as way as to keep them sanitary. Reusable utensils should be scraped, washed clean in hot water, and sanitized as required by your local health department guidelines.

Taking these simple precautions can help ensure food safety and healthy children.

Pamela David, R.D., L.D.
and
Sarah Ray, Nutrition Consultants, Inc., Birmingham, AL

RESOURCES

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service, Washington, DC 20250; 800-535-4555; www.usda.gov/foodborne

Food Safety, www.foodsafety.gov

Partnership for Food Safety Education, www.fightbac.org

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