Illness caused by eating contaminated, toxic, or spoiled food is called food poisoning or foodborne illness. Food can get contaminated by infectious organisms such as viruses, bacteria, or parasites and their toxins when the food is getting produced or processed. Food at home can also get toxic or spoiled if cooked or handled incorrectly. This condition is very common and 1 out of 6 Americans suffer from it every year.
Symptoms
Symptoms of food poisoning usually show up within hours of eating the contaminated food. Depending on the source of contamination, the symptoms may vary. Some of the most common symptoms of food poisoning are:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Fever
- Watery diarrhea
- Abdominal cramps
- Loss of appetite
- Weakness
- Headaches
The symptoms of food poisoning when it can become potentially life-threatening are:
- Diarrhea for more than 3 days
- Blood in vomit or stools
- Persistently high fever
- Severe abdominal cramps
- Signs of dehydration such as dry mouth, excessive thirst, dizziness, and severe weakness
- Frequent vomits and inability to digest even liquids
- Neurological symptoms including blurry vision, tingling in the arms, and muscle weakness
Causes
The food can get contaminated at any point from growing, to harvesting, to processing, to storing, to shipping, and to preparing. Getting foodborne illness from raw and uncooked foods such as salads is very common because the infectious organisms do not get killed. Most food poisoning is caused by viruses, bacteria, and parasites. The more common among them are:
- Norovirus also known as the stomach flu
- Salmonella found in undercooked eggs, meat, unpasteurized milk and cheese, and melons and sprouts
- Clostridium perfringens, a bacteria that develop when food is prepared in bulk for cafeterias, nursing homes, or catered events
- Campylobacter, a bacteria found in undercooked poultry, unpasteurized milk, and sometimes in water
Some bacteria such as Listeria and E.coli can make a person very sick and even can cause death.
Treatment
The treatment for food poisoning will depend upon the severity of the symptoms and the source of illness. In most cases, it can be treated at home and a person can be cured within 3 to 5 days. This condition may get resolved on its own by taking plenty of fluids so that one does not get dehydrated because of loss of fluids, avoiding caffeine, avoiding certain foods such as dairy products, nicotine, alcohol, and fatty foods, eating a light diet, and getting enough rest. In case of a bacterial infection, the doctor can prescribe antibiotics to treat this condition.
Food poisoning is a condition in which a person gets very uncomfortable and weak, but it is mostly treatable. In very rare cases, it can lead to death. To prevent food poisoning one must wash hands, utensils, and food surfaces frequently, cook foods to a safe temperature, keep raw foods separate from ready to eat foods, refrigerate perishable foods promptly, and throw the food if there is doubt about it being safely stored, cooked or prepared.
Disclaimer: The information in no way constitutes, or should be construed as medical advice. Nor is the above article an endorsement of any research findings discussed in the article an endorsement for any of the source publications.
