Infectious diseases

Practical Tips to Deal with Food Poisoning

Food poisoning might cause sickness and death to many people; however, it is preventable and treatable

Food is the most fundamental need to survive. However, it can also poison us, causing illness and even death if improperly handled. For example, according to CDC, 48 million people get sick, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die from foodborne diseases yearly. So it is a serious health matter.

World Health Organization (WHO) reports that 23 million people falling ill from unsafe food yearly in Europe is just the tip of the iceberg. Every minute, 44 people fall sick from eating contaminated food, and an estimated 4700 per year lose their lives in Europe.

The European report highlights that “unsafe food is responsible for millions of sick days and can lead to lasting or severe illness, hospitalization, and even death. The overall burden of foodborne disease in the Region is estimated to be 413020 disability-adjusted life-years.”

These are striking stats from developed countries. The situation is even worse in developing countries with limited medical sources. For example, more than 2 million deaths occur yearly in developing countries due to foodborne diseases, among over 13 zoonoses implicated in over 2 billion illnesses worldwide.”

Zoonoses are infections or diseases transmitted from animals to humans. We might contract zoonotic diseases when we contact infected animals or contaminated environments like dirty barns for livestock holding cows, horses, pigs, or poultry.

Globally, more than 250 sources of foodborne illnesses have been identified. This 2015 study assessed the human health impact of seven leading foodborne pathogens in the United States using disability-adjusted life years.

This paper states, “Outbreaks attributed to unsafe raw food, abused temperature, poor storage infrastructures, inadequate cooking, poor personal hygiene, improper handling methods, and cross-contamination of cooked food with uncooked raw food.”

Not all cases of food poisoning are reported or require medical attention. Mild cases might resolve on their own without medical intervention.

However, foodborne illnesses can range in severity. Some cases might lead to hospitalization and death. It is a particular concern for vulnerable people like children, the elderly, and pregnant women.

I wrote this piece for awareness. Health organizations regularly send alerts warning the public about the dangers of some food in the market. For example, last week, I received this about the recall of expired vegetables. Following these types of alerts can be invaluable.

I structured this article under several headings highlighting the critical points to give you helpful perspectives and create awareness.

What is food poisoning?

Food poisoning is a condition caused by consuming contaminated food or beverages. It can occur when harmful bacteria, viruses, parasites, or toxins in the food enter the digestive system and cause illness. Contamination from pathogens happens when food is improperly handled, cooked, or stored.

Pathogens like bacteria (salmonella, campylobacter, escherichia coli, listeria monocyte gene, Clostridium botulinum), viruses (norovirus and Hepatitis A), fungi (Aspergillus flavus), and parasites (toxoplasma gondii and Giardia lamblia) are associated with food poisoning.

Viral contamination occurs when food comes into contact with contaminated surfaces and infected people. Infections may result from consuming undercooked or raw meat, seafood, or contaminated fruits and vegetables. Toxins produced by some bacteria might cause food poisoning.

According to the estimates, “diarrhoeal disease agents are the most frequent causes of foodborne illness. The most common is norovirus, with an estimated 15 million cases in Europe, followed by Campylobacter, which is responsible for almost 5 million cases.”

“Non-typhoidal Salmonella causes the majority of deaths. Other significant causes of death are Campylobacter, norovirus, Listeria monocytogenes, and Echinococcus multilocularis.”

The causes and symptoms of food poisoning can vary depending on the specific pathogen involved. Common causes include improper food handling, inadequate cooking temperatures, cross-contamination, consuming raw or undercooked foods, and contaminated water.

Symptoms are nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, fever, fatigue, and dehydration. Complications like extreme dehydration, organ damage, and even death might occur in severe cases.

Certain foods are more commonly associated with food poisoning due to their characteristics or susceptibility to contamination.

If not properly handled or stored, raw and undercooked meats, fish, seafood, sushi, unpasteurized dairy products, raw eggs, deli meats, and pre-cut fruits and vegetables are the most common.

What does happen to the body during food poisoning?

In this section, I provide a high-level overview of the process to give you an idea of how food poisoning affects the body.

During food poisoning, the body gets exposed to the invasion of microorganisms, toxins, or chemicals from contaminated food or water.

This invasion can disrupt the functioning of the body triggering adverse reactions. These harmful molecules can cause gastrointestinal distress as the body attempts to eliminate them.

The reactions might vary depending on the types of pathogens. When we consume contaminated food or beverages, pathogens can enter the gastrointestinal tract.

Pathogens have intricate mechanisms, enabling them to stick to the lining of the gastrointestinal tract, creating infection and triggering the onset of the disease.

By utilizing specific proteins, these microorganisms can bind to the cells of the intestinal wall. Once attached, pathogens can multiply and colonize the intestines. Then they start competing with the beneficial bacteria in the gut.

This bonding allows the pathogens to overcome the defense mechanisms of the gastrointestinal system. They start harmful activities like toxin production, cell damage, and the invasion of deeper tissues.

Bacterial pathogens can produce toxins, damaging the gastrointestinal tract's cell lining. They interfere with cellular processes.

These toxins can cause inflammation. They can also disrupt the absorption of nutrients, adversely affecting the function of the digestive system.

In some cases, pathogens might invade the intestinal lining. In this situation, these harmful microorganisms might enter the bloodstream, spreading throughout the body. This undesirable process can lead to more severe symptoms and cause health complications.

One common complication is a systemic infection. This might cause infections in organs like the liver, kidneys, stomach, heart, or lungs. If not treated timely, infections in these organs might lead to organ dysfunction or failure. Therefore antibiotics are lifesavers in these situations.

In addition to infections, the immune system can recognize pathogens and create a response to eliminate them. This immune response can cause inflammation to control and eliminate the infection. If not treated, it might turn to chronic inflammation.

Foodborne illnesses might weaken the immune system, making us more susceptible to secondary infections. For example, a severe gastrointestinal infection can compromise our defense system, increasing the risk of opportunistic infections by other bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites.

Why does food poisoning matter, and what can we do about it?

Food poisoning is common in every country but a significant public health concern in developing countries where access to safe food and proper sanitation practices may be limited.

In these regions, foodborne diseases are estimated to cause hundreds of millions of illnesses and thousands of deaths annually.

Learning about contamination sources, food handling practices, and awareness of high-risk foods might minimize exposure to pathogens and lower the risk of foodborne illnesses.

Recognizing food poisoning symptoms and obtaining timely medical support might allow early diagnosis and treatment. This approach can reduce the severity and duration of the illness.

Some foodborne pathogens might cause severe complications. Vulnerable people like young children, the elderly, pregnant women, and those with weakened immune systems can be most affected.

Understanding the risks is essential in implementing preventive measures to protect vulnerable people.

For foodborne illness outbreaks, understanding the mechanisms and processes is crucial for public health authorities as they need to identify the source of contamination, implement control measures, and prevent additional cases.

We can make informed decisions regarding food safety practices by understanding the risks. This can help us better prevent, manage, and control foodborne illnesses.

Here are some practical tips to lower risks and prevent food poisoning.

1 — Washing hands before handling food is vital. Using protective gloves can be helpful while touching specific foods.

2 — Keep raw and cooked foods separate to evade cross-contamination.

3 — Cook food totally at proper temperatures.

4 — Refrigerate foods or keep other foods in low-temperature storage.

5 — Refrain from consuming raw eggs, meat, fish, seafood, and unpasteurized dairy products.

6 — Be extra careful with leftovers, especially chicken, for over a day.

7 — Wash vegetables and fruits carefully before eating them.

8— Use clean water for drinking and food preparation.

9 — Be cautious when eating at buffets. Only use trusted and well-maintained places.

10 — During food poisoning, stay hydrated by drinking clean water. You may try digestive enzymes to improve digestion after recovery.

11 — Improve your immune system to lower impact.

12 — When you have severe symptoms, and if they persist, you must get medical support, as some cases might require specific treatment or medications like antibiotics.

Food Poisoning Solution in My Childhood

Like many children, I also had food poisoning in my childhood. The suffering from it was unbearable. Fortunately, my parents had a handy tool, so we were not hospitalized.

Whenever we had symptoms, they immediately gave us activated charcoal and increased drinking of pure water.

My mum always boiled water and cooled it for our consumption as we did not have water filters on those days. Fortunately, we never suffered more than a day and did not need to go to the hospital.

I documented the value and mechanisms of activated charcoal in a story titled Here’s Why Activated Charcoal Is in My Emergency Bag.

Unfortunately, some skeptics call it pseudoscience, but there is significant evidence of the effectiveness of activated charcoal for any poisoning. I provided a comprehensive list of scientific papers attached to that story.

It is still used in emergency departments in many countries. For example, this 2023 paper states that:

“Activated charcoal is the first-line overdose treatment frequently used in the accident and emergency department. Following poison ingestion or an overdose, treatment involves oral-nasogastric administration of aqueous charcoal. It aims to inhibit the gastrointestinal tract from absorbing drugs/poison ingested.”

The paper concluded, "Activated charcoal can be used to treat highly acute to life-threatening poisoning if administered within the first hour of ingestion.”

Since I cook my meal carefully, diligently follow hygiene, and don’t eat out, I do not experience food poisoning. However, some friends and relatives had severe cases. Fortunately, qualified healthcare professionals successfully treated their situations timely.

Conclusions and Takeaways

Food poisoning is a widespread and significant health concern affecting millions worldwide. However, good hygiene and proper food handling can often prevent food poisoning.

We can significantly reduce their risk of foodborne illnesses by following appropriate food safety measures, like thorough cooking, safe storage, and regular handwashing.

In cases where food poisoning does occur, early intervention by qualified healthcare professionals can significantly improve the chances of a successful recovery.

Getting medical attention promptly allows for proper diagnosis, treatment, and management of the specific type of food poisoning.

Healthcare professionals can conduct tests to identify the causative pathogens or toxins, administer supportive care like fluid replacement to prevent dehydration and prescribe medications like antibiotics to treat bacterial infections.

Understanding the importance of timely medical intervention is crucial because food poisoning can lead to complications and be particularly severe in vulnerable people, like children, the elderly, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems.

Therefore, recognizing the symptoms of food poisoning and obtaining timely professional support can provide appropriate care and prevent potential complications.

It is also essential to enhance immune function. Immune response and supportive measures like rehydration and rest are the main methods of combating food poisoning.

As infections adversely affect our physical and mental health, I also wrote about infectious diseases and provided five practical steps to address them.

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