An estimated 76 million instances of foodborne disease are reported annually in the United States alone. When pollutants like chlorine or salmonella enter the food manufacturing process, they can contaminate the food supply with bacteria, parasites, viruses, and dangerous chemicals. Here are some steps you can take to avoid having your family end up as a statistic:

  • Before cooking a meal, wash your hands.
  • Before giving raw meat or poultry to others, thoroughly cook it. You should cook beef steaks and ground beef thoroughly until the internal temperature reaches 160°F (71°C). That’s roughly the temperature at which meat may be safely cooked in an oven for an extended period.
  • Avoid consuming unwashed fruits or vegetables. Vegetables might be polluted with anything from pesticides and herbicides to animal dung. So, properly wash all the food, including fruits and vegetables, before eating.
  • Make sure soups, casseroles, and stews are hot enough to kill any germs that may have gotten into your meal by contact with raw materials and utensils. This is especially important if they contain meats, poultry, or fish processed in the same area as other raw foods.
  • Avoid consuming unwashed apples and pears.
  • Until the yolks are hard, cook the eggs. Cracked eggs should be chilled on the counter before consumption and kept in the fridge for a day. After cooking, the egg whites should be firm.
  • Avoid eating unwashed green vegetables like collards, spinach, and lettuce. Additionally, they will be infected with parasites, viruses, and germs that may have been on your hands, utensils, or food before you prepared it.
  • Avoid drinking polluted water and eating tainted food.

In general, germs, parasites, viruses, and dangerous substances that get into the food supply cause food poisoning.

What are the 5 causes of food poisoning

  1. Bacteria
  2. Parasites
  3. Viruses
  4. Harmful chemicals 
  5. Contaminants like chlorine or salmonella

Symptoms of food poisoning

Food poisoning symptoms often include the following:

  • Stomach aches, diarrhea, motion sickness, and nausea.
  • Fever
  • Not being able to eat or drink
  • Migraine

Food poisoning symptoms might change depending on the kind of bacterium, parasite, or virus that has invaded your system. The signs of E. coli poisoning are very unlike those of cholera.

Bacteria

In nature, bacteria are a type of organism that is nearly universal. They are introduced into our food supply by coming into touch with polluted water, raw materials, sewage, and livestock that have been processed in the same space as other raw materials and surfaces. The list of typical bacterial sources found in foods is as follows:

  • A. Staphylococcus
  • Salmonella
  • Eccherichia coli (E. coli)
  • Aeromonas, Yersinia Campylobacter, and Shigella
  • Monocytogenes Listeria
  • Parahaemolytic Vibrio (V. parahaemolyticus)
  • Bancroft’s cereus (B. cereus)
  • You can detect the bacteria Clostridium perfringens (C. perfringens) in inadequately cooked dishes that have been left out at room temperature.

Salmonella

The US has about 42,000 confirmed cases of salmonellosis each year, resulting in 400 deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control. In addition, the Food and Drug Administration estimates that just Salmonella enteritidis causes around 25 million instances of food poisoning annually in the United States.

The bacterium most frequently linked to food poisoning is Salmonella enteritidis, which may be found in raw eggs, poultry, meat, dairy products, shellfish, fruits, and vegetables. Bacteria of the type salmonella may survive for a very long time in the gastrointestinal system.

Salmonella is normally found in the GI tract of healthy people and animals. The symptoms caused by salmonellosis include diarrhea, fever, abdominal cramps, stomach cramps, and vomiting. Diarrhea may be so severe that it can result in dehydration.

Dehydration 

When dehydrated, your body momentarily suspends its regular operations to preserve water. Dehydration signs include the following:

  • Thirst
  • Tiredness
  • Boosted heartbeat
  • A reduction in blood pressure
  • Muscle aches or cramping
  • Migraine
  • Weakness/Exhaustion
  • Exasperation or perplexity
  • Diminished vision and dry mouth/skin 

A thin layer of moisture typically protects your skin’s outermost layer. This layer of the moisture evaporates when you are dehydrated, leaving your skin dry, cracked, and wrinkled. The tongue will particularly detect this. A healthy tongue has a smooth, moist surface.

Food poisoning caused by parasites

Living creatures known as parasites are present practically everywhere in nature. They are cysts and may be found in water and soil worldwide. They often get into your food supply through uncooked or undercooked products. From the farm to your plate, parasites can infiltrate the food supply at any point in the handling process. For example, raw fruits and vegetables are frequently contaminated with parasites. The list of typical parasites discovered in meals is as follows:

  • Cyclospora cayetanensis: This parasite can result in cramping and diarrhea.
  • Giardia lamblia: This parasite, which may infect up to 1.5 million individuals annually, is the most prevalent of all intestinal parasites.
  • Amoebic dysentery, characterized by bloody diarrhea, is brought on by the parasite Entamoeba histolytica.
  • In North America and some regions of Europe, outbreaks of waterborne sickness are mainly brought on by the parasite Cryptosporidium parvum.
  • Dientamoeba fragilis: This parasite can lead to bloating, cramping, and persistent diarrhea.
  • Dientamoeba fragilis is a parasite that can seriously harm you. Chronic diarrhea, cramps, and bloating are all results of it. 

Symptoms of chronic Diarrhea can include the following:

  • Abdominal cramps and diarrhea
  • Odynophagia with bloating (painful swallowing of saliva)
  • Eimeria species: The most prevalent intestinal parasite that affects people is eimeria. It differs from other parasites in that its life cycle is complicated and broken down into several phases. It enters the human body through contaminated food, drink, contact with infected soil, and contact with infected excrement, in addition to causing amoebic dysentery.
  • Filaria spp.: Roundworms are the culprits behind the filarial illness. The term “filariae” refers to a group of several types of roundworms. In humans, roundworms, parasites, can reach a length of up to one meter and are found in the small intestine.

The following are some signs of hand, foot, and mouth disease:

  • Rash
  • Painful sores in the mouth or genital area 

Viruses

The size of viruses is one ten-thousandth of a millimeter, making them very small. Yet, they may be found almost everywhere there is life, including the human body, the air, food, and water. While other viruses may take weeks or months to appear, some, like the polio virus, can instantly produce an illness.

The list of typical viral origins found in meals is as follows:

  • Norwalk-like viruses (NLV): The most prevalent kind of food poisoning is caused by Norwalk-like viruses, accounting for 15% of all instances of food poisoning and around one million infections yearly. Additionally, norovirus is thought to cause 700 fatalities yearly in the United States alone, as well as an estimated 21 million cases of acute gastroenteritis. You can find Norwalk-like viruses on surfaces and products that ill persons have contaminated and in their feces or vomit.
  • Hepatitis A virus: The hepatitis A virus mostly affects the liver but can also cause inflammation in the intestines. It could occasionally result in an unexpectedly severe episode of diarrhea. Hepatitis A signs and symptoms include fever, Diarrhea, Diarrhea, Tiredness, Abdominal discomfort, significant muscle pains, and Dark urine or yellowing of the eyes—both are symptoms of an unhealthy liver. You ought to get medical help.
  • Rotavirus: This is the most frequent cause of serious diarrhoea in babies and young children under five. The symptoms of rotavirus infection include fever, vomiting, stomach pain, watery diarrhoea that lasts longer than three days, and an overall lack of energy. After having watery diarrhoea for three days or more, you should see a doctor right once if you exhibit any of the following symptoms:
  1. Blood is present in the feces – If there is blood in your feces, you should seek medical treatment. Black, crimson, or tarry stools indicate that your stool may include blood.
  2. You lack fluids – If you experience any of the signs and symptoms mentioned in this article, you should immediately seek medical treatment.
  • Shigella: Shigella is a bacterial infection that results in severe diarrhea and cramping in the stomach. Additionally, it may result in headaches, nausea, vomiting, and stomach cramps. Shigella can be detected in people who have recently been to a place where the illness is common, as well as in tainted food and water. These signs include Watery, yellow, or green diarrhea and fever. Shigellosis, a condition that upsets your stomach, can result from the transfer of germs from the skin to food or beverages.

You should visit a doctor if these symptoms persist for over a day. Black, crimson, or tarry stools indicate that your stool may include blood.

  • Salmonellosis: Salmonella is a kind of bacterium that causes salmonellosis. Fever, chills, rash, and vomiting are all symptoms of salmonella infection. In addition, salmonellosis signs and symptoms include fever between 102 and 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 and 41 degrees Celsius), followed by stomach discomfort. You should visit a doctor if these symptoms persist for over a day. Black, crimson, or tarry stools indicate that your stool may include blood. Diarrhea may be bloody or watery. Diarrhea and fever-accompanied abdominal cramping. You should seek medical attention if you have had these symptoms for over a day. Some signs that your stool may contain blood include black, red, or tarry stools.
  • Rotavirus: The most frequent cause of severe diarrhea in newborns and young children under five is rotavirus. Rotavirus symptoms include A fever, More than three days of watery Diarrhea, Abdominal discomfort coupled with diarrhea, and fever. You should visit a doctor if these symptoms persist for over a day. Black, crimson, or tarry stools indicate that your stool may include blood.
  • Norovirus: Noroviruses are widespread viruses that may be discovered in stools (feces). They may result in vomiting, fever, diarrhea, and stomach discomfort. Norovirus symptoms include fever, Watery, uncomfortable, and severe symptoms of diarrhea, including vomiting and stomach discomfort. You should visit a doctor if these symptoms persist for over a day. Black, crimson, or tarry stools indicate that your stool may include blood.
  • Herpes simplex virus (HSV): Herpes infections can result in fever, exhaustion, bodily pains, and painful blisters on the skin or lips (such as on the genitals ). They can occasionally cause a serious case of diarrhea as well. Herpes, however, does not cause diarrhea; rather, a bacterial infection does. Herpes infection signs and symptoms include Genital sores that are painful and accompanied by fever and body pains. You should visit a doctor if these symptoms persist for over a day. Black, crimson, or tarry stools indicate that your stool may include blood.
  • Campylobacter: Campylobacter is a bacteria that may make people throw up and have diarrhea. Campylobacter symptoms include diarrhea, cramping in the abdomen, and appetite loss. You should visit a doctor if these symptoms persist for over a day. In addition, black, crimson, or tarry stools indicate that your stool may include blood.
  • Clostridium difficile (C. diff): In the US, C. diff is to blame for 14 fatalities every day. This bacteria may infect anybody who touches it and is disseminated through tainted food or drink. These bacteria cause many severe diarrhea cases that appear resistant to therapy. C. diff symptoms include watery and occasionally bloody diarrhea, fever, and stomach discomfort. You should visit a doctor if these symptoms persist for over a day. Black, crimson, or tarry stools indicate that your stool may include blood.
  • Giardia lamblia: Diarrhea is brought on by the parasite Giardia lamblia. Giardiasis signs and symptoms include stomach pains followed by watery, unpleasant-smelling diarrhea, weakness, exhaustion, and nausea. You should visit a doctor if these symptoms persist for over a day. Black, crimson, or tarry stools indicate that your stool may include blood.