With the arrival of warm weather, there will be more outdoor mealtimes. Unfortunately, food poisoning is more common in the summer months. Picnics, BBQs, and camping trips are the perfect environment for creating bacteria that cause food-borne illnesses.
Summer gatherings outdoors can make it difficult and inconvenient to practice handwashing and utensil hygiene. Contaminated surfaces and hands are more likely to spread food-borne illnesses that can lead to food poisoning. In addition, bacteria flourishes in warmth and humidity (especially between 4°C and 60°C).
Bacteria can likely multiply if meat or other foods that require refrigeration are stored improperly (as in a cooler not at the right temperature). Improper cooking of foods (hotdogs, etc.) can also increase presence of bacteria.
Foods left longer than two hours at room temperature — around 21°C — should be tossed out. And on more hot and humid days, the time line reduces: at over 30°C, bacteria can grow to very high levels in one hour.
You can’t see bacteria, and even odour is an inaccurate gauge as food can look and smell normal after the two-hour danger zone. If in doubt, toss it out. Saving a couple of leftover hotdogs really isn’t worth the risk.
You can reduce the risk of food poisoning with the following tips:
• Before and after preparing the food, clean any tools you use with hot, soapy water. Use only one specific serving tool, like tongs, as you cook your meat, and avoid using it to prepare or serve other foods unless it is thoroughly cleaned. This will avoid contamination of other foods.
• Wash hands before, during, and after food prep with hot, soapy water (do the same before eating).
• Vegetables and fruit should be kept apart from meats. Store them in separate containers and prepare them on separate surfaces. If stored together in a cooler, keep the meat on the bottom to avoid its raw juices dripping onto other foods.
• Thoroughly wash fresh fruits and vegetables, including melon rinds. But avoid washing meat and poultry as it may spread bacteria, increasing risk of cross-contamination.
• Use a meat thermometer to be sure the temperature of your meats range from 63°C for a steak cooked medium-rare to 82°C for a whole chicken.
• Eat foods as soon as they are cooked. Avoid letting them sit around and cool into the danger zone of below 60°C. Refrigerate them as soon as possible.
Symptoms of food poisoning go away after a few days. If you are ill longer than a week, see your healthcare provider. Symptoms may last longer and be more intense particularly for people with weakened immune systems, those pregnant, young children, and older individuals.
Food poisoning symptoms can appear within a few hours of eating infected foods, or up to a few days. Although some may not feel symptoms for weeks. General symptoms include nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, diarrhea (watery or bloody), and fever.
The symptoms will also vary depending on the type of bacteria or microorganism that infected the food. With Clostridium botulinum, symptoms will also include drooping eyelids, blurry or double vision, facial paralysis and slurring of speech, and constipation. If Listeria is the culprit, additional symptoms may include muscles aches, headache, confusion, stiff neck, loss of balance, loss of consciousness, and convulsions. Salmonella poisoning may have the added symptom of sudden headaches. And with a Vibrio infection you may also suffer headache and chills.
The best treatment for food poisoning is to avoid eating but maintain hydration by sucking on ice chips or taking small sips of liquid. Avoid juices and sodas because of their high sugar and lack of electrolytes. Stick with clear liquids like water, herbal tea, and broths. Avoid caffeine and alcohol until fully recovered.
Diarrhea, vomiting, and rest can help your body expel the bacteria, therefore taking anti-nausea or antidiarrheal medicine can prolong your suffering. Talk with your doctor. Water and electrolyte-replenishing liquids are best as dehydration is a frequent complication of prolonged vomiting or diarrhea.
Most cases of food poisoning can be treated at home. Seek medical care, however, if your symptoms don’t resolve, or if they become severe. Extreme dehydration is a very serious issue and intravenous rehydration could be necessary. Antibiotics may also be advised in more serious cases. If you are vomiting severely and are unable to keep liquids down, or if you can’t urinate or the urine is very dark, you need to see a doctor. And if there is any paralysis, rapid heartbeat, confusion, blurry vision, or bloody diarrhea, these symptoms signal a medical emergency.
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Eve Lees has been active in the health & fitness industry since 1979. Currently, she is a Freelance Health Writer for several publication and speaks to business and private groups on various health topics.