Take care of your food to avoid food poisoning

During the holidays, people tend to be overwhelmed with joy and excitement, with lots of food and drinks flowing in abundance. However, let us not forget the consequences of food not well looked after, writes Zahra Abigaba

The festive holidays always come with stocking lots of food and cooking for more people than usual. Most people are unaware of the dangers related to storing and preparing a lot of food. As Dr Bail Kabogoza explains, food poisoning is a medical condition that results from eating food contaminated with germs or the toxic products they produce. In a few cases, the contamination could be from a chemical poison from insecticides, pesticides or agricultural chemicals. “In some cases, people have gone as far as thinking a malicious individual laced their food with poison, which is not the case,” Dr Kabogoza says.

What causes food poisoning?
Dr Kabogoza says food usually becomes contaminated from poor sanitation or preparation. Food handlers who do not wash their hands after using the bathroom or have infections themselves often cause contamination. Improperly packaged food stored at wrong temperatures also promotes contamination. It is also caused by bacteria, although in some cases, other germs such as viruses, fungi or even protozoan parasites may cause the condition.
How to prevent it
We need to be keen on the food we eat and make sure that our vegetables and fruits are well cleaned before we eat them. This also means minding where we eat our salads or who prepares our favourite fruit juice.

The people handling food should ensure good hygiene. But because this may be hard to enforce, it remains for us topersonally judge who is handling the food we eat.

Food, especially rice, should not be kept cold for a long time before serving. In most cases of food poisoning in Uganda, rice, beef, milk and eggs are the biggest culprits. Always cook these foods thoroughly and serve them hot.

Wash hands properly before eating any food – yes, fruits included. It sounds simple, yet this rule is the most violated and causes us a lot of problems. Wash all surfaces that have come into contact with any food (countertops, cutting boards, utensils, etc). Sponges often harbour bacteria, so limit where you use them and rinse between use.

Check labels. Don’t eat food past the expiry date. Follow storage and cooking instructions. Be allergy-aware and ask for information about unpackaged foods. If you intend to store fresh food items for a long period, you need to ensure good refrigeration.

Sign and symptoms of food poisoning
The symptoms depend on the type of contaminant and the amount eaten. The symptoms can develop rapidly, within 30 minutes, or slowly, worsening over days to weeks. Most of the common contaminants cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and abdominal cramping. Usually food poisoning is not serious, and the illness runs its course in 24-48 hours.
First aid treatment
Short episodes of vomiting and small amounts of diarrhea lasting less than 24 hours can usually be cared for at home. It is crucial to act fast to replace the lost body fluids to curb dehydration.
Do not eat solid food while nauseous or vomiting but drink plenty of fluids.
Small, frequent sips of clear liquids (those you can see through) are the best way to stay hydrated.

Avoid alcoholic, caffeinated, or sugary drinks.
After successfully tolerating fluids, eating should begin slowly, when nausea and vomiting have stopped. Plain foods that are easy on the stomach should be started in small amounts. Consider eating rice, wheat, breads, potatoes, low-sugar cereals, lean meats and chicken (not fried) to start. Milk can be safe, although some people may experience additional stomach upset due to lactose intolerance.

Most food poisonings do not require the use of over-the-counter medicines to stop diarrhoea, but they are generally safe if used as directed. It is not recommended that these medications be given to children. If there is a question or concern, you should always check with a doctor.

Additional information from www.emedicinehealth.com