Recovery From Food Poisoning

The term food poisoning applies to an illness (most often gastroenteritis, but occasionally nervous system complications) that comes from eating food with bacteria, viruses, toxins, or parasites. Contamination of foods can occur at any point of food processing or production, including harvesting, packing, transporting, and displaying food for sale. Most cases of food poisoning are caused by bacterial contamination. The microorganisms that are most often responsible are Clostridium botulinum, Clostridium perfringens, Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella strains, and Staphylococcus aureus.

Food poisoning usually causes nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, cramps, headache, and sometimes fever and prostration. Double vision and difficulty in speaking, chewing, swallowing, and breathing are symptoms of botulism, a rare but particularly grave form of food poisoning. If you see any of these symptoms in someone, call for immediate medical attention. The infection can be serious in vulnerable people, especially infants, young children, people with chronic illness (including AIDS and other immune system disorders), and the elderly. Call a doctor if someone you know in these groups exhibits symptoms.

Nutrition Connection
The following recommendations can help support the body during its recovery from food poisoning:
-Prevent fluid depletion. Replace much-needed fluids and electrolytes. Sip a mixture of apple juice and water, or weak tea. Sipping ginger ale can help to calm any surges of nausea. Chicken broth with rice is a palatable rehydration remedy; the broth replaces fluid as well as sodium and potassium, to restore the balance of electrolytes, and the rice has a binding effect on the bowel.
-Avoid dairy products. Dairy may worsen diarrhea.
-Don’t tax your digestive system. Wait until your stomach is ready to handle food.
-Eat bland foods when you’re ready. When you’re confident that your system has settled down, reintroduce foods such as bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast. Then try other bland foods, such as soft-cooked chicken and mashed potatoes. Avoid fresh fruits for a few days.

Beyond the Diet
Once you treat the food-borne illness, it’s helpful to know how to prevent future episodes. Follow these guidelines for recovery and food safety precautions:
-Let nature run its course. If you’re a healthy adult, your body will rid itself of the organisms that cause food poisoning through vomiting and diarrhea. Most cases will clear up without medical help.
-Rest. Food poisoning, along with dehydration, may cause weakness.
-Seek medical care if it’s serious. Very severe cases may require antibiotics. If you cannot drink fluids and have diarrhea, fluids may be given intravenously.
-Practice food safety when cooking. Before you cook or handle food, use hot, soapy water to wash your hands, utensils, and preparation surfaces, such as chopping boards. Keep raw foods separate from cooked foods, and be especially careful when handling meat, fish, shellfish, and poultry; foods of animal origin are most prone to contamination. Make sure raw foods don’t contaminate cooked foods in any way, or don’t let cooked foods touch surfaces with traces of raw food. Keep washing your hands throughout cooking.
-Cook foods thoroughly. Use a food thermometer to check that foods have cooked to a safe temperature. Cook pork and ground beef to an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C); steaks, roasts, and fish to at least 145°F (63°C); and chicken to 165°F (74°C).
-Wash sponges after use. Use hot water and soap to wash sponges and dishcloths after every use. This will help prevent cross-contamination and the spread of bacteria.
-Keep cold foods cold and hot foods hot. If you don’t intend to eat food immediately after preparing it, refrigerate or freeze it. Never leave food for longer than 2 hours at temperatures between 45°F (7°C) and 140°F (60°C), which are ideal for bacterial growth. When defrosting food, don’t leave it out at room temperature; rather, defrost it in the refrigerator or use the microwave.
-Do not buy anything in or use food from dented or bulging cans. Dented cans may indicate botulism. Bulging is most likely caused by the pressure of gases produced by bacterial metabolism.
-When in doubt, toss it out. Discard food that smells bad or is discolored. Even tasting a little bit is risky and will not tell you if a food is unsafe.

QUICK TIP:
Thermometer Know-How
1. Take the temperature of thin foods like burgers within one minute of removal from heat, or larger cuts like roast after 5 to 10 minutes.
2. Insert the thermometer stem or indicator into the thickest part of the food, away from bone, fat, or gristle. 3. Leave the thermometer in food for at least 30 seconds before reading temperature.
4. When food has an irregular shape, like some beef roasts, check the temperature in several places.
5. Always wash the thermometer stem thoroughly in hot, soapy water after each use.