Bad Burger: Causes of Food Poisoning

Food poisoning is a very scary situation, especially now that the swine flu, otherwise known as the H1N1 virus, as well as various other bacterial infections and viral infections are on the loose. I remember when I suffered from food poisoning, after eating a burger from Carl's Jr. Although I did not have to go to the hospital, I did vomit. Luckily, I vomited after eating maybe a third of the burger, and I did my best to rinse out my mouth with water. The hamburger, or perhaps the onion rings, were tainted, but not at lethal levels of toxicity. Anyways, the sodas were clean, and most of the times I had eaten at Carl's Jr. the food was fine, so I didn't really think much about it.
Here is a detailed guide on the top 5 causes of food poisoning. Reading this will help you to learn what to avoid when preventing food poisoning, and those close to you will appreciate this helpful information.

1. Infectious agents - These include bacteria and viruses, as well as parasites. Do not eat food off of the ground. Also, wash your hands before you eat. It is very hard to spot these agents, but cleanliness on your part will keep lethal levels of these infectious agents away from you.

2. Toxic agents - Although I have experienced infectious agents, toxic agents have thankfully not been a part of my life. Toxic agents are like pesticides left on fruit and vegetables. Always wash the food you eat, and cook it thoroughly if possible. Also, remember to serve it in portions, so that in the event of toxic agents, these agents will be diluted to the point where you and your loved ones' lives are not threatened.

3. Contamination - When food is improperly placed, in an unsanitary storage area, cooked improperly, without entirely removing unsanitary agents, than contamination can lead to food poisoning. Food handlers should always remember to wash their hands when dealing with food.

This ample, relevant information will keep consumers aware of the dangers when purchasing and consuming food. Food poisoning is not a recreational activity, and should not be treated lightly. Always remember that there are emergency personnel standing by in the event of food poisoning that requires immediate medical attention. If the body flushes out these poisons naturally, than everything should be all right, but never neglect the danger inherent in poisoned food, which leads to food poisoning. Food poisoning affects a great number of people, and among those great amount of people, several do die. Just a few precautions can eliminate this needless death.

Sources:

1. www.emedicinehealth.com/food_poisoning/page2_em.htm#Food%20Poisoning%20Causes