Summer Guide: Signs and Symptoms of Food Poisoning

According to the University of Maryland Medical Center more than 75 million people are affected by food poisoning each year. Buzzle.com defines food poisoning as an illness caused by ingesting food contaminated by bacteria. You cannot tell the diffrence by just the look, smell or taste of food contaminated with food poisoning bacteria and food that is not contaminated. That is why knowing the symptoms of food poisoning is so important. This is especially true in the summer months when people may be careless about keeping food cold. Allowing food that usually requires refrigeration to set out in the heat allows bacteria to begin to grow. If you ingest this food after the bacteria has started to grow this can lead to food poisoning.

Buzzle.com states that the amount of time that it takes the body to respond after the contaminated food has been ingested depends on several factors. For example, the type of food poisoning, the age of the person who has ingested the poisoning and the health of the person. Infants and older adults, whose immune systems are weaker, might be affected more severely than a healthy teenager or young adult. Also, persons with kidney problems, diabetes and other diseases that weaken the immune system are more at risk for severe cases of food poisoning. The gerealized time frame given for food poisoning to strike is within 12 to 72 hours but depending on the above factors it may occur as soon as 30 minutes or as late as 4 weeks after ingestion says the University of Maryland Medical Center.

In the article on Buzzle.com it is stated that the foods most likely to cause food poisoning are meats such as beef, muttin, pork, poultry and dairy products. The most likely places to aquire food poisoning is picnics and other social gatherings where food is kept unrefrigerated for too long.

Below is a list from fatfreekitchen.com of the symptoms of food poisoning. You may experience one or several of the symptoms. As stated previously, symptoms vary with age and current health. They may also vary due to the type of poisoning and the amount of contaminated food consumed.

Symptoms include:

1. nausea, vomiting and diarrhea

2. bloody diarrhea or pus in the stool

3.. upset stomach, abdominal pain and cramping

4. fever lasting longer than 24 hours

5. dizziness, fainting and rapid heart beat

6. weakness, numbness or tingling in arms, legs and/or mouth

7. headache

8. trouble swallowing

9. aching muscles

10. difficulty breathing

Certain bacteria may be the cause of certain symptoms:

Clostridium botulinum also known as botulism may cause blurred vision, double vision, difficulty speaking and swallowing.

Salmonella, Shigella and Campylobacter are known to cause chills and bloody diarrhea.

Escherichia Coli also known as E. Coli causes diarrhea with little stool and large amounts of blood. It may appears as much as 3 days after ingestion of contaminated food.

Poisoning from mushrooms may cause stomach upset, confusion, vision difficulty, heart muscle problems and kidney failure. If you have recently eaten mushrooms and you present with any of these symptoms seek medical care immediately. This type of poisoning can lead to death if not treated promptly.

It is important to seek the care of a physician if you think that you might have consumed any contaminated food and you are experiencing any of these symptoms. Remember it is especially important to have infants, older adults and immunosuppressed patients that are displaying any of these signs checked by a physician as food poisoning can become even more dangerous in an already susceptible individual.

Continue to enjoy your summer picnics and cookouts, just be aware of the possible dangers lurking on your table. Be sure to keep all foods refrigerated until you are ready to eat and return them to an ice cold cooler until they are needed again. Remember this very simple saying "refrigerate don't contaminate" and all your summer socials will be a success.

Sources:
www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/food-poisoning-000064.htm
www.buzzle.com/articles/food-poisoning-symptoms.html
www.fatfreekitchen.com/foodpoisoning.html