Food Poisoning

You can catch food poisoning if you eat something that has been contaminated with germs.

This can happen if food:

• isn't cooked or reheated thoroughly
• isn't stored correctly – for example, it's not been frozen or chilled
• is left out for too long
• is handled by someone who's ill or hasn't washed their hands
• is eaten after its "use by" date

If you have food poisoning you will experience one or more of these main symptoms:

• Vomiting
• Diarrhoea
• Nausea
• Stomach cramps
• Fever
• Loss of appetite

Dehydration is also a possible symptom of food poisoning, so it’s very important to try and drink fluids while you are recovering.

Food poisoning will usually go away on its own, so in most cases you should just wait for the illness to run its course. The medical advice includes:

• Replace fluids lost by drinking plenty of water
• Avoid food and drinks which will make the symptoms worse – caffeine, alcohol, spicy and fatty food
• Eat when you can and introduce bland foods such as crackers, toast and rice.

However, if you find that your symptoms are very severe (you can’t stop vomiting) or they haven’t passed within a few days, you should see a doctor.

• * when food is not prepared safely, including when meat is undercooked or lack of hand washing

when food is touched by someone who has gastroenteritis (gastro)

by contact with pets, flies or other pests

* when raw meat and ready to eat foods come into contact with each other

* when food is stored at unsafe temperatures that allows bacteria to grow

* when fruit, vegetables and eggs are contaminated with animal manure or water contaminated by animal manure.

To prevent food poisoning, take the following steps when preparing food:

• Carefully wash your hands often, and always before cooking or cleaning. Always wash them again after touching raw meat.
• Clean dishes and utensils that have had any contact with raw meat, poultry, fish, or eggs.
• Use a thermometer when cooking. Cook beef to at least 160°F (71°C), poultry to at least 165°F (73.8°C), and fish to at least 145°F (62.7°C).
• DO NOT place cooked meat or fish back onto the same plate or container that held the raw meat, unless the container has been completely washed.
• Refrigerate any perishable food or leftovers within 2 hours. Keep the refrigerator set to around 40°F (4.4°C) and your freezer at or below 0°F (-18°C). DO NOT eat meat, poultry, or fish that has been refrigerated uncooked for longer than 1 to 2 days.
• Cook frozen foods for the full time recommended on the package.
• DO NOT use outdated foods, packaged food with a broken seal, or cans that are bulging or have a dent.
• DO NOT use foods that have an unusual odor or a spoiled taste.
• DO NOT drink water from streams or wells that are not treated. Only drink water that has been treated or chlorinated.