Avoiding Food Illness This Summer
Each year 48 million people suffer illness from contaminated foods. Although food-borne illness are often associated with meat products, some of the largest outbreaks have actually been linked to contaminated produce. Romaine lettuce, spinach, and tomatoes have all had their share of contamination, causing millions to become ill and in very rare cases, to die. Contamination can occur at any phase of growth, production and packaging. Salmonella and E. Coli are the most dangerous offenders. Salmonella poisoning is typically linked to eating raw or under cooked meats, poultry or egg products. It may take up to two days to have symptoms which are most often diarrhea, nausea, abdominal pain, aches and pains which are all made worse by dehydration. Symptoms may last 4-7 days but most people will tell you they are “not quite right” for months after. Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria normally live in the intestines of healthy people and animals. Most varieties of E. coli are harmle