Foodborne Illness: Avoiding Cross Contamination

Do you really want to be on the toilet vomiting or having diarrhea due to a foodborne illness? I would think not. The contamination of food is mainly through improper handling the food. There is the introduction of biological, chemical, and even physical elements of contaminations.

Where it starts is by………

• washing fruits and vegetable with running water before use.
• washing your hands before and after eating, drinking, touching your personal body (hair, intimate areas), and using the bathroom.
• Keep fingernails short and clean. Bacteria from underneath nails can transport, contaminating the food.

There are various bacteria, toxins, and viruses that can be contracted. Bacteria are most able to adapt and survive without the need for oxygen. A term also known as facultative. They can be the foundation for tiny organisms that get into the intestinal tract of the animal or human it would be feeding on. There are parasite that leash nutrients off of or inside a host. Toxins produced from microorganism, poisonous animals/plants that cause illness when ingested. Viruses require no host to survive, nor does pH balance, oxygen, or water activity.

Bacteria/Parasite/Toxin/Virus	Cause & Effects…	Product it affects…
Anisakiasis (parasite)	Cause by roundworms that reside in fish organs and infect the human intestinal tract. The effects can be anaphylaxis, diarrhea, nausea, rash, stomach pain, vomiting. Can occur 5 days after infection. It will last 2 to 3 weeks.	Bottom feeders, Raw undercooked fish/ squid.
Campylobacter (bacteria)	Spread throughout bloodstream. The effects can be diarrhea, fever, nausea, stomach pains, vomiting. Can occur 2 to 5 days after infection. It will last 7 days.	Fruits, raw meat, seafood, undercooked poultry, untreated water, vegetables.
Clostridium botulinum (Botulism) (toxins)	Improper handling of canned goods. Attacks nervous system, rare, causes weakness to facial muscles that spreads to the lower extremities. The effects can be diarrhea, difficulty breathing, droopy eyelids, muscle weakness, nausea, vomiting, slurred speak, stomach pains. Can occur 18 to 36 hours after infection.	Canned cheese sauce, Canned tomatoes, Canned vegetables (asparagus, garlic in oil, greens bean, beets, corns, potatoes), Carrot juice, Fermented fish, Honey.
Clostridium perfringens (bacteria)	Quite common foodborne illness. The effects can be diarrhea stomach pains. Can occur 6 to 24 hours after infection. It will last for about 24 hours.	Beef, Gravies, Poultry, Raw meat.
Cyclospora (parasite)	Single-celled parasite found in feces contaminated food and water. The effects can be diarrhea, fatigue, fever, loss of appetite, muscle aches, nausea, stomach pain, vomiting. Can occur 2 to 11 days after infection.	Fruits (raspberries), Produce from undeveloped countries, Untreated water, vegetables (basil, lettuce).
Escherichia coli (bacteria)	Also known as E. coli infects environment, food, the intestinal tract of animals and people. The effects can be diarrhea, fever, pneumonia, respiratory illness, stomach pain, urinary tract infection. Can occur 3 to 4 days after infection. It can last up to 10 days.	Contaminated food, Untreated water.
Hepatitis A (virus)	Product harvested from polluted water. Humans pass along through cross-contamination and poor hygiene. May take months for symptoms to appear.	Shellfish.
Listeria (bacteria)	Can spread throughout the intestines and beyond. The effects can be diarrhea, fatigue, fever, headaches, loss of balance, miscarriages, muscle aches, seizures, stiff neck, vomiting. There is also the possibility of death. Can occur within 24 hours to 2 weeks after infection. It will last up to 1 to 3 days.	Dairy products (ice cream, Deli meat, Fruits (cantaloupe, melons), Hot dogs, Seafood (smoked fish), Soft cheese, Unpasteurized milk, yogurt), Vegetables (celery, raw sprouts).
Norovirus (virus)	Most spread from food handlers’ feces due to poor personal hygiene. The effect can be diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, stomach pains.	Ice cubes, Fruits, Untreated water, Vegetables (manure fertilized).
Salmonella (bacteria)	Another common illness makes people sick with salmonellosis illness. Effects can be diarrhea, fever, and stomach pain. Can occur 6 hours to 6 days after infection. It will last up to 4 to 7 days.	Poultry.
Shigella (bacteria)	Fecal contamination transfer to water, food, and sexual intercourse. Effects can be diarrhea, fever, stomach pain. Can occur 1 to 2 days after infection. It will last up to 7 days.	Untreated water, Food.
Staphylococcal aureus (bacteria)	Also known as Staph caused by eating foods contaminated by fecal matter. Passed from person to person. Effects can be diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and stomach cramps. Can occur 30 minutes to 8 hours after infection. It will last up to 24 hours.	Pastries, Pudding, Sandwiches, Sliced meats.
Trichinosis (parasite)	Caused by eating raw or undercooked meat infected with trichina larvae. Effects can be diarrhea, fatigue, nausea, stomach pain, vomiting. Can occur 1 to 2 days after infection. It will last up to 10 weeks or more.	Game, Pork.
Vibrio (bacteria)	It is caused by the consumption of raw and undercooked foods. Effects can be diarrhea, fever, nausea, stomach pains, vomiting. Can occur 24 hours after infection. It will last up to 3 days.	Brackish (mix of fresh and salt water) or seawater exposure in a wound, Raw meat, Raw and undercooked seafood (oysters).

Symptoms

According to the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention), there are approximately forty-eight million people that get sick from food borne illnesses each year. There are 128,000 people that are hospitalized and about 3,000 people who will die due to foodborne illness. It every so surprising, that it can be from over two hundred fifty foodborne illnesses that a person can acquire.

Individual more susceptible to contracting foodborne illness are…

• adults older than 55 years old.
• children (teens and younger).
• people with compromised immune systems (AIDS/HIV, cancer, diabetes, kidney disease, liver disease).
• pregnant women.

When is it most important to wash hands?

Soap and warm water are the first choices when washing hands. If they are not available, use rubbing alcohol or alcohol-based sanitizer. It should contain 70% or more alcohol to be the most effective.

Check out the when to wash hands chart below.

Wash hands before …	Wash hands after…
changing diapers eating food preparing food preparing infant feeding bottle and food. touching infants/toddlers’ mouth and pacifier. using the bathroom	changing diapers contact with animals and animal products. eating food handling raw shellfish. preparing food using the bathroom

Make sure to clean countertops, cutting boards,  utensils after every use with soap and running water. You can even mix water and bleach (follow direction on container) to clean your countertops and cutting boards as this decreases cross contamination. Color coding cutting boards is helpful in decreasing cross contamination. It also adds some color and spunk to the kitchen. These tips are useful to lower the chances of your family or guest becoming ill from a foodborne illness caused by cross contamination.

Cutting Board Color	Used for…
Blue	Raw fish, Seafood.
Brown	Cooked foods.
Green	Fruits, Vegetables.
Red	Raw meat.
White	Bakery, Dairy, Pastries.
Yellow	Poultry.