In Beijing, we discuss food safety with the zeal of hardened sports fans. Every week seems to bring some fresh scandal about the things we eat and the products we use. But what about the dangers that lurk in our homes? One of the biggest culprits is the kitchen. For example, did you know that kitchen sinks are dirtier than public bathrooms? With that in mind, here’s how to thwart eight common food-borne illnesses.
1. Staphylococcus aureus
- Sources: Raw foods, unpasteurized milk, and dairy products
- Symptoms: Nausea, vomiting, fever, abdominal cramps, diarrhea
- How to prevent infection: Refrigerate food within two hours of cooking (or less); cold temperatures contain the spread of bacteria.
2. Salmonella enteriditis
- Sources: Raw and undercooked eggs (often found in salad dressings, tiramisu, cookie dough, frostings, and homemade hollandaise sauce, ice cream, and mayonnaise)
- Symptoms: Nausea, vomiting, fever, abdominal cramps, diarrhea
- How to prevent infection: Use recipes that call for cooked eggs or no eggs at all.
3. Vibrio vulnificus
- Sources: Raw and undercooked shellfish (shrimp, oysters, mussels, clams, lobster, scallops, etc.)
- Symptoms: Chills, fever, and collapse
- How to prevent infection: Cook foods at a high enough temperature to kill harmful bacteria. Here’s a handy guide to cooking temperatures from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
4. Clostridium botulinum (botulism)
- Sources: Improperly canned goods, smoked or salted fish
- Symptoms: Double vision, inability to swallow, difficulty speaking, and inability to breathe
- How to prevent infection: Buy professionally canned goods and never buy dented or bulging cans. Never store opened metal cans in the fridge; instead, transfer unused products into an airtight container.
5. Escherichia coli (E. coli)
- Sources: Fresh or minimally processed produce, contaminated water
- Symptoms: Bloody diarrhea (ouch), nausea, vomiting
- How to prevent infection: Use a fruit and vegetable rinse to clean fresh produce before cutting and clean surfaces before and after preparing food. Here are more veggie washing tips from Lost Laowai – good for combating pesticides and E. coli alike.
6. Salmonella
- Sources: Raw and undercooked meat and poultry
- Symptoms: Abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting
- How to prevent infection: Keep raw meat, seafood, poultry, and their juices separate from ready-to-eat foods. Wash your hands with warm, soapy water before and after preparing food.
7. Campylobacter
- Sources: Unpasteurized milk, raw or undercooked meat and poultry, contaminated water
- Symptoms: Fever, abdominal cramps, bloody diarrhea
- How to prevent it: Cook foods to a safe temperature, wash hands and surfaces often, and separate raw meat, seafood, and poultry from other foods in your shopping cart and fridge.
8. Listeria monocytogenes (listeria)
- Sources: Contaminated food (including meat, vegetables, and dairy products). In some foods, such as hot dogs and deli meats, contamination can happen after factory cooking but before packaging. Unlike most bacteria, Listeria can grow and multiply in the fridge.
- Symptoms: Fever, muscle aches, diarrhea and other gastrointestinal symptoms
- How to prevent it: Buy only pasteurized milk, cook foods to a safe temperature, and wash surfaces, knives, and hands after handling uncooked food.
Sources: Babble, US Department of Agriculture, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
