Food Poisoning: Common Causes Of Bacterial Spread

As the production of food becomes more worldwide and greater amounts of processing are done, there is an increased concern about what it is we are eating. The need to watch out for harmful bacterias and organisms has many world organizations on alert. WebMed has provided an interesting list of how these problems spread:

The most common ways that harmful organisms are spread are:

• During food processing. It is normal to find bacteria in the intestines of healthy animals that we use for food. If bacteria come in contact with meat or poultry during processing, they can contaminate the food. Campylobacter, salmonella, and E. coli are often spread in this way. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that more than half of the raw chicken sold in the United States has campylobacter on it.¹

• During food growing. Fresh fruit6s and vegetables can be contaminated if they are washed or irrigated with water that is contaminated with animal manure or human sewage. Staph food poisoning and shigellosis are often spread through contaminated water.

• During food handling. Food can be contaminated when an infected person handles the food or if it comes in contact with another contaminated product. For example, if you use the same cutting board for both chopping vegetables and preparing raw meat, you risk contaminating the vegetables.

• Through the environment. Many harmful organisms that are commonly found in dirt, dust, and water can find their way into the foods we eat. These organisms include Clostridium botulinum, Clostridium perfringens, and Cryptosporidium parvum. Environmental conditions-such as water polluted by farm runoff-may make this type of infection more frequent.

If you suffer from food poisoning, you need to get immediate medical care. If it continues or there are long term affects, you should contact an attorney concerning the problem. Early investigation can include the collection of samples, checking for health alerts, and the proper notifying of those that caused the problem.