Food is a tremendous source of pleasure for most people. We take it for granted we’ll feel satisfied after eating and not become violently ill. But if you’re not careful with food hygiene and preparation, you could end up swallowing something a lot nastier than you bargained for.

With foodborne illnesses affecting an estimated 76 million people in the US each year, it’s certainly a widespread and very common problem. So how do these debilitating foodborne illnesses enter the body?

Becoming ill with food poisoning is nearly always due to bacteria finding their way into our bodies through eating contaminated food. Depending on the type of bacteria and how many have been consumed, the effects can be noticeable anywhere from a few hours up to a few days after swallowing the infected food. 

Once swallowed, the contaminated food makes its way down to our digestive system, where the bacteria rapidly multiply. This usually takes some time which is why we don’t always notice any symptoms right away.  And it’s because they’re growing in our digestive tract that we’re most likely to be affected by stomach cramps, vomiting or diarrhea.

Ensuring you always wash your hands when preparing food, as well as after using the toilet is vital in preventing the spread of certain bacteria. For instance, someone who is infected with the foodborne illness caused by the bacteria, E. Coli is highly contagious. They can pass their disease onto others by touching surfaces without washing their hands. Anyone touching that surface can easily become contaminated themselves.

Another source of foodborne illness which mustn’t be overlooked is through contaminated drinking water. This is more prevalent in third world countries, where water isn’t always treated to remove deadly bacteria. However, in other countries water can become contaminated though industrial chemical or sewerage leaks, for instance, which make their way into the water supply.

Everyone is at risk from foodborne illnesses. For most people, a bout of food poisoning often means enduring a few days of severe stomach cramps and vomiting. But for very young children, elderly people or those with weakened immune systems, it can be a lot more serious, and potentially fatal.
To minimize your chances of picking up a nasty food poisoning bug, the World Health Organization have issued the following ten guidelines on food safety.

• 1. Choose foods processed for safety, such as pasteurized dairy products and juices, or meat and poultry treated with ionizing radiation.
• 2. Cook food thoroughly - cook roasts to 145°F, ground beef to 160°F, and poultry to 180°F. Cook eggs until yolks and whites are firm. Use a meat thermometer.
• 3. Eat cooked foods immediately—food-borne organisms reproduce rapidly as food cools to room temperature.
• 4. Store cooked foods carefully - cooked foods should be held below 40°F or above 140°F.
• 5. Reheat cooked foods thoroughly - reheat all cooked foods to 165°F.
• 6. Avoid contact between raw foods and cooked foods - contact surfaces include cutting boards, utensils, and hands.
• 7. Wash hands repeatedly. Washing hands with warm water and soap before handing foods, after every interruption, and between handling raw and cooked foods is the most effective way to prevent food-borne illness.
• 8. Keep all kitchen surfaces meticulously clean - every food scrap, crumb, or dirty spot is a potential reservoir for organisms.
• 9. Protect foods from pests. Insects, rodents, and other animals frequently carry organisms that can cause food-borne illness.
• 10. Use safe water. If there is any doubt of the safety of the water supply, boil water before drinking it, using it in food preparation, or making ice.

As we can’t see, taste or smell bacteria, the best defence we have against succumbing to food poisoning is to ensure we take sensible hygiene precautions at all times. By following the ten food and safety guidelines issued by The World Health Organization, you’ll stand the greatest chance of preventing any foodborne illness from entering your body.