Who is at risk for foodborne illness




















According to data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC , nearly half of all reported foodborne illnesses occur in children, with the majority of these cases occurring in children under 15 years of age. Children under the age of 5 are at particular risk for foodborne illness because they do not have fully developed immune systems, have a lower body weight, and produce less stomach acid.

People over the age of 65 are at higher risk for foodborne illness because of slower immune response, gastrointestinal changes and more.

Immunocompromised persons are at a higher risk because their immune system is less capable of fighting off bacteria and viruses. Food allergies are an abnormal reaction by the body to a certain type of food. Potentially hazardous foods that are going to be held at cold temperatures i. Examples of cold holding methods include walk-in coolers, prep coolers, cold top tables, holding foods on ice, refrigerated displays, and the use of refrigerated trucks.

Food facility operators must take every precaution to minimize the amount of time that potentially hazardous foods spend in the danger zone. This also applies to the cooling and reheating of potentially hazardous foods.

When cooling hot foods for later use, they must be rapidly cooled. When reheating cold foods to hot hold them for service throughout the day, they must be rapidly reheated. No icon available. Cooking food to the proper temperatures is extremely important because many raw meats have pathogenic bacteria on them naturally, such as salmonella on raw chicken.

Cooking is the only food preparation step that will actually kill bacteria. Proper holding temperatures slow down reproduction, freezing food makes bacteria go dormant, but proper cooking temperatures will kill bacteria that are in the food.

When cooking foods, ensure that the proper temperature is reached by using an accurate probe thermometer to measure the center of the food. Once the proper cooking temperature has been achieved, ensure that the food remains at or above that temperature for at least 15 seconds to make sure that most if not all of the bacteria are eliminated. Cook the following foods to the listed minimum temperatures:. When utensils or equipment become dirty or contaminated, they can transfer that contamination to the food causing a foodborne illness.

This may occur a number of different ways. If utensils or equipment are not cleaned frequently, and old food residue is allowed to build up at room temperature, bacteria in the residue may multiply rapidly and contaminate any food that comes into contact with it. In order to prevent this from happening, utensils, food preparation equipment, and food contact surfaces should be washed, rinsed, and sanitized at least once every 4 hours.

This can be done manually in a 3-compartment sink, in a mechanical dish machine, or through a clean-in-place procedure for large pieces of equipment. A specific kind of contamination can occur when ready-to-eat foods come into contact with raw animal products or their juices.

The first symptom is usually diarrhea. Other symptoms include feeling sick to your stomach nausea , vomiting, and abdominal belly cramps. Learn more about specific foodborne illness organisms, including how they are spread, their symptoms, and their treatment: Botulism Clostridium botulinum Campylobacteriosis Campylobacter C.

What Happens You may become ill with foodborne illness after you eat food that contains bacteria, viruses, or other harmful organisms. What Increases Your Risk People at increased risk of becoming ill with foodborne illness and of having more severe symptoms include: Pregnant women. Young children. Older adults. People with an impaired immune system , such as people who have diabetes.

Things that increase your risk for getting foodborne illness include: Eating or drinking unpasteurized juices, raw sprouts, unpasteurized milk, and milk products made from unpasteurized milk, such as certain soft cheeses. Eating raw or undercooked meat, poultry, eggs, fish, and shellfish clams, oysters, scallops, and mussels. Eating or drinking food that has been contaminated through careless food processing or handling.

Travelling to a developing country. When should you call your doctor? Call or other emergency services right away if: You have signs of severe dehydration. These include little or no urine; sunken eyes, no tears, and a dry mouth and tongue; fast breathing and heartbeat; feeling very dizzy or light-headed; and not feeling or acting alert.

You think you may have foodborne illness from a canned food and you have symptoms of botulism blurred or double vision, trouble swallowing or breathing, and muscle weakness. Call your doctor immediately if: You have severe diarrhea large amounts of loose stool every 1 to 2 hours that lasts longer than 2 days if you are an adult.

You have vomiting that lasts longer than 1 day if you are an adult. You are pregnant and believe that you have been exposed to listeriosis or toxoplasmosis.

To learn more, see the topic Toxoplasmosis During Pregnancy. You have sudden, severe belly pain. Talk to your doctor if: You have symptoms of mild dehydration dry mouth or passing only a little urine that get worse even with home treatment. You have a fever. You aren't feeling better after 1 week of home treatment.

Watchful waiting Watchful waiting is a period of time during which you and your doctor observe your symptoms or condition without using medical treatment. Who to see Your family doctor , general practitioner , or pediatrician can diagnose and treat foodborne illness.

Examinations and Tests Most foodborne illness is mild and passes in a few days, so most people don't go to a doctor for a diagnosis. Sometimes the following tests are done: A stool culture may be done if your doctor suspects that you have eaten contaminated food, your symptoms are severe, or the diagnosis is uncertain.

Blood tests may be done to help find out whether the foodborne illness is caused by bacteria or to rule out other causes. A complete blood count and a chemistry screen can help show whether you are severely ill or dehydrated. If you are pregnant or have an impaired immune system and have been exposed to toxoplasmosis , you may need a toxoplasmosis test. Treatment Overview In most cases, the diarrhea and other symptoms of foodborne illness go away in 2 to 3 days, and you don't need treatment.

For more information on treating diarrhea or dehydration, see: Diarrhea, Age 11 and Younger. Diarrhea, Age 12 and Older.

For more information, see: Botulism. Prevention You can prevent most cases of foodborne illness by being careful when you prepare and store food. Shop safely. Bag raw meat, poultry, and fish separately from other food items. Young children can get sick from touching packaged poultry, so don't allow them to touch or play with packages of poultry in your grocery cart.

Prepare foods safely. Wash your hands before and after handling food. Wash fruits, vegetables, and cutting boards. Follow procedures for safe home canning to avoid contamination. Store foods safely. Cook, refrigerate, or freeze meat, poultry, eggs, fish, and ready-to-eat foods within 2 hours.

Cook foods safely. Use a clean meat thermometer to make sure that foods are cooked to a safe temperature. Don't eat undercooked hamburger. And be aware of the risk of foodborne illness from raw fish including sushi , clams, and oysters.

Serve foods safely. Follow labels on food packaging. These labels provide information about when to use the food and how to store it. When in doubt, throw it out. If you aren't sure if a food is safe, don't eat it.

Reheating food that is contaminated won't make it safe. Don't taste suspicious food. It may smell and look fine but still may not be safe to eat. Make smart restaurant choices. Note the general cleanliness of the facility and staff. If you aren't confident that conditions are sanitary, leave. Restaurants are inspected by the local health unit for cleanliness and proper kitchen procedures.

Find out the inspection scores of selected restaurants. They are sometimes posted in the restaurant. Find out if food safety training is regularly provided for staff. Home Treatment Most cases of foodborne illness will go away in a few days with rest and care at home.

Prevent dehydration Dehydration is the most frequent complication of foodborne illness. Pregnant women external icon are more likely than other people to get sick from certain germs. For example, pregnant women are 10 times more likely to get a Listeria infection. Download Print-only poster pdf icon [PDF - 1 page]. Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link. Food Safety. Section Navigation.



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