ABC7 Chicago reports that five customers became sick after eating at the Cheesecake Factory at Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg Thursday night. Officials said E. coli is not to blame. The business travelers, who were in town from Okalahoma, ordered spinach and cheese dip. They were taken to the hospital and treated and released. The Cook
food-borne illness
What is Foodborne Illness?
The CDC estimates that 76 million foodborne illness, or food poisoning, cases occur in the United States every year, which means that one in four Americans contracts a foodborne illness annually after eating foods contaminated with such pathogens as E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella, Hepatitis A, Campylobacter, Shigella, Norovirus, and Listeria. Approximately 325,000 people are hospitalized…
Health Information Powered by www.HealthyLifeInfo.com
Per the National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases, foodborne illness results from eating food contaminated with bacteria (or their toxins) or other pathogens such as parasites or viruses. The illnesses range from upset stomach to more serious symptoms, including diarrhea, fever, vomiting, abdominal cramps, and dehydration. Although most foodborne infections are undiagnosed and unreported, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that every year about 76 million people in the United States become ill from pathogens in food. Of these, about 5,000 die.
Continue Reading Health Information Powered by www.HealthyLifeInfo.com
Diners Eat Raw Crabs on Dare, Get Sick
The Associated Press reports that eight diners who came down with a rare lung infection after eating raw shellfish consumed live sawagani crabs on a dare, health officials said Friday.
Health investigators said the crabs, which are usually served fried, were eaten at various restaurants including Riptide Rockin’ Sushi & Teppan Grill in Mission Viejo and…
Millions struck by food poisoning
More than 5.4 million Australians are affected by food poisoning each year.
The most common source of potentially fatal food poisoning is bacteria, or the toxins they produce, but it can also be caused by some viruses or fungi.
High risk foods include cooked rice and pasta, meat, seafood, poultry , dairy products, and smallgoods…
No Over-The-Counter Remedy for Food Poisoning
Suzy Cohen of Newsday.com reports that when you’re dealing with food-borne illness, there’s no over-the-counter remedy to “head off” the symptoms. If you are certain the food poisoning occurred at that restaurant, you should contact the manager and relate what happened. Other patrons may also have gotten sick. If the owners are decent and reputable, they will pay your medical bills.
The Centers for Disease Control recommends that you report incidents like this to your local health department. By investigating outbreaks, public health officials learn about problems in food production that lead to illness.Continue Reading No Over-The-Counter Remedy for Food Poisoning
Produce causes more illness than meat, eggs
The Chicago Sun-Times reports that more people get sick every year from tainted produce than from seafood, poultry, beef or eggs, a new report by the Center for Science in the Public Interest has found.
Seafood still accounts for the most number of outbreaks of food-borne illness, but produce-related outbreaks sicken the most people.
Between 1990 and 2003, produce was behind 554 outbreaks and 28,315 illnesses, while seafood caused 899 outbreaks and 9,312 illnesses, the report found.Continue Reading Produce causes more illness than meat, eggs
Vegetables, fruits cause more US food illnesses
Susan Heavey of Reuters reports that contaminated fruits and vegetables are causing more food-borne illness among Americans than raw chicken or eggs, consumer advocates said a in report released on Monday.
Common sources of food illnesses include various bacteria such as salmonella and E.coli that can infect humans and animals then make their way into manure used to fertilize plants. The practice of using manure fertilizer is more common in Latin America, which has become a growing source of fresh produce for the United States.
“Although poultry has historically been responsible for far more Salmonella infections, in the most recent years … produce seems to be catching up,” the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) said, calling for tougher federal food safety standards.Continue Reading Vegetables, fruits cause more US food illnesses
Was It Something I Ate?
San Francisco Chronicle writer Janet Fletcher reports that confirming the cause of a food-borne illness is devilishly difficult, public health officials say, especially without a cluster of cases.
Consequently, many sickened patrons don’t even bother to report incidents, and many chefs struggle with how to respond when they do.
Armed with more knowledge about food-borne illness — its causes and its usual course — stricken diners may find they’re more reluctant to assign blame and more realistic about what restaurants can and should do.
The federal Centers for Disease Control estimates that Americans experience 76 million food-borne illnesses a year, with very few of those incidents reported, and even fewer confirmed by laboratory tests. The symptoms are typically similar to those that accompany the
flu: diarrhea, vomiting, stomach cramps.
Most people never go to a doctor with their complaint because their symptoms quickly subside. Those who do see a physician are rarely tested for food-borne illness because the lab tests are expensive, and the patient probably will have recovered by the time the results come back.Continue Reading Was It Something I Ate?
What To Do If You Think You Have Food Poisoning
Janet Fletcher of the SF Gate says if you believe you have been sickened by a restaurant meal, health authorities advise alerting the establishment and calling the health department of the county where the restaurant is located; see accompaying phone numbers. Most common illnesses: Salmonella, staphylococcus, campylobacter, E. coli 0157:H7
General symptoms: Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea; sometimes headache, muscle cramps and abdominal cramps. Staph symptoms come on rapidly, but generally the time elapsed between ingestion and illness is 24 to 72 hours.Continue Reading What To Do If You Think You Have Food Poisoning