74. What causes food poisoning?
We often hear people getting food-poisoned and some even die of it.
Food poisoning is usually caused by the presence of some types of
bacteria or by the poisonous substances or toxins they secrete into
the food. The symptoms usually begin with vomiting or diarrhoea,
which sometimes gets very serious to prove fatal. The bacterium
commonly found in poultry products like eggs and meat is
salmonella.
That is why it is advised to cook the meat properly before consuming.
Staphylococcus, another bacterium, spreads when a food handler has
a skin infection like boils. The deadly food poisoning or botulism is
caused by the clostridium bacteria which results in paralysis and
death. Cheese gets infected with Listeria, a food poisoning
bacterium. Food poisoning can be avoided by taking some
preventions:
1. Stay away from stale food and choose only fresh ones.
2. Wash your hands properly before you begin to eat.
3. Wash the fruits and vegetables before consumption.
4. Food should be stored in refrigerators, if they tend to spoil easily.
5. Meat should never be eaten raw or under cooked.
