Many different sorts of bacteria (germs) can cause food borne illnesses and food poisoning. When food is kept warm, these bacteria can grow rapidly and reach dangerous levels within hours.
The numbers of cases of food borne illness have increased dramatically over the past few years, particularly during the summer months. To prevent food poisoning it is vital to have good food hygiene standards in industry and in the home.
Certain infectious diseases are notifiable to the Health Authority and these are investigated either by the Health Protection Agency or by officers of the Local Authority.
In Gateshead, Environmental Health Officers and specialist Technical Officers in the Food Control Team investigate food poisoning and certain other, notifiable food borne illnesses.
The purpose of the investigation is to prevent the spread of illness within the community and to try and establish possible causes. The Food Control Team will also give advice to the patient on how to prevent the spread of disease within the home.
Main causes of food poisoning
The incubation period (the time taken from eating the food to feeling unwell) varies with each type of organism. In some cases the incubation period can be up to 10 -15 days after consumption of the food. It is important to realise therefore, that the last meal you ate may not be the cause of your symptoms!
The main causes of food poisoning and food borne illness are:
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Preparing foods too far in advance
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Not cooking foods properly
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Not defrosting foods correctly
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Storing foods incorrectly (for example, at room temperature) so that bacteria can grow quickly
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Cross contamination of foods
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Infection from people handling foods due to poor hygiene practices
Who is at risk?
Everyone is at risk but babies, young children and the elderly can very quickly become very ill when infected. Pregnant women, people who already have a pre-existing illness, and anyone whose immune system is weakened can also be seriously affected by food borne illness.
What are the main symptoms of food borne illness / food poisoning?
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Diarrhea
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Stomach Cramps
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Vomiting
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Fever
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Nausea
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Headache
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Dizziness
There are many types of food borne illness caused by different bacteria. The most common include:
Prevention – our Top Ten Tips to reduce food borne illness
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Wash hands thoroughly before handling food and always after handling raw meat, going to the toilet, blowing your nose or handling animals (including pets);
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Keep food preparation surfaces, utensils and kitchen cloths clean and disinfected - use anti-bacterial cleansers.
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Keep uncooked foods such as raw meat and ready to eat foods separate. This is important during both storage and preparation of food. Always keep raw and defrosting meat below everything else at the bottom of the refrigerator.
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Make sure that your refrigerator and freezer are operating properly and use a suitable thermometer.
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Fridges should operate at 5ºC or lower
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Freezers should operate at -18ºC or lower
Check the 'Use by' dates on food and make sure that you use the food before the date expires.
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Always buy your eggs from a reputable source (Lion branded eggs are recommended) and store them in the refrigerator.
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Keep pets away from food and food preparation surfaces.
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Defrost food, particularly meat and poultry thoroughly before cooking;
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Cook food thoroughly. Follow the manufacturers' guidelines and ensure that food is piping hot throughout before you eat it
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Cool food immediately after cooking and never allow it to be at room temperature for more than 4 hours. Always store left over food in the refrigerator as soon as it has cooled to room temperature.
For more information see "How to Wash your Hands|"