Food poisoning and impact on human health

Group one
introduction
• Food poisoning, also called foodborne illness, is illness caused by
eating contaminated food. Infectious organisms — including bacteria,
viruses and parasites — or their toxins are the most common causes
of food poisoning.
• Infectious organisms or their toxins can contaminate food at any point
of processing or production. Contamination can also occur at home if
food is incorrectly handled or cooked.
Symptoms of poinsoning
• Food poisoning symptoms vary with the source of contamination.
Most types of food poisoning cause one or more of the following
signs and symptoms:
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Watery or bloody diarrhea
• Abdominal pain and cramps
• Fever
Cont..
• Signs and symptoms may start within hours after eating the
contaminated food, or they may begin days or even weeks later.
Sickness caused by food poisoning generally lasts from a few hours to
several days.
When to see a doctor

• If you experience any of the following signs or symptoms, seek

medical attention.
• Frequent episodes of vomiting and inability to keep liquids down
• Bloody vomit or stools
• Diarrhea for more than three days
• Extreme pain or severe abdominal cramping
• An oral temperature higher than 100.4 F (38 C)
• Signs or symptoms of dehydration — excessive thirst, dry mouth, little
or no urination, severe weakness, dizziness, or lightheadedness
Key facts
• Unsafe food containing harmful bacteria, viruses, parasites or chemical substances,
causes more than 200 diseases – ranging from diarrhoea to cancers.
• An estimated 600 million – almost 1 in 10 people in the world – fall ill after eating
contaminated food and 420 000 die every year, resulting in the loss of 33 million
healthy life years (DALYs).
• US$110 billion is lost each year in productivity and medical expenses resulting from
unsafe food in low- and middle-income countries.
• Children under 5 years of age carry 40% of the foodborne disease burden, with 125
000 deaths every year.
• Diarrhoeal diseases are the most common illnesses resulting from the consumption
of contaminated food, causing 550 million people to fall ill and 230 000 deaths every
year.
Risk factors
• Whether you become ill after eating contaminated food depends on
the organism, the amount of exposure, your age and your health.
High-risk groups include:
• Older adults. As you get older, your immune system may not respond
as quickly and as effectively to infectious organisms as when you were
younger.
• Pregnant women. During pregnancy, changes in metabolism and
circulation may increase the risk of food poisoning. Your reaction may
be more severe during pregnancy. Rarely, your baby may get sick, too.
Cont..
• Infants and young children. Their immune systems haven't fully
developed.
• People with chronic disease. Having a chronic condition — such as
diabetes, liver disease or AIDS — or receiving chemotherapy or
radiation therapy for cancer reduces your immune response.
Major foodborne illnesses and causes

• Foodborne illnesses are usually infectious or toxic in nature and

caused by bacteria, viruses, parasites or chemical substances entering
the body through contaminated food or water.
• Foodborne pathogens can cause severe diarrhoea or debilitating
infections including meningitis.

Chemical contamination can lead to acute poisoning or long-term

diseases, such as cancer. Foodborne diseases may lead to long-lasting
disability and death
Bacteria:

• Salmonella, Campylobacter, and Enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia

coli are among the most common foodborne pathogens that affect
millions of people annually – sometimes with severe and fatal
outcomes. Symptoms are fever, headache, nausea, vomiting,
abdominal pain and diarrhoea.
Cont..
• Listeria infection leads to miscarriage in pregnant women or death of
newborn babies. Although disease occurrence is relatively low,
listeria’s severe and sometimes fatal health consequences, Vibrio
cholerae infects people through contaminated water or food.
Symptoms include abdominal pain, vomiting and profuse watery
diarrhoea, which may lead to severe dehydration and possibly death.
Rice, vegetables, millet gruel and various types of seafood have been
implicated in cholera outbreaks.
Viruses:

• Norovirus infections are characterized by nausea, explosive vomiting,

watery diarrhoea and abdominal pain. Hepatitis A virus can cause
long-lasting liver disease and spreads typically through raw or
undercooked seafood or contaminated raw produce. Infected food
handlers are often the source of food contamination
Parasites:

• Some parasites, such as fish-borne trematodes, are only transmitted

through food. Others, for example tapeworms like Echinococcus spp,
or Taenia solium, may infect people through food or direct contact
with animals. Other parasites, such as Ascaris, Cryptosporidium,
Entamoeba histolytica or Giardia, enter the food chain via water or
soil and can contaminate fresh produce.
Chemicals:

• Naturally occurring toxins include mycotoxins, marine biotoxins,

cyanogenic glycosides and toxins occurring in poisonous mushrooms.
Staple foods like corn or cereals can contain high levels of mycotoxins,
such as aflatoxin and ochratoxin, produced by mould on grain. A long-
term exposure can affect the immune system and normal
development, or cause cancer.
Cont..
• Heavy metals such as lead, cadmium and mercury cause neurological
and kidney damage. Contamination by heavy metal in food occurs
mainly through pollution of air, water and soil.
Prevention
• Wash your hands, utensils and food surfaces often. Wash your hands
well with warm, soapy water before and after handling or preparing
food. Use hot, soapy water to wash utensils, cutting boards and other
surfaces you use.
Cont..
• Keep raw foods separate from ready-to-eat foods. When shopping,
preparing food or storing food, keep raw meat, poultry, fish and
shellfish away from other foods. This prevents cross-contamination.
• Cook foods to a safe temperature. The best way to tell if foods are
cooked to a safe temperature is to use a food thermometer. You can
kill harmful organisms in most foods by cooking them to the right
temperature.
These individuals should take extra precautions by avoiding the following
foods:

• Raw or rare meat and poultry

• Raw or undercooked fish or shellfish, including oysters, clams,
mussels and scallops
• Raw or undercooked eggs or foods that may contain them, such as
cookie dough and homemade ice cream
• Raw sprouts, such as alfalfa, bean, clover and radish sprouts
• Unpasteurized juices and ciders
• Unpasteurized milk and milk products
Cont..
• Soft cheeses, such as feta, Brie and Camembert; blue-veined cheese;
and unpasteurized cheese
• Refrigerated pates and meat spreads