Healthy Living
by CAROL ANDRUS
The summer brings a relaxing atmosphere and warm weather perfect for outdoor barbecues, picnics and camping trips. However, these activities present a well-known risk: food poisoning.
The Centers for Disease Control estimates 76 million Americans contract a food-borne illness, otherwise known as food poisoning, each year, and more than 300,000 people are hospitalized as a result of severe symptoms like dehydration, vomiting and diarrhea.
The incidence of food-borne illnesses increases significantly during the summer months due to the warm and humid conditions in Austin, which cause bacteria to flourish.
With sunny summer skies and holiday weekends, Austin-area residents enjoy spending more time outdoors where they often prepare meals for family and friends. In outdoor settings, balmy weather and a lack of safety controls that a kitchen provides, such as thermostat-controlled cooking, refrigeration and washing facilities, increase the risk of getting food poisoning.
Here are some simple steps to follow in order to reduce the risk of contracting food-borne illnesses and still fully enjoy outdoor festivities like cook-outs.
• Wash your hands, cutting boards, dishes and food. Always wash your hands before and after preparing foods, and never serve cooked meat on the same plate or tray that you had it on when raw without first washing. Summer is a time for a bounty of fresh fruit and vegetables, so make sure to wash all fresh produce thoroughly.
• Cook completely. The best way to avoid dangerous bacteria like E. coli and salmonella is to make sure your food is completely cooked. To be safe and prevent food poisoning, invest in a meat thermometer. Ground burgers and steaks should be cooked to an internal temperature of at least 160 degrees, and chicken should cook to at least 165 degrees to eliminate the bacteria.
• Keep cold food cold and hot food hot. Food can normally last for two hours at room temperature, but?that timeframe decreases to one hour in warm weather. Cold food like potato salad and sandwiches should stay in the refrigerator until ready to serve. If the food must travel, be certain to use an ice chest.
• When in doubt, throw it out! If you are not able to refrigerate leftover food within a couple of hours, it is best to throw it out and avoid the risk of food-borne illnesses altogether.
The most common food poisoning symptoms include:
• Frequent vomiting lasting longer than one day in adults.
• Severe diarrhea lasting longer than two days for adults and less than a day for children.
• Severe dehydration resulting in dry mouth, dizziness or lightheadedness, a rapid heartbeat with quick breaths, very little to no urine or tears, and sunken eyes.
• Very harsh, sudden abdominal pain.
If you do suspect you have contracted food poisoning, eating the BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce and toast) relieves symptoms in mild cases. In more severe cases, you should seek medical attention. Your local clinician can recommend the best form of treatment for food-borne illness symptoms.
Exercising simple precautions when grilling or preparing outdoor meals can ensure a “bug” free summer!
Carol Andrus is a nurse practicioner at RediClinic.
