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It often happens after you’ve eaten out. Maybe you went to a local restaurant or a neighborhood potluck. Or perhaps you were the chef at home. But uncomfortable feelings that hit soon after eating can leave you wondering whether you’re coming down with a stomach bug or have an unfortunate case of food poisoning, also known as foodborne illness.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), food poisoning is caused by certain parasites or germs, such as salmonella, cyclospora, listeria or E. coli. Raw foods are most commonly associated with food poisoning, especially raw or undercooked meat and poultry, raw or lightly cooked eggs, unpasteurized milk and raw shellfish. Fruits and vegetables can also be contaminated.
Recognizing and treating food poisoning
The symptoms of food poisoning can range from mild to serious and last just hours or up to several days. For example, symptoms of cyclosporiasis can appear anywhere from two to 14 days after exposure, and, without treatment, can last for weeks and may come and go, leading to dehydration.
Common symptoms of food poisoning include:
Diarrhea
Stomach pain or cramps
Nausea
Vomiting
Fever
Mild cases of food poisoning can usually be treated at home. It's most important to replace fluids and electrolytes lost due to diarrhea and vomiting by drinking water, diluted fruit juices, sports drinks and broths. You can also add saltine crackers to settle your stomach and replace lost electrolytes. Once your appetite returns, you should be able to eat your usual diet.
Older adults, women who are pregnant, people with weakened immune systems and children — all at greater risk of severe illness due to food poisoning — should talk with their doctor about also drinking oral rehydration solutions that contain glucose and electrolytes, such as Pedialyte. Over-the-counter antidiarrheal medications may help adults but should not be given to children.
More severe cases of food poisoning require medical treatment. Serious symptoms include:
Bloody diarrhea
Diarrhea that lasts more than 3 days
High fever (temperature over 102°F)
Vomiting so often that you cannot keep liquids down
Signs of dehydration, such as urinating less than usual, dry mouth and throat, and feeling dizzy
Talk with your doctor if you experience any of these serious symptoms. Your doctor may prescribe antibiotics or medicines that target parasites to treat food poisoning. Some doctors may also recommend probiotics. Severe foodborne illness may require hospitalization.
Preventing food poisoning
While you may not be able to control how food is prepared at restaurants or other people’s homes, the CDC recommends easy steps to help protect you from food poisoning when preparing food at home:
1
Clean.
Wash hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and warm water before, during and after preparing food and before eating. Utensils and surfaces should be cleaned with hot, soapy water.
2
Wash.
Rinse all fruits and vegetables under running water even if they are labeled as pre-washed or if you plan to peel them. You should also:
Scrub firm fruits and vegetables, such as melons and cucumbers, with a clean produce brush.
Cut away damaged or bruised areas on fruits and vegetables before preparing and eating.
Refrigerate cut, peeled or cooked fruits and vegetables as soon as possible (within two hours).
To reduce the risk of illness during food-borne illness outbreaks, avoid eating the identified or suspected source of the outbreak until it is deemed safe to eat. When preparing lettuce and salad greens at home, wash the leaves well under running water before eating, even if they are bagged and labeled as "prewashed."
3
Separate.
Keep raw or marinating meat, poultry, seafood and eggs away from other foods in the grocery cart and your refrigerator. Store raw foods in sealed containers or packaging, and use separate cutting boards or plates for preparing raw foods.
4
Cook.
Use a food thermometer to ensure foods are cooked to a safe internal temperature. Recommended internal temperatures are as follows:
Whole cuts of beef, veal, lamb and pork: 145°F (wait 3 minutes after cooking before carving or eating)
Fish with fins: 145°F or cook until the flesh is opaque and separates easily with a fork
Ground meats, such as beef and pork: 160°F
All poultry, including ground chicken and turkey: 165°F
Leftovers and casseroles: 165°F
5
Chill.
Refrigerate food promptly and never leave perishable food out longer than 2 hours or 1 hour in temperatures above 90°F. Set your refrigerator at 40°F or below and your freezer at 0°F or below and follow food expiration dates. Do not thaw frozen foods on the kitchen countertop. Instead, thaw food in the refrigerator or microwave.
If dining out, check the restaurant’s health department inspection score. An "A" grade means the facility earned a score of 90% to 100% and is in satisfactory compliance with state law; a "B" means the facility earned a score of 80% to 89% and needs improvement; a "C" means the facility earned a score of 79% or less and is a failing grade. Always report possible food poisoning after dining out to your local health department.
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