 We seniors have had a lifetime of choosing, preparing and eating good food. We've enjoyed years of one of the most plentiful and healthful food supplies in the world. But in recent years, much has changed in how food is produced and distributed to consumers. Today our food supply is grown in faraway regions, picked and handled earlier, shipped over greater distances, exposed to more chemicals, and stored for longer periods of time. We no longer buy from a local farmer, shop daily and eat primarily at home.
Modern food is exposed to more pesticides and more virulent strains of bacteria and viruses; add to that the vulnerability of infants and toddlers and the waning ability of the eldest among us to fight off the more dangerous organisms that cause foodborne illnesses. Health workers have treated localized outbreaks of "flu" that on further investigation have been discovered to be foodborne infections.
The most commonly recognized foodborne infections are those caused by the bacteria Campylobacter, Salmonella and E coli 0157:H7 and by a group of viruses called calicivirus, also known as the Norwalk and Norwalk-like viruses.
Campylobacter is a bacterial pathogen that causes fever, diarrhea and abdominal cramps. It is the most commonly identified bacterial cause of diarrheal illness in the world. These bacteria live in the intestines of healthy birds, and most raw poultry meat has Campylobacter on it. Eating undercooked chicken, or other food that has been contaminated with juices dripping from raw chicken, is the most frequent source of this infection.
Salmonella is also a bacterium that is widespread in the intestines of birds, reptiles and mammals. It can spread to humans via a variety of different foods of animal origin. The illness it causes, salmonellosis, typically includes fever, diarrhea and abdominal cramps. In persons with poor underlying health or weakened immune systems, it can invade the bloodstream and cause life-threatening infections.
E coli 0157:H7 is a bacterial pathogen that has a reservoir in cattle and other similar animals. Human illness typically follows consumption of food or water that has been contaminated with microscopic amounts of cow feces. The illness it causes is often a severe and bloody diarrhea and painful abdominal cramps, without much fever. In 3percent to 5 percent of cases, a complication called hemolytic uremic syndrome can occur several weeks after the initial symptoms. This severe complication includes temporary anemia, profuse bleeding and kidney failure.
Unfortunately, many foodborne infections are not identified by routine laboratory procedures and require specialized, experimental and expensive tests that are not generally available. Because many ill persons do not seek medical attention, and many of these are not tested, a majority of cases of foodborne illness go undiagnosed.
Many of us are unaware that a century ago, typhoid fever, tuberculosis and cholera were common foodborne diseases. Improvements in food safety, such as pasteurization of milk, safe canning and disinfection of water supplies have conquered those diseases. Preventing the growth of dangerous organisms is the key to reducing millions of illnesses and thousands of deaths each year.
The World Health Organization recommends "five keys" to safer foods: 1) keep hands and work area clean; 2) separate raw and cooked foods; 3) cook foods thoroughly; 4) keep foods at safe temperatures; 5) use safe, uncontaminated water and materials.
Bacteria can be present on cutting boards, utensils, sponges and counter tops, so be sure to wash these after preparing each food item and before going on to the next.
Wash your hands with hot, soapy water before and after handling food, after using the bathroom and after touching pets.
Periodically, use kitchen sanitizers on counter tops (for example, 1 teaspoon of chlorine bleach in 1 quart of water) to clean for added protection.
Rinse raw produce in water, clean with a small vegetable brush to remove surface dirt and rinse produce thoroughly in clean (uncontaminated) water.
Avoid cross-contamination: separate raw from cooked, and keep raw meat, poultry and seafood and their juices away from foods that will be served uncooked. Store them separately in the refrigerator.
Always wash cutting boards, utensils, dishes and counter tops after they contact raw meat, poultry, seafood, eggs and unwashed fresh produce.
Place cooked food on a clean plate, not on an unwashed dish that held raw food like meat, poultry or seafood.
Always cook to safe temperatures; use a thermometer to assure proper cooking: whole poultry,180 F; chicken breast, 170 F; ground beef, 160 F; roasts and steaks, 145 F.
Bring sauces, soup and gravy to a boil.
Always refrigerate foods within two hours of preparation; keep your home refrigerator set at 40 F (or below) and freezer at 0 F. Enjoy leftovers from restaurants, but refrigerate within the two-hour limit.
Andrea Dorey is a licensed vocational nurse, medical writer and former AARP president. Contact her at andid@cagreens.org.
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