What are foodborne illnesses?

Foodborne illness or disease, also known as food poisoning, is an infection or irritation of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract caused by food or beverages that contain harmful pathogens such as bacteria, parasites, or viruses. 

• Harmful bacteria may already be present in food when they are purchased. Raw foods including meat, poultry, eggs and fresh produce often contain bacteria that cause foodborne illness. Contamination can occur at any time during growth, harvesting, slaughter, processing, storage and shipping of food. 

• Foods can also be contaminated at home or in a restaurant. If hands, utensils, cutting boards, and other kitchen surfaces come in contact with raw food, cross-contamination may occur. 

• Viruses can be spread through the use and/or ingestion of contaminated water or ingestion of fish or shellfish grown in contaminated water. 

• Contaminated food doesn’t smell or look unsavory so there’s often no way to know if it is contaminated.  

• The five most common food-borne illnesses are norovirus, campylobacter, E. coli salmonella, and listeria. 

• Norovirus is the most common illness and often goes away on its own in about 2 days or less. The symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and stomachaches. 

• Campylobacter, E. coli, and salmonella are all harmful foodborne bacteria. Their symptoms often include diarrhea, vomiting, fever and stomach cramps. They all typically clear up in about 1- 6 days. Salmonella can cause symptoms 6 hours to 6 days after consuming the food or drink.  

• Listeria symptoms can start 2-4 weeks after eating infected food, People often suffer from flu-like symptoms as well as diarrhea. In more severe cases it can cause a stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions.  

• Cyclosporiasis is an intestinal illness that occurs when people eat contaminated food or water. Symptoms such as, watery diarrhea or “explosive” bowel movements, can start anywhere between 2 days to 2 weeks and can return if left untreated.  

What causes foodborne illnesses? 

Unfortunately, fresh fruits, veggies and fresh herbs are the foods that are most likely to make you sick. Unpasteurized juices & ciders (including smoothies with raw ingredients and juices) and raw sprouts also cause illness.  

• A lot of the fruit and vegetables that we consume are grown during the summer. It's hotter so it provides a better opportunity for bacteria to grow and multiply in contaminated crops. Though you can get sick any time of year, the cases are higher in the summer months.  

• Consuming foods of animal origin, including meat, poultry, fish and shellfish as well as raw eggs, raw or undercooked meat and fish, or raw (unpasteurized) milk or milk products such as hard and soft cheeses, ice cream, yogurt, etc. always pose a risk. If these sources of protein have not been cooked to a safe internal temperature, there is always a risk of contamination. 

• Any food item that has been handled by a person experiencing diarrhea, vomiting or fever is at risk. Especially if the person hasn’t washed their hands and prepares something that is ready to eat. 

Are there some foods we should try and avoid? 

Any kind of raw, edible item can become contaminated. Often there is no kill step in the processing of fresh fruit, vegetables, and herbs, to kill any bacteria, viruses or parasites in it. They are found in fruits and vegetables mostly, but there have been causes of bacteria found in flour, nuts, and deli meat. 

• Processed foods aren’t all safe either. Foods that have been linked to outbreaks include deli meats, frozen waffles and ready-to-eat poultry meals. 

• That being said, there are some types of food that are far more likely to have been contaminated than others. Sprouts (alfalfa, clover, mung bean) are often contaminated. To germinate, seeds are kept warm and moist for 5-7 days, any bacteria on the seeds can multiply rapidly under the same conditions.  

• E. coli outbreaks in the past have been linked to leafy greens (romaine, spinach, iceberg, spring mix, butter lettuce, radicchio, green leaf and kale).  

• Though we don’t eat them, baby chicks, which are often available at petting zoos or farms for children to play with or purchase, are often contaminated with salmonella and can cause human illness.  

What do we do if we get sick? 

If you have diarrhea and/or vomiting, be sure to drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration (not having enough water in your body). Most of these illnesses are resolved on their own in a couple of days.  

• Do not use antidiarrheal medicine unless directed by a healthcare provider. 

When should you seek medical attention? 

If you have diarrhea for more than 3 days or have blood in your stool, consider seeking medical attention. Medical providers may ask for a stool sample that can be used to diagnosis the cause of your symptoms. Or you can request a stool test. 

• If you test positive for a foodborne illness, that sample will be sent to public health. Public health uses that information to see if there are outbreaks and prevent others from getting sick. 

• Make a list of what and where you ate in the 7 days before your illness and try and find receipts. The last thing you ate is most likely NOT what made you sick.  

• Young people, the elderly, pregnant women, and those with weakened immune systems are at most risk of having serious side effects, as they have a hard time fighting off infection, which can lead to hospitalization or death.  

How do we prevent foodborne illnesses? 

• Clean: Wash your hands thoroughly after handling raw food and before you touch your mouth. 

• Separate: Use separate cutting boards, plates, and utensils to avoid cross contamination between raw meat and foods that are ready to eat.  

• Cook: Food is safely cooked when the internal temperature gets high enough to kill pathogens. 

• Chill: refrigerate promptly- never leave perishable food out for more than 2 hours (or 1 hour if above 90 degrees)  

• Buying fruits and vegetables at a local farmer’s market can help reduce the risk of purchasing contaminated food.  

• Visit the Federal Drug Administration & USDA websites and see what items have been recalled recently. 

• Visit the Centers for Disease Control website for tips on how to grill outdoors safely and how to properly handle raw food. 

If you do become sick, you can visit the Houston Health Department, Harris County or the State Health Department websites to submit a foodborne illness complaint form.