Common Types of Food Poisoning

The first type is represented by salmonella and porringers poisoning. The toxin producing staphylococcus and botulism microorganisms typify the second type of poisoning.

Salmonella organisms are widespread in the environment and are easily spread as most food is handled in unclean work areas. Unfortunately, their presence is not detectable by the development of any off odor or flavor, either in the food or surroundings. Meat, poultry, milk, fish, and eggs are particularly good media for the growth of these organisms.

Symptoms of salmonella poisoning, such as nausea, abdominal pains, and a fever, usually appear 12 to 24 hours after eating the contaminated food. Although salmonella poisoning is seldom fatal and can be treated with antibiotics, the symptoms are very uncomfortable and may persist for as long as several weeks.

The presence of the microorganism clostridium porringers in food also causes food poisoning outbreaks. Although the symptoms of nausea and diarrhea will make the patient very uncomfortable, porringers poisoning is very seldom fatal.

Unfortunately, food cannot be made safe from these microorganisms by cooking it because the spores will withstand cooking temperatures. However, bacterial growth is inhibited by cold temperatures. This makes it especially important to promptly refrigerate dishes – meat, meat dishes, gravy – that are particularly susceptible to this type of food poisoning.

Staphylococcus microorganisms are also widely distributed wherever people handle food. They are always present on human skin and in the respiratory tract.

The presence of staphylococcus microorganisms or the toxin is impossible to detect outside the laboratory since neither produce changes in the odor, flavor, or color of the food. Furthermore, staphylococci are able to grow in high concentrations of sugar or salt, which other types of food poisoning bacteria cannot do. Milk, cheese, cream pie fillings, mayonnaise dressings, egg containing mixtures, and meats are particularly susceptible to the staphylococcus organisms when mishandled. Given a warm room or a sunny campsite, they will multiply rapidly and quickly produce the toxin which causes discomfort.

When several people complain of nausea, abdominal cramps, or diarrhea within one to six hours after eating together, staphylococcus poisoning is often the cause. There is no effective treatment for this type of food poisoning, but symptoms are usually mild and recovery is rapid.

The fourth kind of food poisoning, botulism, is rare but very dangerous because the toxin that causes this kind of food poisoning is lethal when consumed even in very small amounts. The microorganism that causes botulism is commonly found in soil and can infect foods, especially vegetables, grown in contaminated soil. Fortunately, as this microorganism grows in a food, it produces a gas and an off odor which help make it detectable. Boiling the contaminated food for 20 minutes will destroy the harmful toxin.

In recent years, most cases of botulism have been traced to home canned foods, particularly corn and green beans, which were not heated enough to destroy the microorganisms. Eaten fresh, these same foods will not cause illness because the microorganisms cannot grow in the presence of oxygen. However, the absence of air in the sealed jar or can provides an ideal environment for them to grow and produce their deadly toxin. Because of the severity of this type of food poisoning, commercially canned foods are tested to make sure no clostridium outline microorganisms are present in the food after processing.

The early symptoms of botulism – headache and nausea – usually appear within 24 hours after eating the contaminated food. There is a botulism antitoxin, but its effectiveness is dependent on factors such as the quantity of toxin consumed and how soon the antitoxin is given.

The best was to assure that you are safe from any of these food poisonings is to safely handle all of your foods, and to store or cook your foods properly.