Food Poisoning Symptoms

Throughout the year many people hit the Web to find out more about food poisoning symptoms. Whilst a few might be looking for the sort of things they ought to quote on the phone to the boss when planning a 'sickie' day off work ;-) most are looking to find out if what they, or a friend or family member, might be experiencing could be a bout of food poisoning. And many find out that that is exactly what could be sending them running to the smallest room every few minutes!

A Big Problem...

Food poisoning continues to be a real issue -- even in these days of processed and ready made meals, microwaves and food freezers -- and maybe, in many instances, because of these very innovations! In fact notified cases of food poisoning have run at about 80,000 per year in the UK over the last 5 years -- although some think this represents maybe 10% of actual total number of cases when many undiagnosed, un-reported and minor illness events are taken into account! That represents a possible total of perhaps 800,000 cases of food poisoning in the UK alone.

With a population some five times greater than the UK, the US will probably yield a similar proportion of food poisoning occurrences -- or something like 4 million cases a year (including reported events and unreported estimates).

The last generation or so has seen a sharp decline in food preparation knowledge and ability. Despite the fact that almost every other TV program -- between house makeovers, property buying, reality shows and soaps, sems to be about food and 'celeb' chefs..it is a sad fact that the ability to cook, and REAL knowledge and understanding about food, is at what may be an ALL TIME low!

An All Time Low?

Since Man first emerged as a dominant species on this planet, and developed into hunter gatherers, it has been some members of the "tribe's" domain to prepare food. Over many thousands of years sophisticated and varied approaches to preparing, cooking and preserving foods have developed.

So it is rather peculiar that today, when food preparation techniques are at their most technologically advanced, and chefs become millionaire cult-personalities on the basis of cussing at people, or berating politicians about 'school meals', that the typical food eaten in many homes is of poor quality, fraught with health impairing potential, and liable in many events to cause food poisoning!

Whilst this web log gas a simple mission to inform about the types of food poisoning that can occur, how food poisoning can be caused, and what food poisoning symptoms you might suffer, it will also address a wider brief as time goes on in the hopes that even one person might learn more about how to deal with food at home to make it healthy, wholesome, nutritionally sound and above all SAFE!

But Why Should I Presume?

So why should I be able to tell any of you about this topic of food borne illness? Well for my sins I grew up in a restaurant-owning family working all the non-school hours to earn my pocket money. I then qualified in Catering Systems with a Bachelor of Science degree. After graduating I worked in catering research for 3 years before running my own catering business for another five, and then went on to train kitchen and hotel trainers working as a consultant, as well as regularly running food hygiene courses for the Hotel and Catering Training Board (as was) in the UK. Since which I spent almost 15 years teaching undergraduate degree (BSc & BA) an post-graduate Masters level (MSc) students about food management...

So it seemed pretty natural to start this web log relating to one of the more regularly searched food related topics on the Internet today...food poisoning. I hope you'll check back soon for more regular posts about food the topic on everyone's lips (well in their mouths, at least! ;-D), and about how it can make you ill...and how you can make it safe!

TODAYS TIPS:

Until I get to tell you more about how to avoid the symptoms of food poisoning remember to store food at safe temperatures which are:

HOT FOODS: should be kept at 63C or above.

COLD/CHILLED FOODS: should be kept at 8C or below (preferably at 5C or below).

FROZEN FOODS: should be kept between –18C to –24C.

Storing food at the wrong temperatures -- especially between 5C and 63C can quickly lead to the food deteriorating, and encourage bacterial growth that can lead to food poisoning symptoms if the food is consumed!


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