Food Safety

What is food poisoning?

Foodborne illness (commonly know as food poisoning) cases happen when people eat food that contains pathogens or toxins. You can’t see, smell or taste them, and between 4°C and 60°C or 40°F and 140°F, they can multiply rapidly to create millions of new bacteria in just a few hours.

Eating contaminated food can make you sick. For some people, especially young children, the elderly, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems, food poisoning can be very dangerous and can lead to long-term health complications and even death. That’s why it’s important to prevent it with safe food handling practices.

• Signs and Symptoms
• The Illnesses
• Prevention

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Signs and Symptoms

Food poisoning is easily mistaken for other types of illnesses. It is not always easy to tell that your symptoms have been caused by food because you can start feeling sick anywhere from hours to weeks after eating contaminated food.

Food poisoning may cause a variety of symptoms, including:

• nausea
• vomiting
• diarrhea
• fever
• stomach cramps
• stomach pain

In serious cases, food poisoning can cause nervous system problems like paralysis, double vision or trouble swallowing or breathing. If severe symptoms or present, or the victim is a young child, elderly, pregnant or already ill, call or visit your doctor right away.

If you have signs or symptoms of food poisoning, contact your doctor.

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The Illnesses

Botulism

What is botulism?

Botulism (boch-uh-liz-uhm) is a rare but serious illness caused by bacteria. It’s usually caused by poorly home-canned foods with low acid content (asparagus, green beans, beets, corn) and lightly preserved foods like fermented, salted or smoked fish and meat products. In infants it can be caused by honey and corn syrup. Botulism can be fatal and should be considered a medical emergency.

Symptoms of botulism include :

• Vomiting
• Constipation
• Diarrhea
• Double vision
• Blurred vision
• Drooping eyelids
• Slurred speech
• Difficulty swallowing
• Dry mouth
• Muscle weakness
• Flaccid, symmetric, descending paralysis
• Infants with botulism appear lethargic, feed poorly, are constipated and have a weak cry and poor muscle tone.

These are all symptoms of muscle paralysis caused by bacterial toxins. If untreated, these symptoms could progress to paralysis of the neck, arms, respiratory muscles, torso and legs.

Symptoms usually start 12 to 36 hours after eating contaminated food, but they can occur as early as six hours or as late as 10 days.

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Brucellosis

Brucellosis (bru·cel·lo·sis), also known as Undulant Fever, is a rare infectious disease caused by bacteria. People can become infected by consuming contaminated or unpasteurized milk and dairy products.

Symptoms of Brucellosis can vary but they might include :

• Fever
• Sweats
• Anorexia
• Headache
• Muscle pain
• Back pain
• Physical weakness

Symptoms usually appear within 8 weeks of eating contaminated food.

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Campylobacteriosis

Campylobacteriosis (cam·py·lo·bac·teer-ee-o-sis)is the most common kind of food poisoning. It’s caused by bacteria that infect the intestinal tract and sometimes the blood. Usually people get it by eating undercooked meat and meat products or raw, unpasteurized or contaminated milk.

Symptoms of campylobacteriosis include :

• mild to severe diarrhea (sometimes bloody)
• stomach pain
• cramps
• nausea and/or vomiting
• fever
• headache
• muscle pain

Symptoms usually begin two to five days after exposure, but it can also be as little as one day or as long as 10 days. They usually last for three to six days. Some infected people might not have any symptoms but they can pass the disease onto others.

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Cryptosporidiosis

Cryptosporidiosis (krip-toh-spo-ri-dee-oh-sus) is caused by microscopic parasites. People can become infected by consuming contaminated water or eating raw or undercooked food that’s been contaminated

Cryptospiridiosis has been associated with camping and travelling. Campers and travellers should be aware if it’s common in the area they will be visiting. Contact a travel medicine clinic to find out.

Symptoms of Cryptosporidiosis include :

• Watery diarrhea or loose stool
• Stomach cramps or pain
• Dehydration
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Low-grade fever
• Weight loss

Symptoms of cryptosporidiosis usually appear between 1 and 12 days after becoming infected and last for 10 to 14 days, although occasionally they may last longer.Some infected people might not have any symptoms but can still pass the disease onto others. If you think you might have cryptosporidiosis, contact your doctor.

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E. coli Bacteria

E. coli (ee koh-lahy) are bacteria commonly found in the intestines of humans and animals. There are many different types of E. coli. Some not harmful, but some can cause serious illness. E. coli infections can be spread by many food sources such as undercooked ground beef, unpasteurized apple cider and milk, ham, turkey, roast beef, sandwich meats, raw vegetables, cheese and contaminated water. Once someone has consumed contaminated food or water, the infection can be passed from person to person by hand or mouth contact.

Symptoms of E. coli include :

• Stomach cramps
• Diarrhea (sometimes bloody)
• Fever
• Nausea
• Vomiting

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Giardiasis

Giardiasis (gee-are-dye-uh-sis) is a diarrheal disease caused by microscopic parasites.

Giardiasis has been associated with camping and travelling. Campers and travellers should be aware if giardiasis is common in the area they will be visiting. For more information, consult a travel medicine clinic to assess personal risk and appropriate preventive measures.

Giardiasis causes a variety symptoms including :

• Diarrhea
• Bloating, gas or flatulence
• Greasy stools that tend to float
• Stomach or abdominal cramps
• Upset stomach or nausea
• Fatigue, and
• Weight loss

Symptoms usually begin seven to 10 days after exposure, but it can also be as little as three or as long as 25 days. They typically last two to six weeks. If you think you might have giardiasis, contact your doctor.

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Listeriosis

Listeriosis (lis·te·ri·o·sis) is caused by bacteria that are widespread in the environment. It’s found in soil, water, mud, forage and silage. The elderly, newborns, pregnant women and those who have a weakened immune system are most susceptible to developing Listeriosis. Listeriosis is caused by eating food contaminated with Listeria bacteria. Listeria can be found in unpasteurized (raw) dairy products, raw vegetables and uncooked meats. Foods can also be contaminated after processing, such as hot dogs, cold cuts or deli meats.

Symptoms of Listeriosis include :

• vomiting
• nausea
• cramps
• diarrhea
• severe headache
• constipation or fever
• Some people experience only mild flu-like symptoms
• In newborn babies, symptoms may include loss of appetite, lethargy, jaundice, vomiting, skin rash and difficulty breathing

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Salmonella

Salmonella (sal-muh-nel-uh) is a bacterium that causes a food-borne infection called Salmonellosis. Salmonellosis is usually caused by eating food contaminated by feces of an infected animal or person or by drinking contaminated water. It can also spread from person-to-person.

Symptoms of salmonellosis include :

• sudden onset of fever
• headache
• diarrhea
• stomach cramps
• nausea (sometimes with vomiting)

Symptoms usually occur within 6 and 72 hours of being infected.

Fact sheet: Preparing fresh or frozen raw breaded chicken

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Yersiniosis

Yersiniosis (yer-sin-ee-o-sis) is a disease caused by bacteria. People usually become infected by eating contaminated food, especially raw or undercooked pork products, by ingesting contaminated water or by consuming unpasteurized milk or milk products. Symptoms vary depending on the age of a person infected.

Symptoms in children include :

• Fever
• Abdominal pain
• Diarrhea (often bloody)

In older children and adults, symptoms include :

• Right-side abdominal pain
• Fever

Find out more

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Prevention

Follow these four steps to make sure you’re handling all the food you eat safely and to prevent your family, friends and yourself from getting ill.

1. Clean

• Wash your hands, utensils and surfaces with hot soapy water before, during and after preparing food
• Wash your hands after using the washroom.
• Clean your countertops, cutting boards and utensils with a mild bleach and water solution
• Thoroughly wash all produce before you eat or cook it.

2. Separate

• Keep raw meats, poultry and fish away from other foods during storage and preparation.
• Keep separate cutting boards for raw meats and vegetables, or clean your cutting board before re-using.
• Always keep foods covered unless they are being prepared or served.

3. Cook

• Cook food thoroughly.
• Pay close attention to cooking times and temperatures for different meats because they vary.
• Prepare food quickly and serve it immediately. While preparing food do not keep raw meat and dairy at room temperature for more than two hours.

4. Chill

• Refrigerate or freeze perishables, prepared food and leftovers within 2 hours.
• Use a thermometer to check to make sure your refrigerator is set at a temperature of 4°C (40°F).
• Keep your freezer at -18°C (0°F).

Here are some food safety tips that can help keep you and your family prevent food poisoning :

At the store

When you’re grocery shopping, be careful to keep raw meat separate from other products in your shopping cart and bags. Pick out cold food last and always get perishable items into your fridge within 2 hours, especially when it’s warm outside.  If you’re not going home right away, use a cooler with ice and a thermometer to make sure perishable food is kept at safe temperatures of less than 4C.

In the fridge :

• Store raw meat, poultry, fish eggs and dairy products in the fridge immediately after you return from the grocery store. Freeze raw poultry, fish or ground beef that won't be used within one to two days. Freeze other meats within four to five days.
• Marinate meat in the refrigerator, not on the counter. If you want to save some of the marinade to baste cooked meat or use as a dipping sauce, make sure to set some aside that hasn't touched uncooked meat.
• Store raw meat, poultry and seafood on the bottom shelf of the fridge

Thawing your meat :

• Meat should be completely thawed before grilling so that it cooks evenly.
• Never defrost food on the kitchen counter. The outer layers of food will defrost before the inside thaws. Bacteria can grow in these conditions.
• Thawing should be done in the fridge, however sealed packages can be thawed under cold running water. Place the food on a lower fridge shelf in a container and allow 10 hours per kilogram thawing time.
• If you defrost in the microwave, place the food on the grill immediately after.

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