Safety testing by food industry in Canada
Campylobacteriosis on the rise in county
Safe food handling prevents spread of
food-borne illness
Source of Article: http://www.andersonvalleypost.com/news/2008/aug/27/campylobacteriosis-rise-county/
Through July,
Shasta County Public Health has received more reports of campylobacteriosis
and other diarrheal illnesses this year than usual. Other
Causes of campylobacteriosis and other diarrheal illness include:
consuming raw or undercooked poultry, drinking unpasteurized milk or
contaminated water and cross-contamination of food surfaces or cutting boards
when preparing food. A very small number of Campylobacter organisms (fewer than
500) can cause illness in humans. Even one drop of juice from raw chicken meat
can infect a person.
“Campylobacteriosis illness is much more common in the
summer than in the winter,” said Lou Anne Cummings, MD, MPH, Deputy
Health Officer. “It is very important to always practice safe food handling to
help prevent you and your family from getting this unpleasant illness.”
The symptoms
of campylobacteriosis include: diarrhea, cramping,
abdominal pain and fever within two to five days of exposure. The diarrhea may
be bloody, and accompanied by nausea and vomiting. Campylobacter is one of the
most common causes of diarrheal illness. Most cases go undiagnosed, since most
people recover completely in one week to ten days without antibiotic treatment.
To prevent
this illness, simple and easy prevention measures can be followed:
Cook all
poultry products and other foods thoroughly. Make sure meat is no longer pink
and that juices run clear. All poultry should be cooked to an internal
temperature of at least 165 degrees.
Prevent
cross-contamination in the kitchen by using separate cutting boards. Carefully
clean all cutting boards, countertops, and utensils with soap and hot water
after preparing raw food of animal origin, and let the surface air dry before
using it again.
Thaw raw
poultry on a bottom shelf in the refrigerator so that blood or juices don’t
drip.
Do not reuse
marinades from raw meat or poultry unless boiled first.
Never put
cooked poultry or meat back on the plate that held the raw product.
Wash hands
with soap before preparing food or after handling raw meat or poultry.
For more
information about campylobacteriosis, visit
www.cdc.gov or call 225-5787.
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