University of Virginia Health System

Safe Summer Eating

< July 30, 2002 > Barbecues, picnics, and poolside meals are favorite activities for many people through much of the summer. Just don't let foodborne illness put a chill on your hot weather outdoor cooking and eating.

There are millions of cases of foodborne illness in the United States each year, and most of them occur from May to September.

Foodborne illness often has flu-like symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and fever, and many people do not realize their illness is caused by bacteria or other pathogens in food. Those at greatest risk from foodborne illness include very young children, the elderly, pregnant women, and people with weak immune systems.

Raw meats, dairy products, poultry, and seafood are not the only products that present a risk of foodborne illness. Even fresh produce or prepackaged foods may harbor potentially dangerous bacteria. Therefore, you should thoroughly clean all foods before you eat them.

Consider the following safety tips for preparing outdoor meals:

• Wash your hands often. When you are preparing numerous foods together, your hands may pass bacteria from one food to another. If you wash your hands with warm soapy water for at least 15 seconds before preparing foods and after handling raw meats, you will reduce the risk of foodborne illness.
  
  
• Keep raw meats away from ready-to-eat and cooked foods. Juices from raw meat can contaminate other foods. Use separate cutting boards—one for raw meat and the other for fruits and vegetables.
  
  
• Cook your large cuts of meat thoroughly. Barbecued poultry and seafood must be cooked throughout. A food thermometer will help you check the proper cooked temperature of all your foods.
  
  
• Plates that have had raw meat on them need to be washed immediately. Do not put cooked meat on an unwashed plate that held raw meat.
  
  
• Keep your hot food hot, and your cold food cold. Cold foods such as potato salad should stay chilled, while hot foods such as steaks or chicken should be covered in tin foil to retain heat. Refrigerate leftovers as soon as you can in order to reduce bacteria growth.
  
  
• All melons should be handled with care because they pose a risk if they are not properly prepared or stored. Before you cut a melon, wash the outer surface to remove dirt. Once it is cut, a melon has to be stored in ice or kept in a refrigerator. Cut melons can be served for a maximum of four hours if they are not refrigerated.
  
  
• Foods prepared with mayonnaise or foods high in protein should never be kept out longer than two hours. Remember that bacteria can multiply in moist foods such as salads and desserts.

In Other News About Your Health:

Meat Inspection Program Called a Failure

The six-year-old federal meat inspection program is failing to protect Americans on almost every level, warns a draft report from the General Accounting Office (GAO) obtained by ABC News.

The new system uses scientific tests to screen for bacteria, having replaced a system by which inspectors merely "poked and sniffed" the meat. But even under the newer advanced testing, inspectors frequently fail to penalize processing plants that fail inspection, the GAO report says.

Other flaws cited include untrained inspectors, inadequate testing, bad record-keeping, and significant understaffing.

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) says it has already taken steps to correct some of the problems cited by the GAO, the non-partisan investigative arm of Congress.

What's the Beef With Eating Red Meat?

According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), if you eat 2.5 ounces of red meat every week, cooked rare or medium rare, you increase your risk of cancer of the colon and rectum by 10 percent.

If you prefer your meat well done, the lifetime risk jumps to 29 percent.

The amount of risk also depends on the cooking method. Grilled steak is about twice as dangerous as pan-fried steak, the NCI says.

Always consult your physician for more information.

Online Resources:

(Our Organization is not responsible for the content of Internet sites.)

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

National Cancer Institute (NCI)

US Department of Agriculture (USDA)

US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

For more information, please visit _________________.

Salmonella Infections

Salmonella infections are diarrheal infections caused by the bacteria Salmonella. The Salmonella germ is actually a group of bacteria that can cause diarrheal illness in humans. There are many different kinds of Salmonella bacteria.

Salmonella are usually transmitted to humans by eating foods contaminated with animal feces. Contaminated foods are often animal in origin, such as beef, poultry, milk, or eggs. However, all foods, including vegetables, can become contaminated.

Symptoms of Salmonella Infections

The following are the most common symptoms of Salmonella infections. However, each individual may experience symptoms differently. Symptoms may include diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps 12 to 72 hours after infection.

The symptoms of Salmonella infections may resemble other conditions or medical problems. Always consult your physician for a diagnosis.

Diagnosing Salmonella Infections

Since many different illnesses have symptoms similar to Salmonella infections, diagnosis depends on laboratory tests that identify Salmonella in the stools.

Treatment for Salmonella Infections

These infections generally run their course in five to seven days and often no further treatment is required. However, patients with severe diarrhea may need rehydration with intravenous fluids. If the infection spreads from the intestines, antibiotics may also be necessary.

Preventing Salmonella Infections

Since foods of animal origin pose the greatest threat of Salmonella contamination, do not eat raw or undercooked eggs, poultry, or meats. Remember that some sauces and desserts use raw eggs in their preparation, so be cautious of these, particularly in foreign countries. Also, follow these recommendations by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):

• Make sure poultry and meat, including hamburgers, are well-cooked, not pink in the middle.
  
  
• Do not consume raw or unpasteurized milk or other dairy products.
  
  
• Thoroughly wash produce before eating it.
  
  
• Avoid cross-contamination of foods. Uncooked meats should be kept separate from produce, cooked foods, and ready-to-eat foods.
  
  
• All utensils, including cutting boards, knives, counters, etc., should be thoroughly washed after handling uncooked foods.
  
  
• Thoroughly wash hands before handling foods and between handling different food items.
  
  
• Thoroughly wash hands after contact with feces.
  
  
• Thoroughly wash hands after handling any reptiles, since reptiles are particularly likely to have Salmonella.