Food poisoning and gastroenteritis
What is Food Poisoning?
Many different sorts of bacteria (germs), such as Salmonella, and viruses can cause food borne illness. When food is kept warm, bacteria can grow rapidly and reach dangerous levels within hours. This is a particular problem during summer months. Good food hygiene standards in the food industry and the home are vital to prevent food borne illness.
The symptoms of food poisoning and food borne illness are:
- Diarrhoea Stomach cramps
- Vomiting Fever
- Nausea Headache
- Dizziness
The incubation period (time taken from eating the food to feeling unwell) varies with each type of organism. This can be anything between under an hour and eleven days. This will vary depending on the type of bacteria or toxin that is involved. It is important to realise therefore, that the last meal you ate may not be the cause of your symptoms. The illness will normally last for a few days but possibly up to three weeks.
Food poisoning can be very dangerous for vulnerable people, such as the elderly, the very young, pregnant women and people with suppressed immune systems. It is very important to maintain good hygiene standards when working with food.
The main causes of food poisoning and food borne illness are:
- Preparing foods too far in advance
- Not cooking foods properly
- Not defrosting foods correctly
- Storing foods incorrectly (i.e. too warm) so that bacteria can grow quickly
- Cross contamination of bacteria from raw foods to ready to eat foods
- Contamination from people handling foods due to poor personal hygiene
Certain viruses can cause food poisoning symptoms but they can be passed from person to person by contact or through particles in the air just like flu.
What will the Council do about Food Poisoning Notifications?
We investigate cases of food poisoning and certain other food borne illnesses which are notified to us by GPs, the public and other Local Authorities. The purpose of the investigation is to try to prevent the spread of illness within the community and to try and find possible causes. Advice is also given on how to prevent the spread of the disease within the home.
Once a food poisoning notification is received, we will contact the person with the symptoms or their parent or guardian and ask them questions regarding;
- what and where they have eaten prior to their illness;
- whether there is any of the suspected food remaining;
- details of their symptoms;
- whether they have visited any particular places or been abroad recently;
- whether anybody else they ate with also experienced any symptoms and;
- whether or not their GP has taken a clinical sample.
If a person with symptoms is a food handler, or health care or nursery worker who has direct contact with, or serves food to, highly susceptible patients or persons in whom an intestinal infection would have serious consequences, special precautions will apply. They will be advised that they cannot return to food handling or care work until they have been symptom free for 48 hours and that they should inform their employer of their symptoms.
Parents or guardians of children aged under 5 years, or of children or adults unable to implement good standards of personal hygiene, will be advised to keep them away from school or similar establishments until they have been symptom-free for 48 hours.
Advice for Cases of Food Poisoning
If you or a member of your family are suffering from the symptoms of food poisoning, it is recommended that you follow the advice below to try and prevent the spread of the illness:
- As far as possible avoid preparing food for other people while you have diarrhoea or sickness
- Wash your hands after contact with the sick person, after using the toilet and before handling food.
- Do not use the same towel or face cloth as someone who is suffering with food borne illness.
- Clear up soiling accidents straightaway, wash with hot soapy water and disinfect with a disinfectant or bleach. With bleaches and disinfectants always follow the instructions on the packaging.
- Disinfect door and toilet handles, taps and the toilet seat after use and disinfect the toilet bowl frequently.
- Drink plenty of fluids while you are ill to prevent dehydration.
If you suspect you are suffering food poisoning it is recommended that you contact your doctor as soon as possible, who might ask you to submit a sample for examination.
Consult your doctor immediately if the person affected is a baby, is elderly or has an existing illness or condition or if symptoms are prolonged or severe (e.g. bloody diarrhoea).
If you have concerns about food poisoning contact the Food Safety Team.
