Foodborne Illnesses: Understanding Risks and Ensuring Food Safety

Published on: 18th September 2024
Medically reviewed by: Dr. Sohail Bana

Eating contaminated foods containing harmful fungi, viruses, bacteria or particles can lead to foodborne illness or infection. They may have long-term or short-term consequences depending on the severity of the condition. It is advisable to follow food safety norms and seek treatment if you show signs and symptoms of the disease. Let us delve deeper into this topic.

What is Foodborne Illness?

Caused by viruses, bacteria, prions, environmental pollutants, parasites, and natural chemicals, foodborne infection incidents are more relevant these days. This is because of increased exposure to contaminated water, food, and other reasons. Have a look at more details below:

Types of Foodborne Infectious Diseases

Here are the common foodborne infection diseases and their types:

Norovirus

This viral infection from food spreads through food cultivated in water polluted with feces. Oysters and certain fruits and vegetables are among the risk items.

Botulism

It can take several weeks for foodborne diseases caused by bacteria toxin to show symptoms such as impaired vision, difficulty breathing and swallowing, and muscle weakness. The reason behind the condition is improper fermented, canned, and preserved food or honey.

Toxoplasmosis

Caused by a parasite, this foodborne infection results from eating contaminated or undercooked venison, lamb, shellfish, or pork. It can take weeks to months to develop symptoms such as eye pain, blurred vision, miscarriage, muscle pain, etc.

Giardiasis

This parasitical food illness happens from consuming feces-infested food or water. It may take 2 to 6 weeks to show signs such as nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, flatulence, and dehydration.

Listeriosis

This foodborne illness is caused by bacteria found in deli meat, soft cheeses, hot dogs, vegetables, and fruits. It can take days or weeks for the initial signs to show such as muscle aches, headache, fever, vomiting, loss of balance, diarrhea, and fatigue.

Campylobacteriosis

This bacterial foodborne infection occurs when one drinks contaminated water or eats undercooked or raw seafood, poultry, or meat. It can take a week for the condition to develop. The symptoms include abdominal cramps, fever, and bloody diarrhea.

Escherichia Coli

Being another bacterial infection, you may experience foodborne illness symptoms such as diarrhea, fever, vomiting, and stomach cramps. The signs may surface after 5 to 7 days of having contaminated ground meat products, vegetables, raw milk, or drinking water.

Anisakiasis

With foodborne infectious diseases on the rise, you must avoid eating raw or uncooked squid and fish, the cause behind this is a parasite. It can take up to 3 weeks for symptoms such as anaphylaxis, abdominal pain and bloating, vomiting, and nausea.

Causes of Foodborne Infections

As understood, a foodborne illness usually happens due to the intake of polluted water, fruits, vegetables, seafood, and other food items. Here are some of the possible sources, causes, and high-risk foods associated with the disease:

Toxins in cereal, corn, mushrooms, or mold on grains may lead to foodborne infectious diseases in people and animals.
Infections proteins i.e. prions found in parts of cattle infected with the ‘mad cow disease’. Eating the infected meat can result in food illness in individuals.
Environmental pollutants: Byproducts of plastic production and waste management, as well as heavy metals such as lead and mercury, are found in water and soil, can contaminate foods and lead to foodborne illnesses.
Pollutants such as plastic and heavy metals (mercury and lead) are present in soil and water. This can contaminate the food, causing a foodborne illness and its serious consequences
Uncooked and undercooked food can also lead to infection from food in people of all ages. Thus, it is advisable to eat only fully cooked meals.

Recognizing Foodborne Illness Symptoms

Here is an overview of the foodborne illness symptoms to know:

Vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, fever, and stomach cramps.
Headache and dehydration are the common signs of the condition.
Weakness and loss of electrolytes from the body.
Problems with bowel movements, stomach flu, and joint pain.

Differences Between General Food Illness and Food Poisoning

Know the tonsil inflammation and strep throat treatment options. We will also discuss other prevention and care techniques like:

Every illness caused by the intake of food or drink polluted with pathogens is listed under the umbrella term — foodborne illness or disease.
Thus, the condition can happen due to toxins or infection from fungi, viruses, or bacteria. The germs in question then multiply in the gut, leading to foodborne illness symptoms ranging from mild to severe.
However, food poisoning symptoms occur due to toxin-containing food, which releases harmful pathogens afterward. Thus, the said food items may not contain any live germs in them.

Foodborne Diseases and Food Poisoning: Prevention and Treatment

Here are some of the food poisoning treatment and prevention options:

Drink plenty of water with electrolyte salts and avoid caffeine. You can prepare hot tea made from herbs such as peppermint, chamomile, or dandelion.
Take OTC medicines such as Pepto-Bismol and loperamide (Imodium) to cope with nausea and diarrhea.
Your doctor can suggest a Food Intolerance Test if you feel abdominal discomfort from consuming any food or beverage to check if you have an infection, or if it is a case of food allergy or inability to digest a particular food component.
In worse scenarios, the affected person with food poisoning can be hospitalized and hydration through intravenous fluids.
The healthcare provider will first confirm the type of foodborne illness you have and prescribe medicines accordingly.

What Are the Best Practices for Food Safety?

Here are some of the tips for food poisoning treatment at home and in public places:

Wash your hands with soap before and after consuming any food item or beverages. This will deter you from contracting foodborne illness issues.
It is suggested you eat only cooked food and restrict your intake of raw and uncooked vegetables and meat.
Wash raw meat, vegetables, and fruits well before cooking them. There are several organic antibacterial and antiviral solutions that you can add to the water when washing the edibles.
Ensure food safety by checking labels on canned and raw items and seeing the expiry date and the ingredients.
Try to have food cooked at home. Do not eat from roadside stalls or places that follow unhygienic practices of handling food.

Food Intolerance at Home Service by First Response Healthcare

Understanding the risks of foodborne illnesses is essential, but it’s equally important to recognize the role of food intolerance in your overall health. At First Response Healthcare, we offer a convenient Food Intolerance at Home service, allowing you to get tested without the need to visit a clinic. Our experienced medical professionals will come to your home, collect samples, and provide you with a comprehensive report. This service is ideal for identifying specific food intolerances that may be contributing to digestive discomfort or other health issues. By understanding your body’s unique reactions to certain foods, you can take proactive steps to improve your diet and overall well-being.

Conclusion: Managing Food Infection and More

While foodborne illnesses can affect anyone, following the safety and prevention methods can protect you. As per Dubai Health Authority, it has taken preventive measures in the UAE for early detection of infection from food and reduced the risk of spread through its epidemiological surveillance of Foodborne disease cases in Dubai. All health facilities and healthcare professionals under the Dubai Health Authority’s jurisdiction need to report gastrointestinal illness (transmitted through water or food) cases, within 4 hours from the time of infection or suspicion about it. Thus, at a personal level too, you must be careful and seek medical attention if you think you have a foodborne disease.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q. Why is It Important to Understand Foodborne Illness?

You must understand foodborne illness symptoms and causes for a better treatment plan for yourself and quicker recovery.

Q. What Are the 5 Foodborne Infectious Diseases?

As discussed above, food poisoning and illnesses are caused by viruses, bacteria, fungi, parasites, natural toxins, and environmental pollutants.

Q. Who is Most at Risk for Foodborne Infection?

Those who consume contaminated food and beverages, along with a weak immune system are more prone to food illness and problems.

Q. What Are the First Signs of Food Illness?

The initial food poisoning symptoms are vomiting, diarrhea, fever, dehydration, body aches, stomach cramps, and muscle pain.

References and Citations:

Dubai Health Authority: Surveillance of Foodborne & Waterborne Illness in all Health Facilities in Dubai