Health News Available at Micron Associates Blog: Top Tips to Prevent Tummy Bugs

Would you Like a Dose of Food Poisoning with That?

EVERY year there are more than a million cases of food poisoning in the UK.

Chances are you’ll never know the precise cause, blaming your upset tummy on a bug that you’ve picked up somewhere.

However the blame often lies within the home and to be more precise, in the kitchen.

In fact one study found that the average kitchen sink contains 100,000 times more germs than the bathroom.

As the weather gets warmer germs tend to multiply quickly.

It’s also the time when we dust down the barbecue, another common source of food poisoning.

Most victims will be back on their feet within a few days but each year about 20,000 people end up in hospital.

We should all be taking steps to reduce the risks.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is this week running a campaign against the most common cause of food poisoning, a bug called campylobacter.

Found mainly in poultry, it spreads easily and causes more cases of food poisoning than E. coli, listeria and salmonella combined.

It’s estimated that 65 per cent of the UK’s chicken flocks are infected but the bug is killed by high temperatures so there’s no problem if meat is thoroughly cooked.

Handling raw chicken or failing to cook the bird properly are the causes of campylobacter poisoning.

Symptoms can take up to four days to appear and include diarrhea, vomiting, stomach cramps, fever and generally feeling unwell.

This form of food poisoning can also lead to a form of arthritis, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and affect the nervous system.

Older people and under-fives are most at risk of severe symptoms.

A common mistake is washing or rinsing raw chicken under the kitchen tap.

Bob Martin, an expert in food-borne diseases at the FSA, says: “Most bugs are on the surface of the skin and even thorough washing won’t kill them.

"All it does is help spread them around by splashing them on to hands, work surfaces, clothing and cooking equipment.

"A splash of water can reach up to a meter from the sink.”

Here are some other tips to cut down on germs in your kitchen and make sure your summer isn’t ruined by food poisoning:

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IF YOU DROP FOOD, BIN IT

It’s amazing how many people think its fine to pick up a piece of food which has accidentally dropped on the floor.

One popular myth is that if it’s retrieved within five seconds and given a quick rinse or wipe, there’s not enough time for germs to stick.

A team of scientists at Queen Mary University of London put this to the test using pizza, apple and buttered toast.

They found that even if the dropped food was in contact with the ground for less than a second it became heavily contaminated.

The same goes for the kitchen floor, carpet or the patio.

Microbiologist Dr. Ron Cutler, who carried out the study, says: “The five-second rule has little effect on the amount of bacteria you would pick up from a heavily contaminated surface.

"If you drop food, put it in the bin, not in your mouth.”

HAND WASHING

Hands are the biggest spreaders of germs in the home.

Wash them every time you go to the toilet and before and after preparing food and handling meat packaging.

Wash hands before popping meat in the oven, not afterwards.

Get into the habit of giving your kitchen sink and washing-up basin a regular scrub with soap and water or disinfectant to reduce bugs.

CHOPPING BOARDS

A typical kitchen chopping board has around 200 per cent more fecal bacteria on it than the average toilet seat.

Hygiene experts advise you to use separate chopping boards for red meat, poultry, fish and veg.

DON’T RELY ON YOUR NOSE

A food label’s “use by” date is the most important guide to deciding if food is still safe to eat because many harmful germs are odorless.

“It’s tempting just to give your food a sniff to see if you think it has gone ‘off’,” says Bob Martin.

“Food bugs such as salmonella, E. coli and campylobacter don’t cause food to smell, even when they may have grown to dangerous levels.

"Food can look and smell fine but still be harmful.”

CLOTHS AND SPONGES

A used kitchen sponge can contain thousands of bacteria per square inch, including E. coli and salmonella.

The sponge’s moist micro-crevices are a trap for germs and are difficult to disinfect.

Replace them frequently.

The same goes for dishcloths and washing-up brushes.

Dish towels and aprons should ideally be washed on a hot cycle after no more than a week’s use.

CHECK FRIDGE TEMPERATURE

The factory setting of most fridges is about 8C but health experts believe it should be much lower.

Most bugs don’t like the cold but listeria grows twice as fast at 8C as it does at 5C, which is the ideal temperature.

Kaarin Goodburn of the Chilled Food Association says: “It’s worth investing in a fridge thermometer as dials on fridges don’t usually provide a good indication of temperature.”

Raw meat should be kept at the bottom of the fridge to avoid blood or juices dripping on to other food.

In warm conditions a thousand germs can become a million in less than two hours so don’t leave food standing on kitchen surfaces.

WELL DONE?

Beef and lamb are the only meats that can be eaten rare.

That’s because any bugs tend to be only on the surface and are killed off first during cooking.

However it’s important to cook burgers more thoroughly because mincing beef or lamb means the surface parts are mixed up.

The thickest parts of chicken and pork, where bugs can thrive, should be cooked to a temperature of 70C.

To be safe, invest in a meat thermometer costing a few pounds.

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By: Adrian Lee