Food poisoning is one of the most common causes of illness in Britain, affecting more than 5m people every year. It occurs when harmful bacteria stick to, and sometimes strip away, the lining of the bowel. There are three main ways of becoming infected: eating food already past its shelf life, cross-contamination between raw and cooked foods (often involving poor hygiene) and eating food that was either not cooked or not stored properly. Infections can also be passed from person to person.

Simple precautions include avoiding cooking food that’s about to go off and making sure you dry your hands properly after washing them – far more bacteria are spread from damp hands than dry hands.

The most common type of harmful bacterium is campylobacter, which tends to be found in poultry, red meat and unpasteurised milk. Salmonella is the next biggest culprit and while almost any food can be affected by this it tends to harbour in undercooked poultry, unpasteurised milk and eggs. Other nasties include E coli 0157 (which lurks in undercooked mince), and listeria, which is generally found in pâté and soft cheeses. Almost any food can make you ill if kept for too long within the warm temperature range in which the spores of bacteria germinate. Rice is, in fact, one of the commonest causes of food poisoning in restaurants. Symptoms generally appear within hours of eating contaminated food but this can also take days.

Most cases of food poisoning clear up within a few days. You should see a doctor if this doesn’t happen or if your general condition worsens, for example, blood in the stools. Do not eat any food while feeling sick or vomiting. Rest your stomach for an hour after being sick and then try small sips of water. Gradually build up the amount of fluids such as water, or use rehydration powders, available from pharmacies. Avoid alcohol as it will make you more dehydrated.

Try eating again only once you have been free of sickness and diarrhoea for several hours. Start off with small amounts of plain foods that are easy on the stomach, such as rice, plain potatoes and dry toast.

TAKING IT FURTHER

www.eatwell.gov.uk Chapter and verse on how to avoid food poisoning from the Food Standards Agency

www.foodlink.org.uk Illustrated, user-friendly, guide to many aspects of food safety

www.ifr.ac.uk/default.html The website of the Institute of Food Research has useful information on food poisoning

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