Prevention of food poisoning and toxic infections

Food poisoning is a collective concept, because it can cause a number of reasons. However, regardless of the causative agent of the negative manifestation, it is characterized by inflammation of the mucous membranes of the intestine, dehydration, general intoxication of the body. Let's understand, against which the pathological condition can develop, and we also find out what the prevention of food poisoning involves.

Classification

There are several groups of food poisoning:

1. Microbial origin - pathological conditions develop as a result of eating food, affected by the products of the life of bacteria and fungi.
2. Non-microbial origin - Poisoning by poisonous plants, animal toxins, components of chemicals.

A separate group includes toxic infections that arise in response to the absorption of food, in which there is a mass of living, active pathological microorganisms. The harmful effects of bacteria that occur in this type of poisoning depend on the nature of the microorganisms present, as well as the toxins that are released as a result of their death.

Mechanism of food poisoning development

With the accumulation of toxins in the body, the mucous membranes of the intestine and stomach primarily suffer. The tissues develop an inflammatory reaction, which leads to a decrease in the activity of the above systems. Against this background, a pain syndrome is formed in the abdominal region. Later, there are desires for vomiting, general weakness, diarrhea.

If prevention has not been implemented and first aid for food poisoning, toxins begin to enter the blood. There are signs of general intoxication of the body, which is manifested by increased body temperature, attacks of acute headache, increased heart rate.

Symptomatics

Depending on the causative agent of food poisoning, the time that takes to absorb toxins by blood can range from a few hours to a few minutes. Once this happens, a person begins to feel unwell, nauseous. In children, a clear sign of food intoxication is the development of acute diarrhea, which is characterized by frequent desires, the allocation of a copious amount of watery stools, sometimes with bloody impurities.

If measures to prevent food poisoning have not been taken, the human body suffers from dehydration. Its first manifestations is the drying out of the oral cavity, the formation of a whitish coating on the surface of the tongue. All this in the future can be accompanied by cramps and cooling of the extremities.

During the development of the pathological condition, the cardiovascular system is seriously affected, in particular, blood pressure is sharply lowered, tachycardia appears. The arrival of an abundance of toxic substances in the blood causes damage to the kidneys, the liver. Poisons and the nervous system are subject to negative effects.

Common bacterial pathogens of food intoxications

Intoxication can develop against the background of infection of the digestive system with the following pathological organisms:

1. Clostridia are bacteria that form spores in wastewater, soil. The introduced genus of microorganisms can be contained in raw meat of poultry and domestic animals.
2. Proteus is a rod-shaped bacterium, the cells of which are present in water and soil. Basically affects products of meat origin.
3. Klebsiella is a pathological microorganism whose spores are deposited in soil, dust, water. Can get into the human body when hygiene is not respected, and there is insufficient purification of fruits and vegetables before they are consumed. The bacterium is able to survive for a long time adverse environmental conditions, forming a protective capsule.
4. Salmonella is a pathogenic bacterium that multiplies in protein structures.
5. Staphylococcus is a pathological bacterium, which is the causative agent of a number of diseases, from meningitis, sepsis, endocarditis and ending with toxic shock. Active reproduction occurs in spoiled dairy products.

In this case, the prevention of food poisoning involves careful washing of hands before eating and food collected on beds. To destroy the spores of the above bacteria also allows boiling.

Poisoning with protein food

The main pathogen here is the rod-shaped bacterium - salmonella. On the eggshell and in raw meat, the pathological organism is able to maintain activity for up to 24 days, and in egg whites - up to 1 year. When the product is stored in the freezer, the bacterium does not just survive, but also actively multiplies.

Measures to prevent food poisoning in this case involve boiling of potentially dangerous food. Salmonella bends when the temperature of the surrounding space rises to 70 ° C. And for the disinfection of eggs, enough thermal exposure for 5-10 minutes. Another matter - the content of bacteria in the thickness of raw meat. In this case, the prevention of food poisoning requires boiling the product for several hours.

Symptoms of salmonella poisoning:

• Cramping abrupt pain in the navel ;
• Allocation of a watery stool of a greenish hue;
• Bloating of the intestine.

Poisoning by confectionery products

At the use of the spoiled confectionery products the intoxication more often occurs products of ability to live of a staphilococcus. Sweet cream based on milk is the ideal medium for active propagation of the bacteria. The result of the vital activity of the microorganism is the production of enterotoxins, which even with impressive contents do not change neither the smell nor taste of food.

Prevention of food poisoning here requires checking the shelf life of confectionery products, refusing to use stale sweets. In this case, the heat treatment of food products is ineffective solution, since staphylococcus rods are able to withstand the action of sufficiently high temperatures - up to 100 ° C - for several hours.

Poisoning with fish products

If the result of visiting the sushi bar is nausea, general malaise, colic in the abdomen, this indicates poisoning by a fish infected with protests or intestinal sticks. These microorganisms develop in raw fish with its improper storage, non-compliance with the generally accepted hygiene.

However, bacterial infections can also cause bacterial poisoning. Meat itself can become toxic in certain conditions. In particular, the risk of intoxication of the body is the consumption of fish caught during spawning.

In some cases, poisoning can occur in the form of acute allergic reactions. The prerequisite for the development of such conditions is the use of fish, which contains an abundance of one of the main pathogens of an allergy - histamine.

Prevention of food poisoning and intestinal infections in the use of fish products implies its careful preparation for cooking, high-quality heat treatment. In case of development of allergic manifestations, it is worth taking the appropriate drugs ("Cetirizine", "Suprastin").

Prevention of non-microbial food poisoning requires increased attention to product selection. It is necessary to avoid the use of fish, in which there is a swelling of the body, flight of scales, clouding of the eyes.

In order to avoid trouble, it is recommended to store fish at a temperature of no higher than 1 ^о С. Do not take the product out of the refrigerator for a long time if it is not planned to cook it immediately. After defrosting the fish quickly deteriorates. Her tissues are an excellent medium for the propagation of dangerous bacteria.

Poisoning with mushrooms

If we talk about cases of intoxication with poisons of plant origin, the use of this product here is one of the leading places. On the domestic expanses there are about 70 separate varieties of fungi, about 20 of which are capable of causing a lethal outcome. The apogee of intoxication with their poisons falls on the period from the beginning of May to the end of November. It is this time called mushroom season.

In fact, even experienced mushroom pickers have severe food poisoning, infection. Prevention here requires the refusal to purchase mushrooms of dubious origin in spontaneous markets. When self-assembled, it is worth paying attention only to the widespread edible varieties. To avoid problems, before consuming mushrooms it is worthwhile to subject them to thorough, long-term heat treatment.

Botulism

Botulism is a serious infectious disease of the digestive system. Without proper treatment, a lethal outcome quickly occurs. The development of the disease causes the ingestion of botulinum toxin into the body together with poor-quality food. In most cases, the cause of the development of the pathological condition is the use of canned food.

The main manifestation of food poisoning is a serious progressive lesion of the nervous system. Accompanying the development of the disease is respiratory depression, violation of the act of swallowing, a sharp deterioration of vision, a violation of the motor functions of the limbs.

How is the prevention of the disease? Food poisoning of this plan requires careful attention to the use of old conservation, fish, meat, closed in jars.

Therapy

When the first symptoms of food poisoning appear, it is necessary to immediately wash the stomach. For this you can use an aqueous solution of potassium permanganate. If this is not possible, it is recommended to drink about 4-5 cups of boiled water, then cause vomiting, irritating the root of the tongue with your fingers. The procedure should be repeated until the liquid arriving from the stomach becomes transparent. Liberation of the stomach from vomit with toxins can effectively eliminate food poisoning of children. Prevention of the emergence of such pathological conditions here lies entirely with adults.

General recommendations

Prevention of food poisoning and toxic infections generally implies the following:

1. Refusal to eat food of questionable quality and freshness, products, the expiration date of which is coming to an end.
2. Purchase of exclusively certified goods that have passed sanitary and epidemiological inspection. Particular attention must be paid to the acquisition of dairy products, fish, meat, smoked products, because it is in such products that spores of pathogenic bacteria are most often contained.
3. Compliance with the norms and temperature regimes that are required for the preparation of raw products.
4. Cutting of different products on separate surfaces. For example, raw vegetables and meat should be cut on different boards. Place products on the table in such a way that they do not come into contact with each other.
5. Washing hands and cutlery every time you switch to cooking individual dishes.
6. Boiling of drinking water if there is no confidence in its safety for health.
7. Thermal and antibacterial treatment of dishes and cutlery after each use, as well as rinsing the latter in cold water.
8. Repeated boiling of soups before another use.

Finally

So we examined the causes of food poisoning. Prevention here requires only the observance of simple, generally accepted hygiene rules, careful consideration of food choices, proper culinary processing of the ingredients of individual dishes, avoidance of food with expired shelf life.