We are all concerned about food poisoning. Not only because it can cause us harm, but because we do not quite understand it. This post will hopefully set your mind at ease.
What is food poisoning?
Bacteria is the major cause of food poisoning. But most of the bacteria on our food already exists! At the end of the day, the bacteria affects people differently. A bacteria could hurt someone more than others. But one can not disregard the bacteria. Depending on how you treat the food, the bacteria can become quite potent and make someone quite sick.
Food poisoning can also be caused by viruses. can also be spread by food and make you sick, such as hepatitis A spread on unwashed salads or oysters raised in contaminated water.
What bugs harm you?
Bacteria like salmonella (commonly found in poultry and eggs), Campylobacter, e. Coli, listeria, botulism or norovirus.
As mentioned these affect people differently. People who are more susceptible to these bacteria include young children, pregnant women and the elderly.
Best Before vs. Used By
For many, the best before and used by date is the best way to see if food is safe to eat. But these two terms can be confusing. To clarify; best before means it’s not really a food safety risk [to eat after this date] but the quality may be decreased, whereas used by is around whether the food can be unsafe. Interestingly though, a product with a shelf life greater than two years, it doesn’t even need a best-before date, like canned food.
Sniff Test: Does It Work?
Not really. Some foods like yoghurt and cheese need bacteria to ferment. So when you could smell it or it has a bad taste, could be bacteria but not necessarily harmful stuff.
Did this clarify a few things about food poisoning? What are some daily measures you can take?
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