Food poisoning is caused by consuming food products contaminated with germs. Some bacteria produce toxins that result in food poisoning when ingested. However, it is often the presence of particular bacteria or viruses that cause our own immune systems to produce harmful toxins. These are meant to destroy the bacteria but sometimes are harmful to us. Infectious organisms or their toxins can contaminate food at any point of processing or production. Contamination can also occur at home if food is incorrectly handled or cooked. Food poisoning symptoms, which can start within hours of eating contaminated food, often include nausea, vomiting or […]

Food poisoning is usually happening as result of poor hygiene and wrong food handling practice – the people preparing the food have not washed their hands well enough or have an infection they pass on. It can also occur when the food has not been prepared properly – it is not cooked enough or not stored at the right temperature. Some food poisoning caused by contamination caused by manufacturing process of food products or contamination from ingredients they received for processing food products. However, most food industries and food regulators implemented robust food safety management system for this process However, consumer negligence, lack […]

If you experience any of the following signs or symptoms, seek medical attention. Frequent episodes of vomiting and inability to keep liquids down Bloody vomit or stools Diarrhea for more than three days Extreme pain or severe abdominal cramping An oral temperature higher than 100.4 F (38 C) Signs or symptoms of dehydration — excessive thirst, dry mouth, little or no urination, severe weakness, dizziness, or light-headedness Neurological symptoms such as blurry vision, muscle weakness and tingling in the arms

Storing perishable foods and food ingredients in the fridge or freezer is primarily to prevent food poisoning or to slow down spoilage and loss of food quality. At 5°C or colder and at freezing temperatures many bacteria that cause food poisoning and food spoilage either don’t grow or their growth may be slowed down. Remember though that there is a limit to how long food can be refrigerated as it will eventually spoil and the quality deteriorate and some food poisoning bacteria such as Listeria monocytogenes can grow and cause infection (see Advice on Listeria [external link]). Frozen food can be kept safely for longer […]

When freezing food, avoid freezing large amounts at a time. It’s better to split it into smaller quantities in separate containers. This also means you can defrost only the quantity you need. When freezing food you’ve just bought, place it in freezer bags to maintain quality. You don’t need to unwrap pre-packaged raw meat on trays, just put it in a freezer bag. This will help minimise cross contamination in your kitchen. Tie the bag after squeezing out as much air as possible, label and date. If you are freezing cooked food or leftovers, the most important thing is to […]