PRACTICAL WELLNESS
Within the next year, chances are good that you’ll succumb to at least one bout of food poisoning. And you won’t be alone. According to the Centers for Disease Control, 200,000 people a day get sick from foodborne pathogens.
Actual numbers, though, may be much higher. Since most people with food poisoning blame their stomach cramps, nausea, and diarrhea on the stomach flu, incidents of foodborne illness may be as high as 800,000 cases a day.
Meat eaters, of course, are at a high risk. But vegetarians and vegans aren’t safe, either. Since 1995, 19 E. coli outbreaks have been attributed to leafy greens, including pre-bagged, ‘triple washed’ spinach and lettuce. And last year, scallions were the cause of a Hepatitis A outbreak that sickened 575 restaurant patrons and employees.
Short of going on a hunger strike, there’s no way to completely remove all chance of food poisoning. But you can significantly lower your risk by knowing which foods are most likely to be contaminated, and adopting the following strategies for handling them properly. Start by storing your food at the right temperature; keep your fridge between 33 and 38 degrees, and your freezer at zero degrees. Any warmer, and bacteria will grow. For specific tips on handling and cooking meat, see sidebar.
Leafy greens and scallions tend to trap soil in their leaves — a problem if the soil is contaminated with manure-tainted water.
Thanks to a sticky biofilm that coats greens, E. coli can survive triple washing at processing plants.
When buying bagged greens, choose the ‘best by’ date that is the farthest in the future. With all greens, discard the outermost layers and wash the rest in an acid bath to break up debris and kill germs. Recommendations vary: Colorado State University suggests soaking greens in distilled white vinegar for three to five minutes. Other sources suggest a weaker solution of one tablespoon white vinegar to a pot of cold water. Rinse individual leaves.
To kill additional germs, splash on a high-vinegar dressing like Italian or balsamic vinaigrette.
Eggs. Widespread pasteurization has reduced the incidents of Salmonella, but more than two million contaminated eggs still make it to supermarket shelves every year.
Buy only pasteurized eggs well before the expiration date, and store them in the coldest part of your fridge (the bottom shelf, not the door). Discard any eggs with cracks, and wash your hands after handling raw eggs. Your biggest defense against illness? Cook eggs thoroughly, until yolks and whites are firm, or to 160 degrees if baking them in a recipe.
Sprouts are high risk for three reasons: They’re grown in moist, warm conditions that bacteria love, they’re often eaten raw, and the contamination is inside the sprouts and can’t be washed off. If you want to be really safe, skip them.
Cantaloupe harbors pathogens like Shigella and Salmonella on its bumpy exterior. One of the worst instances of food poisoning occurred in October when dirty equipment in a processing plant transferred Listeria to cantaloupe, sickening 123 people and killing 25. Choose unblemished fruit, and scrub with a little dish detergent for 30 seconds under running water.
Raw oysters can harbor multiple pathogens, including Norovirus, the nasty bug responsible for ruining cruise trips. Even ‘certified-safe’ oyster beds were found to contain Salmonella, and 100 percent of Gulf Coast beds were found to contain E. coli. More than three-quarters of outbreaks in raw oysters occur in the northern hemisphere during summer months, when water is warm.
To be really safe, eat only cooked oysters. If you must eat raw, choose oysters that come from winter beds.
Cold cuts. The USDA considers deli meats ‘high risk’ for Listeria. Though only a small percentage of cold cuts become contaminated in the deli (usually the result of a dirty meat slicer), any infected meats you bring home will only become more dangerous; Listeria is able to multiply quickly, even in the fridge.
Buy your cold cuts from a clean, busy deli; a high turnover of meats means less opportunity for bacteria to grow. And spread a generous helping of mustard on your sandwich; the spicy condiment was shown to kill numerous pathogens.
Chicken. Out of 484 raw chickens tested by Consumer Union, 42 percent were infected with Campylobacter, and another 12 percent with Salmonella.
Crowded henhouses and high-volume slaughterhouses tend to spread disease, so buy free-range chickens, which are given space and typically slaughtered in smaller numbers.
Ground turkey. Government studies found that 25 percent of ground turkey samples were positive for one or more bacteria, including Listeria, Campylobacter, Clostridium, and Salmonella. What’s worse, some of the Salmonella was resistant to antibiotics. This means that if you contract Salmonella poisoning, your illness may be very difficult to treat.
Buy organic turkey to avoid birds that have been fed antibiotics, a practice that promotes resistant bacteria.
Ground beef. A recent test of beef samples nationwide came up negative for the expected E. coli, but positive for Clostridium, Staphylococcus, and Listeria.
Irradiation will kill these pathogens, but you’ll have to decide if you want to eat food that’s been treated with radiation. When cooking burgers, make thin patties to ensure the interiors get thoroughly cooked. And toss in some oregano; in tests, fresh oregano was shown to kill E. coli. Add one tablespoon per pound of meat.
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