So what should we do?
• Cheap poultry is a good source of cheap protein, especially for families who cannot afford more expensive protein. Cheap poultry will continue to be produced until the market dictates otherwise. Ensure the meat is cooked to the right temperature to kill the pathogens. Check the thickest part of the meat to ensure the temperature is constant throughout.
• Intensively fed animals will still be produced as families look for cheaper cuts of meat. Again any pathogens will be killed by adequate cooking.
• More effort by countrys’ governments to fund courses for ethnic food outlets should be encouraged. Whilst I am on the subject of ethnic outlets, please beware of the rogue kebab takeaways. Kebab meat (lamb or chicken) is raw meat; it is therefore a harbinger of pathogens.
The kebab meat is placed on a skewer which rotates in front of a heat source. The only part of the meat to be cooked is the outside surface.
When the meat is sliced it is still partly raw, therefore containing bacteria. The outlet should now place the shavings of meat on a griddle to finish cooking. If not, and the meat is served straight away, it
contains pathogens and will cause illness. If you drink alcohol before you order the kebab, be especially aware! Alcohol reduces your immunity to food poisoning and the end result could be twice as bad!
The other problem with kebabs is the exo and enterotoxins present in the meat, which is constantly heated and chilled, allowing the toxins to develop. The toxins give rise to fever, vomiting and diarrhoea.
• Prepare your own food from raw materials. Cut out the middle person who might contaminate your food.
• If you handle raw foods during barbeques, wash your hands before handling other foods such as bread rolls. Ensure the right temperature is achieved before serving food. Check the thickest part of the food.
• Avoid using chemicals wherever possible. The best disinfectant (a product which kills bacteria) I know is very hot water, for example straight from a kettle.
• Let our children develop immunity to pathogens. Let them play outdoors (under supervision); feed them freshly prepared foods, especially raw foods such as salads which, although containing no valuable nutritional value apart from water and fibre, have many naturally occurring bacteria.
Keep chilled food cold, either by packing the food in thermal boxes with ice packs or mixing your frozen foods with your chilled foods in the same bag.
• Check labels on containers to see what storage conditions are required. It either has to be refrigerated after opening or retained in a cool storage area, such as a kitchen cupboard.
Supermarkets are recalling food products almost on a daily basis due to contamination or mis-labelling.
Food poisoning is on the increase due to incorrect handling of chilled food, intensive farming/feeding, language barriers with ethnic eateries, BBQs cause major problems, eating out more, eating more pre-prepared foods, more bacterial mutations.
Good housekeeping and a common sense approach to eating can help prevent many cases.
Dehydration kills many people every year, because clean potable water cannot be provided.
Fresh fish, if not cooked correctly, can cause serious parasitic infection.
Manufacturers have deliberately poisoned food and murdered people for monetary gain. A major water company poisoned a town’s water supply causing many to allegedly suffer the indignity of Alzheimer’s disease and death.
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