DHAKA: Food poisoning is an illness caused by eating contaminated food. In most cases, food that causes food poisoning is contaminated by bacteria, such as salmonella or Escherichia coli (E. coli), or a virus.
How is food contaminated?
Food can become contaminated at any stage during production, processing or cooking. For example, food poisoning can be caused by:
•    not storing food that needs to be chilled at below 5°C correctly
•    leaving cooked food for too long at warm temperatures
•    someone who is ill or who has dirty hands touching the food
•    eating food that has passed its ‘use by’ date
•    cross-contamination (the spread of bacteria, such as E. coli, from contaminated foods)
•    open air food can be contaminated
Symptoms
Symptoms usually begin 1–3 days after eating contaminated food. They include:
•    feeling sick
•    vomiting
•    diarrhea
•    stomach cramps
•    abdominal pain
•    loss of appetite
•    a high temperature of 38°C (100.4°F) or above
•    muscle pain
•    chills
 When to seek medical advice
•    vomiting that lasts more than two days
•    you are unable to keep liquids down for more than a day
•    diarrhea that lasts for more than three days
•    blood in your vomit
•    blood in your stools
•    changes in your mental state, such as confusion
•    double vision
•    slurred speech
•    signs of severe dehydration, such as a dry mouth, sunken eyes and an inability to pass urine, or passing small amounts of dark, strong-smelling urine
Primary treatment
•    Drink plenty of fluids including water
•    Eat easily digestible food
•    Osaline can be given to food poisoning patient (ORSs help replace salt, glucose and other important minerals lost through dehydration)
•    Take rest
•    Eat when you feel hunger.
•    stick to foods that are easily digested, such as toast, crackers, bananas and rice until you begin to feel better
•    avoid alcohol, cigarettes, caffeine and spicy and fatty foods because they will make you feel worse
Secondary treatment
If patient is more serious then need to take medicine by consulting with doctor.
•    Antibiotic can be given if the patient suffering during 3 to 4 days


Preventing food poisoning
According to the Food Standards Agency (FSA), a useful way of preventing food poisoning is to remember the four things.
•    cleaning
•    cooking
•    chilling
•    Avoiding cross-contamination.

BDST: 1605 HRS, OCT 27, 2013
ARR/GR/RK