Food poisoning is responsible for approximately 600,000 deaths per year
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247 Although seemingly harmless, food poisoning is responsible for about 600,000 deaths annually and affects about 420,000 people after consuming contaminated food, according to a World Health Organization (WHO) report, Metrópoles reports.
To learn how to protect yourself, academic portal The Conversation offered a space for microbiologist Primrose Freestone from the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom. In an article, the specialist listed four foods that she avoids herself as a strategy to avoid food poisoning.
Packaged salads Freestone admitted that he completely avoids eating mixed vegetables, fruits and bagged vegetables, largely due to his area of research related to the safety of fresh salads. When analyzing the salad packaging, the specialist found the presence of microorganisms that cause food poisoning, such as E. coli, salmonella and listeria. The expert emphasized that most packaged salads are safe as long as they are properly stored and refrigerated. Freestone recommends washing thoroughly before consumption, the same applies to readymade salads. In addition, he emphasized the importance of consuming these foods as quickly as possible after purchasing them.
Oysters and shellfish Other foods the microbiologist avoids include oysters and raw shellfish. According to her, because oysters are filter feeders that remove particles from the water, they tend to concentrate microorganisms such as Vibrio in their tissues. Primrose Freestone warned that eating raw shellfish of any kind can give you food poisoning, which is why she chooses not to eat this food.
Barbecue or picnic “I rarely eat outside at picnics or barbecues because the risk of food poisoning increases when food is exposed to the environment,” he said. She recommended keeping hands clean when handling food to prevent contamination from contaminants. In cases where washing hands with soap and water is not possible, the microbiologist recommended using alcohol gel. Additionally, she warned that exposed food potentially attracts insects such as ants, flies and wasps, which can transfer “germs” to the food.
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buffets Due to her knowledge of the ideal conditions for the proliferation of foodborne bacteria, the specialist pays attention to the microbiological safety of warm and cold buffets. “In closed environments, food can be exposed to contamination from insects, dust and, above all, people,” he attested. For them, food poisoning is “an unavoidable risk” in certain scenarios.