Smash Notes
18 - FOOD POISONING
Every year, 1 in 6 people get food poisoning. But, what is food poisoning? What should you do if you get food poisoning? What causes it and how do outbreaks happen?
Notes
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On This Won't Hurt a Bit's Food Poisoning episode, Dr. Mel Herbert and Dr. Jess Mason say food poisoning is more common than people think. About one in six people get it each year, from more than 250 foodborne diseases caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites. The episode focuses on two bacterial causes, Staphylococcus aureus and E. coli. Many people assume food poisoning comes only from foods such as raw eggs or fish. It can. The hosts say it can also come from any food, from a cow to a cucumber to a candy bar.
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No. It's actually the toxins that hurt us. More than likely, we are eating Staph all the time. If they're small amounts that aren’t producing a lot of toxin and hasn’t been sitting there at room temperature for a long period of time for the bacteria to grow to produce the toxin, you will not get enough of it to hurt you.
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Once it gets in your stomach and goes to your intestinal cells, it activates the sensors in your brain to tell you to vomit and poop a lot— without any warning— to rid your body of the toxins.
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It protects you from most bacteria and toxin, but this doesn’t work with Staph because it is heat resistance. Some studies show you have to heat your food up to 250 degrees Fahrenheit for over 10 minutes before the Staph breaks down.
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In general, E. coli is good for us, and our bodies are full of E. coli. Certain strains can be problematic because they can have toxins that make us sick, but this is not the type of food poisoning to make us really, really sick. There will be a battle between the good and bad strains of E. coli in your gut.
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On This Won't Hurt a Bit's Food Poisoning episode, the hosts say most E. coli is friendly. A new strain may cause only a little diarrhea while the strains sort themselves out. The strains that make people very sick are different. Staph's superpower was heat resistance. Theirs is breaking down the intestinal wall, entering the bloodstream, and making Shiga toxin, which can kill cells lining the intestine. A medium-rare burger can carry that flora from the cow into the grind. Besides bloody diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and fever, the hosts say the toxin can cause hemolytic uremic syndrome in as many as 10 percent of cases, especially children under 10, and can damage the kidneys.
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For example, during the slaughtering and processing of a cow, when a little gut flora is thrown in the mix, it’s in your hamburger. As you take a bite, this harmful E. coli has the ability to attach to your intestinal wall, replicate, and invade into the tissues that line your gut. Then, it’ll produce toxins that can kill your intestinal cells.
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It could be safer to grind your own steak, wash the outside of it, flush all the E. coli off, and make sure everything else is clean. It may be much safer grinding your own than from these other food processing companies.
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It’s not the best fluid solution because it has too much salt and sugar in it. People say to dilute half of it with water to rehydrate yourself. By taking tiny sips, you’ll get enough fluids to prevent a trip to the ER.
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Food preparation is crucial. Keep your cooking area clean. When you cook stuff, don’t put it back with the raw stuff. If you’re traveling, boil it, peel it yourself, cook it, or forget it.
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