Of course, it is best if poisoning does not occur in the first place. Therefore, when preparing food, some basic rules should be self-evident. Below you will learn what you can do to prevent food poisoning and what you can do if food poisoning does occur.
How to prevent food poisoning
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Hygiene in the kitchen: before you start working in the kitchen, wash your hands; also wash your hands before eating, after each use of the toilet, and after any contact with animals.
For dishes that contain raw eggs (for example, mayonnaise, tiramisu, egg dishes), pay special attention to the freshness and quality of the ingredients. Minced meat always cook through, thawed poultry rinse very carefully and pat dry afterwards. - Use of unknown or rare ingredients: you rarely cook with mushrooms, plant ingredients, shellfish or exotic fish? Get advice in a specialty store regarding the quality of the goods, also trust your gut feeling: as soon as something looks or smells funny or spoiled, it has no place in your cooking pot. Unknown from the forest and garden, whose origin is uncertain, can become a life-threatening food!
- The appropriate kitchen hardware: use pots, pans and dishes from reputable manufacturers, where it is ensured that they comply with the regulations of the Federal Ministry of Consumer Protection and Food Safety with regard to their ingredients.
Tips for bacterial contamination
If food poisoning occurs as a result of bacterial contamination, symptoms include sudden abdominal pain, malaise, nausea and vomiting. This mechanism helps the body rid itself of the spoiled food.
- Therefore, do not suppress the urge to vomit, but give in to it – you will feel better right away.
- Often diarrhea occurs afterwards, which may be accompanied by abdominal cramps and also fever. The main problem of vomiting and diarrhea is the increasing loss of fluid, which the body has difficulty compensating – because you will not feel like eating or drinking at the moment.
- It is best to drink small amounts of fennel or chamomile tea again and again. So the nausea can usually be avoided. More tips can be found here. If the symptoms persist, contact your doctor. If circulatory problems occur, it is a sign that home remedies are not enough to keep your fluid balance in balance.
- Also, regulate toilet use. If possible, let sick family members use a different toilet. Disinfect them after each use of the toilet and ensure careful hygiene. Also wash used towels at high temperatures. This will help prevent the transmission of germs and their toxins to family members who are still healthy.
Toxins from plants, fungi, shellfish and fish.
If poisons from plants, fungi, shellfish and fish are the trigger of food poisoning, fast help is needed! The gastrointestinal symptoms described above are often very severe in these poisonings and are accompanied by other symptoms. The poisons always affect the nervous system as well, so that paralysis and a strong feeling of illness occur, which make a visit to the doctor urgently necessary.
The doctor is particularly helped in making a diagnosis by a remnant of the prepared food – so, for example, in the case of mushroom poisoning, the culprit can be found quickly and an antidote therapy can be initiated.
Food poisoning due to chemical contamination
Food poisoning that occurs as a result of chemical contamination is often difficult to detect, so prevention plays an important role. Ask your doctor for advice as soon as you suspect chemical food poisoning.