High Number Of People Dying From Tainted Food

Your health is your greatest possession and with that, minding what you eat to avoid the case of consuming tainted food is a fundamental aspect that you have to monitor. In excess of 420,000 individuals die annually from consuming contaminated food and the unfortunate fact is that up to a quarter of the number constitutes of young children. It has been reported that 600 million people, 1 in 10, in the whole world have suffered from ailments that come about as a result of tainted food. This indicates that contaminated food is a major problem that needs to be addressed.

What Leads To Tainted Food?

Contaminated food is a result of the food containing harmful traces of bacteria and chemicals not to mention viruses. The bacteria, chemicals, and viruses are known to be the cause of up to 200 diseases of the body, most of which are fatal if untreated in the early stages. It is not only food containing pathogenic traits that is considered tainted; under-cooked food is also a risk to your health. Raw and under-cooked meat and eggs are major hazards as far as the idea of tainted food is in play. Raw meat and eggs are sources of viruses and protozoa which affect the health of your body.

Formula for children and infants is characterized as having additives some of which the manufacturing companies may end up contaminating. It has been documented that 6 infants died in China as a result of consuming tainted formula which means that processed foods that are past their viable dates and additives are also contributing to the larger problem of tainted food.

Who Is Vulnerable?

The major problem with consumption of tainted food is that anyone is vulnerable to it. It is therefore down to you to ensure that you are able to clearly identify the conditions in which the food you consume has been prepared. Children, most notably infants, are the most vulnerable individuals when it comes to tainted food. Pregnant women and the elderly are also vulnerable since their immune systems are never at full capacity which means that even minor contamination has a major effect.

Diseases Caused By Tainted Food

Diseases caused by tainted food majorly stem from noroviruses and salmonella. Norovirus is the cause of 42% of the diseases while salmonella is the cause of 30% of the ailments you can have from tainted food. Salmonella is usually found in raw and undercooked beef, dairy products, pork and eggs.

Some of the diseases that are linked to tainted food include;

• Typhoid
• Hepatitis A
• Aflatoxin poisoning

Aflatoxin poisoning is found in fungi and mold that forms on grains that have not been stored properly. Typhoid arises from poor hygiene when preparing or serving food elements.

How Can You Be Safe From Tainted Food?

There are plenty of avenues for you to explore when you need to ensure you avoid consumption of tainted food. The first and most notable one is ensuring that you avoid preparing food when you are sick. This is because the chances of contaminating the food with disease causing pathogens is higher. Avoiding consumption of raw and under-cooked food is another way of ensuring you limit your chances of consuming tainted food. Keeping yourself appraised of the process from production to distribution of food elements especially the processed food products can also give you an insight as to the viability. Ensuring that you also store food elements in the right temperature ranges is critical in guaranteeing you do not facilitate a breeding ground for mold and fungi.

Adoption of policies governing transportation, storage, and distribution of food elements by companies and retailers is also an effective pathway of ensuring that food elements are not tainted. This is what will guarantee food safety, nutrition and security.