Infections due to food: How can they be avoided? Naturopathy Naturopathy Specialist Portal

Kitchen hygiene is crucial for infection protection

Microbially contaminated foods trigger a year in Germany, more than 100,000 of the reported diseases, which in many cases, the lack of Hygiene in the preparation of the cause. The Federal centre for nutrition (BZfE) has summarised some of the simple rules of hygiene for the preparation of food, to reduce the risk of disease significantly.

“Sick by improper food handling? This happens more often than you think,“ the message of the BZfE. An often underestimated danger to be microorganisms and viruses in food, “annually for more than 100,000 reported food-borne illnesses in Germany are responsible.” The wrong food handling could be to the health of the people quickly is dangerous. By proper Hygiene in the preparation of the propagation and dissemination of micro-organisms could, however, strongly reduce the risk of disease is minimized.

Food infections and poisoning

Some simple rules for kitchen hygiene can help, according to the BZfE in food infections and food poisoning to prevent. The difference between food infection and food poisoning is that first is caused by a multiplication of the pathogens from the food in the human body (for example, norovirus, or Salmonella), during the poisoning or food intoxication is caused mainly by the effect of the formed toxins (toxins).

In the case of the triggers of food, such as, for example, bacteria of the genus Staphylococcus, heat stable Enterotoxins to vomiting complaints, Nausea, and diarrhea result from a poisoning of the BZfE explained. Also by Heating of the food, such toxins will not be destroyed. Also a trigger of food poisoning fungi are. A possibility of the poisoning to prevent, however, the correct storage of food in case of strict observance of the cold chain, so that the pathogens in the first place in the food can multiply.

Twelve rules for kitchen hygiene

Most of the causes of food infections, however, are killed by thorough Heating for sure or inactivated. However, not all of the food to be heated before consumption and there is also the risk of cross-contamination in the preparation. With the following twelve simple kitchen rules, the risk, however, according to the BZfE significantly reduce:

Especially important is the observance of kitchen hygiene for infants and young children, the elderly, pregnant women and sick people whose body’s defense against pathogens from foods is still not fully developed or weakened, is the BZfE reported.

Take special care with these foods

Increased caution applies also in the case of foods that have a high protein and water content (because micro-organisms need protein for their reproduction), a large surface (on the propagated bacteria to settle and multiply; for example, minced meat) or with micro-organisms or virus-prone, for example, fruit, vegetables and herbs, spices, eggs, poultry and meat) (.

“Pay attention, among other things, on a continuous cooling or you will cook the food completely. Cool cooked food quickly and refrigerate them (for example, rice). They consume them quickly,“ summarizes the BZfE. (fp)

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