Bacterial Infection: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment & Prevention
Cami Wells: Understanding Dates On Canned Food
If stored properly, a food product can be safe and of good quality after its use-by or best-by date. Store commercially canned foods and other shelf stable products in a cool, dry place. Never put them above the stove, under the sink, in a damp garage or basement, or any place exposed to high or low temperature extremes.
RON WINGARD PHOTOGRAPHY,METRO CREATIVE SERVICESFood safety is a major concern. It is estimated that there are 48 million cases of foodborne illness or food poisoning each year — affecting roughly 1 in 6 Americans.
Food waste is also a major concern. Wasted food is a huge challenge to our natural resources, our environment, and our pocketbooks.
Can we have safe food while throwing away less? Food waste can result from not knowing what food product dating actually means, along with uncertainty about how to store food properly.
Except for infant formula, dates on food products are not required by any federal law or regulation. Makers/packers of food use food dates to help ensure consumers buy or use their products while they are at what the maker/packer considers their best quality.
A "sell-by" date indicates a product should not be sold after that date if the buyer is to have it at its best quality.
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A "use-by" or "best-by" date is the maker's estimate of how long a product will keep at its best quality.
These are quality dates only, not safety dates. If stored properly, a food product can be safe and of good quality after its use-by or best-by date.
How long can I keep canned food? Store commercially canned foods and other shelf stable products in a cool, dry place. Never put them above the stove, under the sink, in a damp garage or basement, or any place exposed to high or low temperature extremes. Commercially canned foods can keep quite a long time, especially if kept in good condition (no dents, swelling, or rust) and have been stored in a cool, clean, dry place.
Does it make a difference on what type of canned food I have? High acid foods such as tomatoes and other fruit will keep their best quality up to 18 months. Can linings might discolor or corrode when metal reacts with high-acid foods such as tomatoes or pineapple. As long as the can is in good shape, the contents should be safe to eat.
Low acid foods such as meat and vegetables can maintain good quality for two to five years. Home canned foods should be used within one year. While extremely rare, a toxin produced by Clostridium botulinum is the worst danger in canned goods.
What are signs of possible botulism contamination? Warning signs include leaking, bulging or badly dented cans; cracked jars or jars with loose or bulging lids; canned food with a foul odor; or any container that spurts liquid when opening. Even a tiny amount of botulinum toxin can be deadly.
Adding vegetables to soups can be an easy way to use up canned and frozen vegetables and incorporate more into your diet. This Six Can Chicken Tortilla Soup is a good place to start.
NEBRASKA EXTENSION Six Can Chicken Tortilla Soup1 (15 ounce) can corn, drained
2 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth, low sodium
1 (10 ounce) can chicken, drained
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chilies, drained
3 ounces low-fat Cheddar cheese, shredded
Wash hands with soap and water.
In a large saucepan, combine corn, chicken broth, chicken, black beans and tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer until heated through.
Serve over tortilla chips and top with a little cheese.
Store leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Nutrition information per serving: Calories: 320, total fat 10g, saturated fat 2g, cholesterol 25mg, sodium 680mg, total carbohydrates 41g, fiber 6g, protein 20g.
Cami Wells is an Extension Educator for Nebraska Extension in Hall County. Contact Cami by phone at 308-385-5088, by email at cwells2@unl.Edu or visit the Hall County website at www.Hall.Unl.Edu
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Urgent Warning In 29 States After Canned Beverage Is Recalled Over Potentially Deadly Bacteria Contamination
An urgent warning has been issued in 29 states after a brand of coconut water was recalled due to potential bacterial contamination.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) initiated the recall for Jarritos Coconut Water 12-can cartons produced by Tipp Distributors, totaling more than two million cans and nearly 170,000 cases.
The affected product is the 17.5-fluid-ounce size, and all lot numbers have been recalled.
The issue stems from a potentially compromised seal on the cans, allowing bacteria to enter, possibly leading to botulism poisoning.
The recalled product was distributed in the following states: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin.
Botulism can 'paralyze the muscles needed for breathing, resulting in sudden death.'
Earlier this month, the FDA classified the recall as a Class II, indicating that 'a product has a low chance of causing serious injury or death, but there is still a possibility of adverse health consequences.'
The agency is urging consumers to dispose of Jarritos Coconut Water and seek immediate medical attention if they experience symptoms of botulism.
The US Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) initiated the recall for Jarritos Coconut Water 12-can cartons, produced by Tipp Distributors, totaling more than two million cans and nearly 170,000 cases
Tipp Distributors is notifying consignees or the public of the recall by email.
The recall was initiated on November 4 and reclassified by the FDA on December 10, noting that it is still ongoing.
ConsumerLab.Com said in a report: 'Clostridium botulinum is bacterium that can cause botulism, a potentially fatal form of food poisoning.
'Symptoms include general weakness, muscle weakness, dizziness, double-vision, abdominal tension, constipation, trouble with speaking or swallowing and difficulty in breathing.'
Botulism most commonly occurs in homemade canning when food is improperly preserved.
In the past, botulism has been linked to foods like sardines, pesto, tomatoes, and pickles.
The illness does not spread from person to person, and there is no risk to the general population.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states: 'In foodborne botulism, symptoms generally begin 18 to 36 hours after eating contaminated food.
'However, symptoms can begin as soon as 6 hours after or up to 10 days later.'
The affected product is the 17.5-fluid-ounce size, and all lot numbers have been recalled
The issue stems from a potentially compromised seal on the cans, allowing bacteria to enter, which could lead to botulism poisoning
Botulism is caused by consuming foods contaminated with the bacteria Clostridium botulinum.
These toxins attack the nervous system and can cause paralysis.
Earlier this year, a woman in Colorado was left paralyzed and fighting for her life after fighting a deadly bacterial infection that her friends thought she got from canned soup.
Snowboarder Claudia de Albuquerque Celada, 23, originally from Brazil, was on a work exchange program in Aspen when she started suffering dizziness, double vision, and trouble breathing.
Within 24 hours, all of the muscles in her body became paralyzed, leaving her on a ventilator.
It took about two weeks of testing before doctors determined she fell ill with botulism.
Albuquerque Celada's sister, Luisa Albuquerque, wrote on Instagram that her sister moved to Colorado in November for her 'dream job,' though it's unclear what industry she worked in.
About 15 days after purchasing the soup, Luisa said that her sister left work early as she started to feel ill. 'She took a shower, had dinner and went to bed, but she had shortness of breath, blurred vision and dizziness,' Luisa told Portugese outlet UOL.
'She sent a message to her friends to go to her apartment, but they only say it in the morning.'
'When they arrived, my sister was already much worse, she could barely breathe on her own and she had facial paralysis.'
She also suffered weak muscles, arms, and legs. Some other very weak muscles, weak arms, weak legs.
'She went to the hospital and, soon after, she was 100 percent paralyzed,' Luisa said.
Doctors are now optimistic about her recovery after months of therapy she has the ability to write her name and breathe for an hour with the help of a respirator.
Why Do Some People Get Food Poisoning More Easily Than Others?
Do you have an iron stomach that doesn't seem to be affected by dodgy food or do you get an upset tummy from the slightest thing? There could be a reason for that…
The UK reports 1 million cases of food poisoning every year, according to the Food Standard's Agency. And each summer there is an increase in cases. This could simply be down to the fact that bacteria multiplies faster in warmer temperatures, but the FSA thinks it could also be a potential consequence of a seasonal increase in uncooked or cross contaminated barbecue food.
But whether it's due to unsafe barbecue food, careless food storage or just eating leftovers that are slightly dodgy, some people are more likely to get food poisoning than others. Here's why…
Immune systems varyDr Tristan Cogan, senior lecturer in infectious disease, Bristol University explains, "everybody's immune system is different – one person may have been exposed to a bacterium before and have some immunity to it."
There are other factors that can affect your immunity levels, too, "including some genetic ones," says Dr. Kimon Andreas Karatzas, associate professor in food microbiology, University of Reading, adding: "The acidity of the stomach is different from person to person and clearly a more acidic stomach can kill more pathogenic microbes and offer protection.
"The gut microbiota is also important, especially for pathogens like clostridium perfringens and this varies from person-to-person."
"Pregnant women, infants, people with weakened immune system due to a treatment and the elderly are more at risk of food poisoning," says Karatzas, explaining: "The main reason is their immune system is low and cannot protect them very well from foodborne pathogens."
"Age plays a big role," adds Cogan. "With very young and older people whose immune systems might not be so good being more likely to get more ill. We also know that there's more disease seen in the late teens and early 20s, though that's probably due to leaving home, experiencing cooking for the first time and experimenting with what and where you eat."
Some foods are riskier than othersThe NHS explains that 'any type of food can cause food poisoning'. However, unsurprisingly, some foods are more often responsible including chicken and shellfish (including oysters), says Karatzas. But there's another common culprit that might surprise you.
"Interestingly, although salads are very important for their nutritional value, they are major contributors of food poisoning, but consumers do not expect this.
"Microbes causing food poisoning also love nutritious foods," he explains.
Some bacteria are more harmful than othersCogan explains: "The big differences in response to food poisoning are down to the type of bacteria.
"Bacteria like toxigenic E. Coli as we've seen in recent outbreaks are some of the nastier ones.
"Some bacteria will make you feel ill for a few days, while others can attack different organs in your body and cause more severe disease.
Karatzas explains that "campylobacter is the most common cause of food poisoning in the UK" and this is frequently associated with chicken.
"On the other hand, while salmonella is the second most common cause, food poisoning from eggs has reduced dramatically as levels of salmonella have almost been eliminated from the British Lion eggs."
Talking about the severity of symptoms, Karatzas explains: "Although campylobacter is the most common cause of foodborne illness, listeria monocytogenes is the most deadly one killing close to one in three patients who contract it."
What about the five (or three) second rule?If you're a food risk taker, knowingly eating food that's either past its best or has been questionably stored, could make you more vulnerable. And we hate to break it to you but the 'five second rule' doesn't really exist.
Cogan explains: "If you drop food on the floor bacteria will stick to it immediately, they are incredibly good at sticking to things. The longer you leave it, it's true the more bacteria may attach, but you have no way of telling how many bacteria are now attached to the food you dropped, what they are or how sick they could make you."
How to protect yourself from food poisoning"The number one precaution is keeping cooked, raw and food meant to be eaten raw apart in the kitchen and when they are being stored," says Cogan, before adding: "Cross contamination between raw and cooked food by contact or from chopping boards and utensils is a huge source of food poisoning.
"This rule goes for unwashed vegetables too, wash them before preparing them. Don't wash raw meat, though, you will just splash any bacteria on it around the kitchen."
Likewise, Cogan warns against trying to increase your immunity through intentionally consuming food that might give you food poisoning.
"It's true that populations of people who are routinely exposed to diseases build up immunity. And there's a theory that eating small amounts of food that's got bacteria in will help you build up immunity, but the people who are telling you that are those who survived doing it.
"It would be very difficult to judge how much bad food would be safe. In the populations where we see immunity to disease because of exposure to bacteria we also see significant mortality from these same diseases. Doing this on purpose is a high-risk strategy."
How to treat food poisoning"Drink plenty of water to avoid getting dehydrated," says Cogan. "And stay off school or work until you haven't been sick or had diarrhoea for two days – as some viruses can be spread person-to-person as well as on food.
"In most cases your body will fight the infection off in a few days. If you can't keep fluids down, are dehydrated, or are bleeding call 111," adds the expert.
And when you're recovering, you'll want to adjust your diet, finishes Cogan: "Eat small light meals to start with. Low fat and low fibre until you start to feel better. In young and older people rehydration solutions can help recovery too and pharmacists can advise on this."
Originally published July 2024
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