Every year, more than 8 million people get sick from the types of food they eat, and sadly around a thousand of them die. What makes the problem more difficult to manage is the fact that health experts haven't really figured out which of the hundreds of vegetables, meats, and fruits can lead to these food-borne diseases--until today.
Through a collaboration among various U.S. agencies, such as Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Food and Drug Administration, and Food and Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service, they have identified the specific viruses and bacteria you can get from the food that you eat.
For example, you are more likely to get E. coli by eating green leafy vegetables and beef, as they can lead to 75% of E. coli cases.
Most of the instances of campylobacter-related diseases may be derived from poultry and dairy, such as raw milk (unpasteurized milk).
About 31% of listeria are caused by dairy while around 50% are brought about by the fruits that you eat. The previous few weeks, listeria cases have been reported after eating certain kinds of apples.
Salmonella, meanwhile, can be present in several varieties of seeded vegetables like tomatoes as well as chicken, pork, beef, eggs, and fruit. They may also be found in sprouts.
The agencies hope that with these data, they can establish more rigid guidelines and regulations when it comes to production, storage, and transport of these kinds of food.
Illnesses caused by the bacteria, parasites, and viruses found in food usually attack the gastrointestinal tract, making it irritated and infected. Although in some cases, the body itself fights the infection and thus the person can be healed without emergency treatment, a number can result to complications that can lead to death.
The most common symptoms are abdominal cramps, vomiting, chills, and fever. In severe cases, the symptoms may be paralysis, blurred vision, and dehydration that can lead to organ failure and shock.
