Foods that can cause food poisoning

Foods that can cause food poisoning (Thinkstock photos/Getty Images)

Much maligned as the number one excuse for missing work, food poisoning is a real phenomenon, especially for us urban folk.

It can lead to diarrhea, nausea, vomiting or cramping within 48 hours of consuming any contaminated food or drink. In some unfortunate cases, it can be life threatening too. Yes, food poisoning is no pretty sight. But, are you aware of which foods to be weary of to avoid food poisoning? They lurk everywhere. Here's a quick list of foods that can cause food poisoning if you don't take care of how you consume them...

Eggs. This in no way applies to all eggs. As with other foods, sometimes eggs can be contaminated by certain harmful bacteria - Salmonella being the most dangerous. If you consume a raw egg that is infected, you could show symptoms of severe food poisoning. To prevent this - always buy eggs from a clean and credible store, wash mildly and store in a refrigerator as soon as you get home. Always cook eggs well before consuming them, and ensure that you resort to proper medication at the first instance of any food poisoning symptoms.

Tuna. Tuna can be contaminated with scombrotoxin, which can lead to cramps and headaches. Make certain that tuna is kept cool (on ice) after being caught because if it gets too hot it can release toxins, which will be difficult to kill by cooking. Undercooked tuna is also cause for concern. To avoid food poisoning from tuna, ensure that it's refrigerated well, and cooked thoroughly. Also, attempting raw tuna dishes without being sure of how and where the fish came from is dubious.

Oysters. Oysters and other shellfish in general are seen as potent food poisoning threats that could catch you completely unaware. The quality of the water in which they breed has a lot to do with this phenomenon. If the water they are filtering on is polluted, then chances are the oysters are contaminated. Food poisoning caused by shellfish can lead to symptoms like vomiting, fever, diarrhea, amongst others. Take care to buy them for well-established and clean sources.

Potatoes. Food poisoning from potatoes is very rare, but not impossible since raw potatoes can sometimes be of a 'wild' variety that contains toxins to ward off predators. Most breeders control this toxicity in potatoes, but even farmed potatoes could turn green, change colour and display properties of being contaminated. Cooking at high heats takes care of these toxins, which is why you must be weary of the potato's colour and texture before adding it in a raw state to any food.

Cheese. Cheese can easily be contaminated with bacterias such as Salmonellaor Listeria, which can, in very extreme and rare cases also lead to miscarriages. No wonder, pregnant women are advised to stay away from cheese varieties such as blue-veined, camembert, brie and feta. Make sure you are not purchasing lose cheese from the market. Always go for branded sealed packed cheese, and do check for its expiry date.

Berries. Some people can be allergic to berries while others might be fond of berries to the extent that they don't mind eating frozen berries - and that is where the germ called Cyclospora lurks, which is an easy cause of cramps, dehydration and diarrhea. Cyclospora can be present in all kind of berries strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries.

Source: Times of India 

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