Information provided courtesy of the Summit County Health Department, 1100 Graham Circle, Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44224. (330) 923-4891.

Are You Sure it's the Flu?

What are Food-Borne Illnesses?

Food-Borne Illnesses are the sickness that results from eating foods that are contaminated with harmful bacteria and other microorganisms.

Symptoms of food-borne illnesses, sometimes referred to as food poisoning, are similar to those of stomach flu, are:

• headache
• fever
• chills
• vomiting and nausea
• diarrhea
• abdominal cramps
• extreme exhaustion

Symptoms can appear as soon as 30 minutes or as long as 3 days after eating tainted foods.

You should suspect a food-related illness if:

• Other people who ate the same food are also ill.
• Other people who ate in the same restaurant are also ill.
• You have eaten unrefrigerated food.

Call your health care provider about any symptoms you may be having, especially if you are among a high risk population which includes:

• infants and children;
• people who are elderly;
• people with weak immune systems.

Keep any suspected leftover foods for testing.

There are four simple steps to prevent Food-Borne Illnesses

Clean - counter tops and cutting boards along with floors, walls and ceilings. Utensils and dishes must also be kept clean.

Separate - cooked foods from uncooked foods, and raw foods from ready-to-eat foods.

Cook - cook and reheat foods to proper temperatures. Thermometers are essential.

Chill - Refrigerate or freeze perishables, prepared foods and/or leftovers.