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We all know that meats and some vegetables can turn out to be contaminated with some pretty nasty bacteria. But, a rather creepy new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention details a host of “new” food vehicles that have led to outbreaks of pathogens such as E. coli and salmonella.
Some of the more disturbing new vehicles include flour, sugar, and spices, as these are foods that you really can’t wash to get rid of bacteria. Other foods on the list ranged from nuts, including cashews, pistachios, and pine nuts, to various types of fish and fruits, such as blueberries, papayas, apples, and pomegranates.
A common theme for some of these novel foods associated with an outbreak was importation from another country.
Unfortunately, experts say, it may not be possible to fully protect yourself from the foodborne illness associated with some of these products.
“I think the main takeaway is to continue practicing good food safety and knowing where food comes from,” said Jennifer Cholewka, advanced clinical coordinator of metabolic and nutritional support at Mount Sinai Hospital. “You want to make sure the food you buy is as fresh as possible. “
Spices produced in the country are probably a safer bet than imported spices, said Dr Cynthia Sears, an infectious disease specialist and professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. This is because “the spices here are usually irradiated,” she added.
Frozen fruit can also be contaminated, said Dr Claire Panosian Dunavan, professor of medicine emeritus in the division of infectious diseases at the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles.
Dunavan points to the outbreak on the list that was attributed to pomegranates which were part of a frozen blend of fruits harvested around the world and sold at Costco as a good example. Fortunately, she said, because the company knew who all the buyers were that it was able to contact with a warning.
A lot of people used the frozen blend in smoothies, Dunavan said. “Smoothies are one of the foods that people can have problems with,” she added. “Freezing does not kill salmonella, norovirus or various other viruses. “
In this case, the fruit mixes were contaminated with hepatitis A. “The positive side is that many people were able to get the hepatitis A vaccine before they got sick because the virus has a long incubation period. “
Another item on the list was frogs. Not surprisingly, Sears said. “Basically all amphibians are contaminated, often with salmonella,” she added. “Eating any amphibian that is not well cooked is a risk.”
Sears advises consumers to keep track of the shelf life of foods in their refrigerators. Food shouldn’t be there for more than a week, she said. If there is even a little contamination, the pathogens can multiply to the point of making you sick, she added.
Experts agree that it is virtually impossible to protect yourself from all foodborne illnesses. It is therefore important to know the symptoms.
The signs include “severe nausea, vomiting and diarrhea – more than five to six times a day – and difficulty retaining fluids,” Sears said. “Dehydration is the biggest problem with this disease. You should call your doctor if you have these symptoms, as you may need to hydrate yourself intravenously.
In some cases, neurological symptoms can be the warning sign, Sears said. “These include numbness, tingling, feeling of paralysis,” she said, adding that these types of symptoms should also send you to the doctor.
With listeria, “most of the time the signs would be fever and chills,” Sears said. “And there may be diarrhea and discomfort. People often delay seeing a doctor and this is especially true now in the days of COVID. I want to stress that it is important to seek medical help even now. “
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