Foods that cause food poisoning

The foods that cause the most stomach ache are those eaten raw, underdone or poorly washed, as they may be full of microorganisms that inflame the intestine, causing symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain.

In addition, it is important to remember that children and pregnant women are more likely to have intestinal infections and to have more severe symptoms, as they have a weaker immune system and therefore should not eat this type of food.

Here are the 10 foods that most cause this type of problem.

1. Raw or undercooked eggs

Raw or undercooked eggs can contain the Salmonella bacteria, which causes severe symptoms of intestinal infection such as fever, stomach pain, severe diarrhea, vomiting blood in the stool and headache.

To prevent these problems, you should always consume well-done eggs and avoid the use of creams and sauces with raw eggs, especially children, as they are more sensitive to severe diarrhea and vomiting. See the symptoms of Salmonellosis here.

2. Raw salad

Raw salads are at greater risk of being contaminated if vegetables are not well washed and sanitized. Consuming raw fruits and vegetables, especially outside the home, can be a risk especially for children and pregnant women, who are more likely to be affected by foodborne illnesses, such as toxoplasmosis and cysticercosis.

To avoid this problem, you should always wash all the vegetables well, soaking them for 30 minutes in water with chlorine in the proportion of 1 liter of water for every 1 tablespoon of bleach. After removing the food from the bleach, wash it with running water to remove excess chlorine. See how to wash fruits and vegetables for other ways.

3. Canned

Canned foods can be contaminated with the bacterium Clostridium botulinum , which is usually present in foods such as heart of palm, sausage and pickled pickles. This bacterium causes botulism, a serious disease that can lead to loss of body movements. See more at: Botulism.

To prevent this disease, one should avoid consuming canned foods that are stuffed or mashed in cans, or when the liquid in the canning is cloudy and dark.

4. Rare meat

Raw or undercooked meats may be contaminated with a microorganism such as the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii, which causes toxoplasmosis, or with tapeworm larvae, which causes teniasis.

Thus, one should avoid eating rare meats, especially when one is not sure of the origin and quality of the meat, as only proper cooking can kill all microorganisms present in the food.

5. Sushi and seafood

The consumption of raw or poorly stored fish and seafood, as can happen with sushi, oysters and old fish, can cause intestinal infections that cause inflammation in the stomach and intestine, causing nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

To prevent contamination, avoid eating sushi in unfamiliar places with poor hygiene, oysters sold on the beach without being refrigerated or old fish, with a strong smell and a soft or gelatinous aspect, which indicates that the meat is no longer suitable for consumption.

6. Unpasteurized milk

Unpasteurized milk, which is milk sold raw, is rich in several bacteria that can cause intestinal infections, causing diseases such as salmonellosis and listeriosis, or symptoms of pain, vomiting and diarrhea caused by faecal coliforms.

Therefore, pasteurized milk, which is sold refrigerated in supermarkets, or UHT milk, which is canister milk, should always be consumed, as these products undergo a treatment with high temperatures to eliminate contaminating bacteria.

7. Soft cheeses

Soft cheeses such as brie, rennet and camembert are rich in water, which facilitates the proliferation of bacteria such as listeria, which can cause headaches, tremors, convulsions and meningitis, which can lead to death in the most severe cases.

To avoid this problem, one should prefer harder cheeses or industrialized cheeses with safety in manufacture, in addition to avoiding the consumption of cheeses that are normally refrigerated and sold at fairs and on the beaches.

8. Mayonnaise and sauces

Mayonnaise and homemade sauces, made with raw eggs or kept out of the fridge for a long time, are rich in bacteria that can cause intestinal infection, such as faecal coliforms and Salmonella.

Thus, the consumption of mayonnaise and homemade sauces should be avoided, especially in restaurants and snack bars that keep these sauces out of the refrigerator, which increases the proliferation of microorganisms.

9. Reheated food

Foods that are reused, made at home or come from restaurants, are major causes of food infections due to their poor storage, which favors the proliferation of bacteria.

To avoid this problem, leftover food should be stored in clean, covered containers, which should be placed in the refrigerator as soon as they cool. In addition, food can only be reheated once, and must be discarded if it is not consumed after reheating.

10. Water

Water is still a major cause of transmission of diseases such as hepatitis, leptospirosis, schistosomiasis and amebiasis, which can cause simple symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea to severe symptoms, such as liver problems.

Thus, one should always use mineral or boiled water to drink and cook food, to ensure that water will not be a source of disease for the family, and to wash your hands very well. See in the video below the steps you should follow to wash your hands properly: