Every year around 40,000 cases of food poisoning occur in Europe , causing 3,300 hospitalizations and costing about twenty people. This is highlighted by Julia Ocón, area specialist of the Endocrinology and Nutrition Service of the Hospital Clinico Universitario Lozano Blesa, in Zaragoza, and member of the management committee of the Nutrition area of the Spanish Society of Endocrinology and Nutrition (SEEN).
“In the majority of cases they are the consequence of an incorrect treatment of food during its obtaining, transformation, storage and preparation,” says the expert. The prevalence of these food poisonings is higher in summer, when high temperatures and the greatest number meals away from home increase the risk of consuming water or food contaminated by pathogens.
These diseases have an incubation period of approximately 12 to 72 hours , with a highly variable process duration that can occur in a matter of hours up to a week , depending on the causal germ. The main groups of microorganisms that cause food poisoning in summer are Salmonella , Campylobacter , Escherichia Coli , Bacillus , Clostridium and Staphylococcus bacterial toxins and some viruses such as the norovirus group.
The most common symptoms of food poisoning are digestive in nature: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea that may be bloody, abdominal pain , and sometimes fever . Depending on the severity of the condition, the patient may need to be hospitalized “due to a situation of dehydration, electrolyte disturbances, kidney failure, systemic involvement and shock, which, even in extreme cases, can be fatal,” explains Ocón. Therefore, as soon as the first manifestations appear, it is advisable to go to the primary care doctor to carry out a general clinical evaluation, assess the severity of the process and possible transfer to a hospital, as well as take samples for a microbiological analysis and start a treatment that, in general, will be aimed at preventing or correcting dehydration.
The goal of dietary treatment is to reduce the stimulation of gastrointestinal secretions and slow down the speed of intestinal transit. “In the first hours , a certain digestive rest is recommended, although the nutritional intake must be maintained, particularly in the malnourished subject,” specifies the specialist at Lozano Blesa.
What are the foods that cause more poisoning in summer?
In general, fresh products with a high water content and those rich in protein .
- Dairy and derivatives: creams, creams.
Who is more vulnerable to food poisoning?
People who may have more complications are:
- Small children.
- Pregnant women.
- Patients with chronic diseases.
- Sick with a depressed immune system.
What foods should be avoided when poisoning occurs?
When food poisoning has already occurred, it is advisable to avoid eating foods that contain insoluble fiber , among others.
- Fruits, vegetables, cereals and legumes (sources of fiber).
- Fats
- Very sugary fruit juices.
What foods are good in case of poisoning?
Those who are part of the soft diet.
- Cooked apple.
- Boiled fish, chicken and turkey.
