Monday, January 19, 2009

Eat healthy, Eat clean

I was so worried when the news came out about salmonella in some US produce peanut butter. I live with two ilonga's who were married to US citizens. Thier husband always send them goods and that includes my favorite peanut butter. I heard about the news about food having salmonella last December but i did not believe it. Lately, as TV patrol world reported, there are other products too that contains the bacteria.

So whatis salmonella?
Salmonella is a gram-negative, rod-shaped bacilli that can cause diarrheal illness in humans. They are microscopic living creatures that pass from the feces of people or animals to other people or other animals.

The Salmonella family includes over 2,300 serotypes of bacteria which are one-celled organisms too small to be seen without a microscope. Two types, Salmonella Enteritidis and Salmonella Typhimurium are the most common in the United States and account for half of all human infections. Strains that cause no symptoms in animals can make people sick, and vice versa. If present in food, it does not usually affect the taste, smell, or appearance of the food. The bacteria live in the intestinal tracts of infected animals and humans.


Food may also become contaminated by the unwashed hands of an infected food handler. Salmonella can also be found in the feces of some pets, especially those with diarrhea. People can become infected if they do not wash their hands after contact with these feces.

I consulted my dactor yesterday and he said some humans are already immune to the bacteria. But, as the sayong goes, prevention is better than cure. Its always advised to wash hands before eating to avoid contamination.

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