Salmonella poisoning was so bad I had to sleep in the bathroom – I wouldn’t wish it on anyone
THINK food poisoning and the culprit that springs to mind is most likely raw chicken.
Earlier this year, one person died and more than 200 children were poisoned by salmonella linked to breaded chicken nuggets and goujons.
But the blame for the 2.4million cases of foodborne illness that occur every year in the UK does not lie solely with our favourite poultry.
The truth is, salmonella and other foodborne bugs can be found all over.
Just last month, 176 people fell ill and 12 were hospitalised after tucking into a bad batch of pork scratchings.
In April, the Food Standards Agency investigated 99 cases of salmonella infection linked to melons, with galia, cantaloupe and honeydew varieties in the spotlight.
Last year, more than 120 people were struck by the bug after eating Brazil nuts.
In 2018, scientists at Aston University in Birmingham said any picnic food can pose a risk, and ice cream is one of the worst offenders.
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The treat poses a danger when it is left to melt — leaving a sugary liquid that is a “perfect petri dish” for bacteria, which gets locked in when you refreeze it.
And in 2016, University of Leicester scientists warned that bagged salad can fuel the growth of nasty bugs.
For vegetarian Astoria Jones, the culprit was a rice dish served at a Thai restaurant near her home in Thornton-Cleveleys, Lancs.
“Within a few hours of eating it, I started feeling horrendous,” the 29-year-old tells Fab Daily. “I remember waking up with a fever, hot and cold sweats, sick-ness and diarrhoea. It was honestly awful.”
So bad was her bout of the foodborne bug, Astoria got as many towels as she could and made a makeshift bed around the toilet.
“I couldn’t be away from it for a second,” she adds. “I spent the first two days sleeping on the bathroom floor. It was horrendous and constant.
“It got to the point I was so empty that I was just being sick, and nothing was even coming up. I don’t wish it on anyone.”
60 DIE EACH YEAR
Aside from not sleeping for a week, Astoria lost a stone in weight and was left feeling weak. And not surprisingly, the ordeal put her right off Thai food.
She says: “I haven’t eaten at a Thai restaurant since. I know it probably won’t happen again, but because it was so awful, I’ve completely lost the love for it.”
It’s an ordeal that resonates with Athina England, after she was struck by the bug a few hours after eating chicken at a meal celebrating her husband’s 30th birthday.
The 29-year-old from Stockport recalls: “It was horrendous.
“I felt OK until after midnight, then I started vomiting and had diarrhoea.” Athina suffers from ulcerative colitis, which causes the bowel to become inflamed, so she called NHS 111 and her hospital doctors for advice.
She says: “They told me to stop eating and stick with fluids, which I couldn’t keep down for three days.
“The meal was on the Saturday night and I didn’t stop constantly retching until the following Wednesday.”
While it was first seen under the microscope in 1880, traces of salmonella have been found in human remains dating back 6,500 years.
A bacteria that infiltrates the gut, it causes sickness and diarrhoea and around 60 people in the UK die from the condition each year.
Michael Wight, head of food safety at the FSA, tells Fab Daily: “Salmonella infection, or salmonellosis, is usually spread by inadequate cooking and cross-contamination, although it can be found in ready-to-eat foods.
“It can be severe and lead to hospitalisation, especially in the very young, elderly and those with weakened immune systems.”
Registered nutritionist Rhiannon Lambert explains that salmonella is the second- most common bacterial cause of gastrointestinal illness in the UK.
She warns: “It can be very contagious and can be spread by someone who has contracted it even if they are not showing any symptoms.
“While food is the most common source of infect-ion, often due to raw or under-cooked meats and milk or unwashed or unpeeled fruit and veg, you can also catch it from animals, fish and other people who are infected.”
In most cases, people recover without any specific treatment, Rhiannon adds, with the illness typically lasting three to seven days.
FOLLOW THE 4 Cs
She says: “Symptoms can vary, as can the length of time they last. For some, it can feel like flu to start with, while others immediately experience diarrhoea, stomach cramps, headaches, fever, nausea and vomiting.
“If you notice any blood in your diarrhoea or it lasts longer than 48 hours along with extreme abdominal pain, it’s important to see a doctor.”
Michael from the FSA adds that most people can avoid all forms of food poisoning by following the so-called 4Cs — chilling, cleaning, cooking and avoiding cross-contamination.
While Athina is regularly in hospital for her ulcerative colitis, she says her bout of salmonella poisoning was the most sick she’s ever felt.
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She adds: “It took me a week to recover. I felt so bad, I couldn’t get out of bed except to go to the bathroom and spent the whole time asleep. I sent my husband out to get me Lucozade and lemonade and he had to refill my glass because I didn’t have the energy to do it myself.
“The worst part was the retching. I lost about half a stone in weight, too.”
Mums-to-be must take extra care
NUTRITIONIST Kim Pearson says salmonella is relatively low-risk during pregnancy, but stresses it is something mums-to-be need to be wary of.
She says: “A lot of advice on what to avoid in pregnancy is there because of salmonella – like avoiding runny yolks unless from eggs bearing the British Lion Standard, and raw egg recipes such as hollandaise or homemade ice cream.
She adds: “While the advice for pregnant women in terms of treating salmonella infection is the same as for the general population, there are ways expectant mums can lessen their risk.”
LISTEN FOR THE POP: Make sure the lids of jars don’t depress when you buy them and ensure salads in bags, and other bagged foods, always pop when they are opened. If your packaging doesn’t seem secure, your food could be at risk of salmonella.
SKIP UNPASTEURISED FOODS: Raw milks, raw- milk cheeses, blue cheeses and any mould-ripened cheese could all carry salmonella. The NHS currently advises avoiding them during pregnancy.
WASH YOUR HANDS: We’re accustomed to washing our hands because of the Covid pandemic, but during pregnancy we could come into contact with salmonella from pets, animal faeces, even fish – so wash your hands frequently to reduce the risk.
MICROWAVE SPONGES: When you’re done with food prep, all of us wipe down the area with the kitchen sponge, but how many of us wash our sponges well enough? A quick and easy way to get rid of salmonella and all bacteria is to wet your sponge and put it in the microwave for 90 seconds.
KEEP SEPARATE CHOPPING BOARDS: Cross- contamination of any kind is a risk for salmonella infection and all types of food poisoning. To avoid this, keep boards for fish, meat, vegetables and salad separate.
CHOOSE FREE RANGE: When animals aren’t cramped together in small pens, they’re less likely to share and spread diseases. For welfare as much as health, make sure you’re choosing the best-quality meats your budget can afford.
