Food poisoning is one of the most dreaded diseases among humans. Why? Imagine you had your best dinner in a long time and soon enough, you are vomiting all over, having unimaginable stomach pain, bloating, sweating and what not. Isn’t it a mood spoiler? Yes, it is. Remember, it is the spoilt food or contamination of food that causes food poisoning. There are many causes and symptoms of food poisoning which we will discuss in detail in this blog.

Why you should know the causes and symptoms of food poisoning?

Well, there are many types of conditions and diseases related to food and the stomach. Therefore, next time when you visit your doctor with bouts of vomiting or diarrhoea, you will have better clarity about your condition with the valuable details provided. Moreover, you can ask some smart questions to your doctor and get the best answers.

If you want to prevent yourself from food poisoning at home, get a LAL HIT and kill pests like cockroaches. How does the cockroach come into the picture? Find out about food poisoning, cockroaches and much more below.

CAUSES

Millions of people all around the world suffer from food poisoning every year. In many cases, thousands of people die due to food poisoning as well. So, what are the causes of food poisoning? Many factors together combine to cause food poisoning and we have divided them into three parts. 

PATHOGENS

Like any other disease, food poisoning is caused by pathogens like bacteria, viruses, and parasites. These are small living organisms but cause big trouble in humans. These invisible enemies creep into the food sources and enter the stomach. And the havoc they cause is unimaginable. If you have experienced food poisoning once in your lifetime, you know how it feels. 

We have listed some of the most common germs and parasite names that cause food poisoning. The names might sound strange but that’s exactly what you are going to hear from the doctor. Perhaps you can skip the list if you don’t want to add to the woes and jump to the next section. 

• E. coli
• Listeria
• Norovirus
• Salmonella
• Staphylococcus aureus – Staph
• Campylobacter
• Trichinella Spiralis

We know you may find it interesting only if you are or were a science student. Nevertheless, you should know about it and keep it in mind for the larger goal - which is prevention from food poisoning at all costs.

CARRIERS

Now, this is the interesting part. Pathogens do not move by themselves. They need carriers. Take any disease like dengue or malaria, mosquitoes carry the parasite causing malaria. Similarly, food poisoning is caused by a carrier called cockroach majorly. Other pests and rodents like rats join them in this pursuit. Both are commonly found in Indian kitchen and homes. 

Cockroaches love contaminated, dirty, pathogen-filled foods. They eat it and thereby carry pathogens. Or else, the pathogens in the garbage and other filthy places get attached to its body. Once it reaches your kitchen it can pass on the pathogens to food and other surfaces from its saliva and waste. Yuck! But that’s how it happens. 

Primarily, carriers are the main causes of food poisoning. But there are other factors too. As mentioned before, you need to be ready with a LAL HIT always to kill these carriers like cockroaches, rats and rodents. They are too dangerous to be left alone.

Did you know?

There are more than 250 types of food poisoning caused by different types of germs and parasites.

FOOD & OTHER RISK FACTORS

 Risk of food poisoning increases with the following:

• Improper hygiene
• Improper Heating of food
• Undercooked meat
• Unpasteurized dairy products
• Unwashed fruits and vegetable

Food Poisoning Symptoms

There are different types of symptoms which may differ due to various factors like source of infection, kind of pathogen ingested and other physical condition. Look out for these common signs and symptoms of food poisoning:

• Abdominal Pain and Cramps
• Diarrhoea
• Dehydration
• Blood in Urine
• Severe Vomiting
• High Fever
• Nausea and Vomiting
• Headaches
• Difficulty in Urine 
• Dry Mouth 
• Fever
• Weakness and Fatigue

Food Poisoning Vs Stomach Infection

Often, stomach flip-flops, nausea and vomiting can make the bathroom your favourite spot to spend time. But some may wonder whether you are experiencing food poisoning or stomach infection. The symptoms of both conditions are almost similar. So, how can you distinguish between the two? Here’s the answer:

If you go back to the list of pathogens, you will find one by the name norovirus. It causes stomach infection. Dehydration symptoms along with headache, light-headedness and dry mouth are key indicators. This disease usually appears within 1-2 days. 

Food poisoning is an umbrella term under which stomach infection may come. This is an interesting question you can perhaps throw at the doctor and get an answer. Questions like What should we eat in stomach infection or How do you get rid of stomach infection and Stomach infection symptoms will help you understand the difference.

Preventing Food poisoning

• Use LAL HIT Killer spray to eliminate the carriers like cockroaches which are the main reasons food poisoning can happen at your home and to your loved ones. These products are powerful enough to kill them and prevent dangerous cockroach infestation. 
• You can also use modern Anti Roach Gel which is an easy and hassle-free way to kill cockroaches. Godrej HIT Anti Roach Gel is effective and useful. 
• Always keep the food covered, away from the places where rats or cockroaches can reach.
• Cook food hygienically.
• Wash fruits and vegetables before eating it. 
• Heat the food correctly before eating it.
• Refrigerator should be closed correctly to preserve food and prevent contamination. 
• Keep cooked food or other eating items in tight containers.
• Keep up the general cleanliness of kitchen and rooms as it will make your home less appealing for the cockroaches.

Do not forget to use LAL HIT, the best cockroach killer spray and Anti Roach Gel, your home pest control solution from Godrej. These are some of the important products to fight against pests and keep your home safe from diseases.