Food poisoning can strike anyone at any time. Your best defence is being alert and knowing the causes, symptoms and possible prevention tips. This blog aims to provide you with all the information you need on how to avoid food poisoning and much more. 

Nothing affects your health and spoils a day like food poisoning. It is hard to imagine how the delicious and tasty food you had can cause such havoc. Know that you are not alone. The outbreaks of infectious diseases due to food poisoning are reported on a fairly regular basis in India.

What’s more, thousands are hospitalized every year and many more even die due to lack of treatment for food poisoning. While it is true that the source of food poisoning is mainly the food cooked in the open at hotels, contaminated food at canteens, hostels and wedding venues, the second most common source is in the home.  

Did you know? 

Milk is the most common contaminated product which causes food poisoning cases in India.

What is Food Poisoning?

Food poisoning is a food-borne disease caused by eating unhygienic, spoiled or contaminated food. Naturally, the question arises - What causes contamination?

It is interesting to note that we live in an environment surrounded by tiny living microorganisms like bacteria, virus and parasite all the time. And yet, somehow the harmful ones creep into the food sources and cause food contamination, wreaking havoc on the digestive system.

Food Poisoning Symptoms

Food poisoning symptoms can greatly vary from one person to another depending on the source. Also, the symptoms can be mild to severe. It is important to note that symptoms take time to emerge sometimes and can last for many days.

 You can easily spot the common signs and symptoms of food poisoning with the list provided below:

• Abdominal Pain and Cramps
• Diarrhoea
• Dehydration
• Nausea and Vomiting
• Headaches
• Fever
• Weakness and Fatigue

Sign of food poisoning in severe cases

• Difficulty in Urine 
• Blood in Urine
• Severe Vomiting
• High Fever
• Dry Mouth 

Did You Know?

Children, older people, and those with a weak immune system are at an increased risk for food poisoning. Pregnant women are also vulnerable.

Food Poisoning Causes

Salmonella, Campylobacter and E.coli are some of the pathogens that commonly contaminate food. They are as dangerous as their name sounds. Contamination can happen when you prepare food at home, store the food in the cabinet or fridge and even during consumption. But there is much more to food poisoning causes than what it seems to be. 

Ever wondered, how these tiny living organisms reach the food source? Not much thought has been given to the agents and their nefarious activities that bring the deadly pathogens to the kitchen, dining table and ultimately inside our stomach. Find more about them below: 

Cockroaches, a common enemy in Indian households are known to thrive where filth and poor hygiene prevail. As they feed on dirty food and live around it, cockroaches carry a wide range of pathogens and infect the food sources. 

How exactly do cockroaches cause food poisoning?

There are three ways cockroaches contaminate food. First, cockroaches feed on contaminated food which stays in their digestive system. The excreta released known as droppings contaminate the food and surfaces nearby. 

Secondly, cockroach saliva is known to act in the same manner as the droppings contaminating the food. 

Lastly, cockroach habitats include drains, garbage, sewers and whatnot. Bacteria and viruses get attached to their bodies. These body parts when rub against food or surface leads to contamination.

People often use sprays like LAL HIT to kill hidden cockroaches and it is really effective in the fight against the nasty insect.

What about Pests and Rodents?

Rodents like Rats and Houseflies are known to contaminate food as well as everything in contact leading to food poisoning. 

The site of rats and pests crawling over the food, utensils and cabinets in the kitchen is sickening to the say the least. Using popular pest spray like KALA HIT and HIT Rat Glue Pad are helpful in keeping homes safe from pests.

Food Poisoning Treatment

Hospitalization would be required in case you experience severe symptoms of food poisoning. Generally, you should be fine within a few days. Else, the doctor would suggest long-term care and rest.

Treatment of food poisoning may include the following:

• Medicines
• Light Nutritious Diet
• Oral Rehydration Solution - ORS
• Lots of fluid intake, juices, soups 
• Sleep and rest

Did you know?

1 in 10 people is affected by food-borne illnesses according to the World Health Organization - WHO. 

Food Poisoning Prevention 

Better be safe than sick should be your motto. 

Some general food poisoning prevention tips include:

• Eat fresh food
• Avoid food from unhygienic places
• Wash hands before eating
• Check expiry dates of purchased food
• Wash fruits and vegetables 

Food poisoning prevention can also be achieved in 3 steps: Careful Food preparation, Safe Food storage and Keeping the kitchen free of pests, rodents and flies. Find out how you can achieve it.

Careful Food preparation

• Wash your hands before preparing food. If you are eating fruits and raw vegetables, make sure to wash them thoroughly to remove any kind of contaminants attached to it. 
• Prevent cross-contamination by separating the raw food used for cooking and foods that are served raw like salads. 
• Cook the food well up to at least 75-degree temperature. This will kill most pathogens. 

Safe Food storage 

• Keep the prepared food in the tightly closed containers.
• Store the perishable items in the refrigerator.
• Avoid keeping the food or other eatables near the kitchen sink or places where cockroaches or pests can easily infiltrate or have their habitats. 

Keeping kitchen free of pests, rodents and flies 

One of the best ways to combat food poisoning is to prevent the menace of pests, rodents and flies hiding behind the kitchen cabinets who unleash chaos invisibly by spreading the dangerous pathogens into our food sources. 

What can you do? How to prevent food poisoning caused indirectly by cockroaches & pests?

• Keep your kitchen clean and dry 
• Clean the kitchen cabinets regularly 
• Dispose of the waste regularly and away from the kitchen 

Yet, these intruders are hard to keep at bay and you may find them creeping all over the kitchen and make you feel disgusting. Godrej HIT has a wide range of effective products which keeps your kitchen pest-free. 

LAL HIT kills cockroaches whereas KALA HIT can eliminate houseflies. HIT Anti Roach Gel is another hassle-free pest control product to get rid of cockroaches Adding Godrej HIT products to your cabin will help to kill the contaminant agents and thus prevent food poisoning from happening at your home.