Anybody can get sick from the food they consume. Bacteria can cause food poisoning. After eating food that has been contaminated with germs or toxic substances, you can suffer food poisoning or foodborne illnesses.

Research by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that each year, 48 million people get sick from a foodborne illness, 128,000 are hospitalised, and 3,000 die from food poisoning worldwide.

Private Kamanzi, a nutritionist at Amazon Nutrition Cabinet, a clinic in Kigali that deals with diet, physical wellness and lifestyle, says food poisoning is a common illness that is caused when good hygiene is not observed, especially when handling food.

Although it’s treatable, he says food poisoning is costly as well, therefore, it is better to prevent it. 

Kamanzi says some of the signs include diarrhoea, vomiting, upset stomach, or nausea.

Also, high fever, bloody stools, frequent vomiting that prevents keeping liquids down, which can lead to dehydration, and diarrhoea that lasts more than three days.

All these, he says, are indicators that one needs to see a physician because they are likely to food poisoning.

Prevention

Food hygiene is all about preparing and storing food in a way that reduces the risk of getting sick.

With this in mind, Kamanzi says ensuring good hygiene is important, and it all starts with personal cleanliness.

He explains that personal hygiene can prevent food poisoning since the bacteria that cause food poisoning can be anywhere. One can spread bacteria from themselves to the food if they happen to touch their nose, mouth, hair, or even clothes, and then food.

Dr Janvier Rusizana, a general practitioner at La Nouvelle Clinic, Kigali, says to prevent food poisoning, wash your hands and work surfaces before, during, and after preparing food.

He notes that this is because germs can survive in many places around kitchen, including hands, utensils, cutting boards, and on other surfaces.

He says it’s also ideal to always ensure you separate raw meat and eggs from ready-to-eat foods.

Another important aspect to consider, Rusizana says, is to cook food at the right temperature in order to kill harmful bacteria.

Who is at risk?

Francis Kazungu, a medic in Kigali, says anyone can get food poisoning, however, some groups of people are more likely to get sick, or have a more serious illness than others.

He explains that this is so because their ability to fight germs and sickness is not as effective for various reasons.

These people include adults aged 65 and older, children younger than age of five, people whose immune systems are weakened by health conditions or medicine used to treat them, including people with diabetes, liver or kidney diseases, HIV/AIDS, among other groups.

For this vulnerable group of people, Kazungu says the best way is to stay away from consuming certain foods such as undercooked or raw food from animals (such as beef, pork, chicken, turkey, eggs, or seafood), unpasteurised (raw) milk and juices.

Other measures

According to Kamanzi, it’s essential for anyone to stay away from food that is served in a lukewarm or cold state. Also, food should be served hot.

"When you are eating from a restaurant, you should ensure that the food you are being served is steaming. Germs that cause food poisoning tend to grow quickly when food is in the danger zone, between 4.44 and 60 degrees Celsius,” he says.

For vegetables and fruits, he says, select and prepare them well. He adds that it’s important to keep in mind that sometimes raw fruits and vegetables contain germs that can make one sick if they are not washed and prepared well.

The nutritionist adds that it’s important to keep in mind that the safest food is cooked, however, one can still enjoy uncooked fruits and vegetables by washing them thoroughly under running water because germs on the peels can get inside fruits and vegetables when you cut them.