Practice good overall hygiene to avoid E. coli bacteria sickness

Home

Around St. Cloud

Other Sun Publications

FREE DELIVERY!
Get Free Delivery! Request your Osceola News Gazette Today.

Login Form

2013 Summertime Fun

Osceola Hurricane Handbook 2013

2013 Sexual Predator Sexual Offender List sexualpredatorcover13

Windows on the Classroom June 2013

School Calendar
2012-2013

View our other Special Sections

Practice good overall hygiene to avoid E. coli bacteria sickness

Around Osceola

Wednesday, 03 August 2011 00:00

By Gabriela Murza
For the News-Gazette
Due to the recent E. coli outbreak in Europe that was linked to contaminated raw bean sprouts, there has been a growing concern in the United States about their safety.
While raw bean sprouts were found to be a common cause of illness among many people there, it has not been determined to be the cause of illness. Authorities say that the true cause may not be found; however, they are optimistic about their results.
Escherichia coli (E. coli) is a bacteria found in the intestines of humans and animals. Most strains pose no health threat, but there are a few strains that produce toxins which cause health problems. These are called shiga toxin- or vera toxin-producing E. coli. E. coli is transmitted by eating or handling food, produce, and vegetables that has been contaminated with the feces of infected animals and humans. This is one reason why it is extremely important to wash your hands after using the restroom, before and after handling food, after changing a diaper, after handling pets and practicing good personal hygiene when sick.
The most common symptoms of an E. coli infection is diarrhea which can become bloody, abdominal cramps, and in severe cases, kidney failure. If you suspect an infection, contact your doctor immediately before symptoms become worse. If you work in a food establishment and handle food, tell your supervisor, as the infected are not allowed to handle food and must be cleared by a doctor before returning to work.
Wash hands often and practice good overall hygiene.
Raw bean sprouts were found to be the source of the outbreak because of the warm, humid environment in which they grow. Unfortunately, this also is perfect for bacterial growth, such as E. coli. Thus, consuming sprouts that have not been cooked properly carry a high risk of food borne illness. For this same reason, it is not recommended that one grow sprouts at home. It takes only a few hours for one bacterium to multiply to hundreds of bacteria.
The best thing to do to avoid food borne illness is to cook bean sprouts thoroughly by cooking them to a temperature of 158 degrees Fahrenheit (this is the temperature at which E. coli bacteria are killed). Make sure that they are steaming hot throughout, not just warm.
As a final note, even though other vegetables have been contaminated with E. coli in the past (spinach, tomatoes, and lettuce) it is not an excuse to stop eating your vegetables. They provide many nutrients and are an important part of our diet.
For more information on this topic or related articles, visit the Center for Disease Control at www. cdc.gov, the USDA at www.fsis.usda.gov, and the University of Florida IFAS Extension website at http://solutionsforyourlife.ufl.edu.
Gabriela Murza is an extension agent with Family and Consumer Sciences/4-H, UF/IFAS Osceola County Extension Services.