When people go to restaurants, hotels and places that serve food in Florida, many of them are not aware of the dangers they face when their food is not prepared properly. According to the Statistic Brain Institute, 325,000 victims are hospitalized each year because of foodborne illnesses. Thousands of other people suffer mild to no symptoms from eating contaminated food. Some people suffer severe reactions to foodborne pathogens, such as paralysis, respiratory distress and even death.
It is important for people to learn about the common causes of food poisoning so they can avoid eating unsafe foods.
Improper storage
When people store food at the wrong temperatures, the number of bacteria, viruses and contaminants they contain increases. They should not serve food that is not kept at the right serving temperatures. Once prepared or cooked, food workers should place food into refrigerators and walk-in coolers to store them safely until it is time to serve them.
Unsanitary preparation
Food workers who do not wash their hands after while handling foods can contaminate them. People who handle foods should wash their hands before and after they touch food, cooking equipment and food prep surfaces.
Uncooked foods
Raw food can harbor high levels of bacteria and germs that are toxic to humans. People who eat raw and uncooked foods may experience weakness, pain in their abdomens and rectal areas, gastrointestinal distress and other debilitating symptoms. In serious cases, they may experience trouble breathing, blurred vision, loss of muscle control, unconsciousness and death, states MayoClinic.org.
Some food poisoning victims and their loved ones may file lawsuits against owners of food establishments where they were served contaminated food for negligence. However, establishing liability in food poisoning cases is not easy. To avoid the distress, medical issues and risk of death that foodborne illnesses cause, people should pay attention to how their food is prepared and exercise caution when eating food from places outside of their homes.