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Journalism of Courage
So you thought you can only get sick of eating salads; not get sick eating salads? But studies now show that a bowl of unwashed greens could be as dangerous as that roadside chaat you eat.
The American health department recently published the results of a study indicating that there are 76 million cases of food poisoning in the US every year, killing an alarming 5,000. Back home, doctors warn that a large number of people fall ill due to contamination from food like spinach, tomatoes and lettuce. The culprit, they say, is the bacteria found in all these vegetables: Escherichia coli 0157:H7 E. coli.
People of all ages are susceptible to this infection. However, children and the elderly are more vulnerable. While the bacteria usually lie on the surface of vegetables, studies have shown that sometimes they enter the plant through the roots and no matter how well the vegetables are washed, the bacteria stay. E. coli tends to be very stubborn and is difficult to wash off even if it is on the surface of the vegetables.
8220;While the bacteria on the surface can be removed by cooking the vegetable at 71.1 degree Celsius, there is no way one can get rid of bacteria that have entered the plant,8221; says nutritionist Shikha Sharma. 8220;But the good news is that bacteria inside the plant is a very rare case,8221; adds Sharma.
This problem is as new as the trend of eating raw vegetables. 8220;Till a decade ago, people were not into eating vegetables raw,8221; says Sakshi Chawla, chief dietician, Fortis, Noida. 8220;Since the bacteria cannot be washed off easily, it makes people more vulnerable to illness,8221; she says.
Infection leads to severe diarrhea and the symptoms start appearing three to four days after the bacteria enter the digestive system. 8220;The only treatment is to consume lots of fluids. However, if you end up with bloody diarrhea, you should immediately get medical assistance, without which the infection can lead to kidney failure or even death,8221; warns Chawla.
Dos
Wash fruits and vegetables well
Wash hands with soap before you cook
Make sure milk, milk products and fruit juices have been pasteurised
