Festive season: health experts say food poisoning can be avoided
The festive period is around the corner and it usually comes with a lot of celebrations, parties and these events generally mean food will be served.
With the alarming rate of food poisoning in the country, health experts say food must be handled with the utmost care during this period. The population should be cautious of what they eat and how these meals are been made.
“Shortly after I ate contaminated food at a party, I began to feel a lot of pains in my tummy. I took Flagyl but the pain kept increasing with a serious running stomach. I got weaker and weaker until I had to go to the hospital,” Peter Limounba a food poisoning victim recalls.
According to a pharmacist and public health nutritionist, Dr. Ndi Sirri Akwen food poisoning is a disease:
“It is gotten when one ingests food contaminated with germs and toxins or bacteria. It can be manifested as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, general body weakness and abdominal cramps.”
She adds that food poisoning could range from mild upsets to severe episodes which could be deadly.
She says the toxins can either be found naturally in the cooked food like cyanide in cassava or could be gotten from external sources. Immediately anyone discovers or suspects they have consumed contaminated food, ir is best to go to the nearest hospital for adequate care.
Health experts say the best preventive measures include washing foods and cooking surfaces before and after cooking, cooking food properly before consumption and people are advised to avoid eating stale and exposed foods.
