Food poisoning is inflammation of the stomach and intestine due to infection from a variety of organisms such as viruses and bacteria. Most often, it is caused by poorly prepared, cooked or preserved food.

Prevention is the best philosophy for food poisoning and the following key points provide guidance on how best to prevent suffering from food poisoning:

• wash your hands for 20 seconds with soap and hot water
• dry your hands for 20 seconds with a clean dry towel or paper towel.

• before handling food
• after handling raw meat and poultry
• after going to the toilet or changing nappies
• after handling pets
• after gardening.

• before you start handling food, make sure all surfaces and equipment used for food are spotlessly clean
• wash knives and utensils, and scrub chopping boards between preparation of raw and cooked foods.

• defrost frozen foods in the fridge before cooking - not on your bench top
• cool hot foods, covered and for no more than 30 minutes before refrigerating
• reheat leftovers until steaming hot throughout and don’t reheat them more than once
• precook chicken, meat patties and sausages before barbecuing
• make sure all meat gets cooked thoroughly until the juices run clear and there is no pink flesh
• place cooked items on a clean plate - not one already used for raw meat.

• cover perishable food before storing it in the cupboard or fridge
• cover and refrigerate or chill leftovers as soon as possible after cooking
• throw out perishable food that you have left at room temperature for more than two hours

• keep food very cold or very hot - bacteria causing foodborne illnesses thrive at room temperature
• a chilly bin is a good way of keeping chilled products cold when taking them home from the supermarket
• put a frozen chilly pad with your picnic food to keep food safe
• defrost meat and poultry thoroughly before cooking

If someone you know does become affected with food poisoning. Here’s what to do.

• In the majority of cases, symptoms first appear within 24 hours of eating contaminated food
• The patient has abdominal cramps with diarrhoea
• There may be vomiting and nausea
• There is usually a loss of appetite
• There may be fever

• Ensure the patient rests
• The patient can suck ice to provide a small amount of cooling fluid
• Give fluids such as flat lemonade to replace body fluids
• Medical assistance should be obtained if any of the following occurs:
• Severe vomiting in a child under 1 year
• Considerable and constant diarrhoea
• Persistant vomiting
• Signs of dehydration – dry mouth, skin and thirst

To test your knowledge and learn the basics of giving First Aid, why not try our free fun online programme at everydayhero.org.nz? For comprehensive First Aid information please refer to the St John Emergency Handbook. You can also ensure you are ready to help by completing a St John First Aid course.