FAMILY MEDICINE® COLUMN
By John C. Wolf, D.O.
Associate Professor of Family Medicine®
Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine

"REFRIGERATOR COLD" AND "COOKING HOT" WILL HELP KEEP PICNIC SAFE

Question: In the summer we picnic a lot, and I'm always concerned about the risk of food poisoning. Do you have any suggestions on how to avoid food poisoning when preparing picnic meals?

Answer: I'm glad you are thinking ahead. An episode of food- borne illness can turn a picnic into an unpleasant event.

More than 25 percent of the food-borne illnesses reported to the federal government's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are caused by Salmonella. This bacterium can be present in dairy products, eggs, beef and poultry. Once the tainted food is consumed, the bacterium reproduces inside the body and causes diarrhea, vomiting and fever within eight to 48 hours.

Staphylococcus aureus, another bacterial germ, is the second most common cause of food-borne illness. About 15 percent of reported food poisoning cases are due to this Staph germ, which produces an illness that differs in several ways from that caused by Salmonella. First, it begins one to eight hours after eating the contaminated food, and the vomiting is more severe and the diarrhea is less intense. Second, Staph food poisoning is the result of consuming a toxin made by the bacteria rather than as a direct result of an infection by the bacteria. I can tell you from personal experience that this type of food poisoning isn't a desirable consequence of an otherwise pleasant meal.

The best way to prevent these bacteria from attacking your food and your family is to keep all foods "cooking hot" (above 140 degrees) or "refrigerator cold" (below 40 degrees) until they are consumed. Temperatures in the middle of this range the pleasant room temperatures are the most dangerous. Transport your picnic foods in separate insulated containers for hot and cold items. This should be satisfactory for meals that are to be consumed within four or five hours. For meals that are to be eaten later than this, it is best to take the ingredients as canned or frozen food and then prepared them immediately before serving.

Each of us has probably violated these food safety rules, either at home or on a picnic. Eating that last piece of pizza that has been sitting in the box at room temperature for several hours is a common example. Fortunately, most often there are no serious consequences from of these indiscretions, but be assured that continued violations will catch up with you!

Though I've covered the most common forms of food poisoning. There are other causes. For instance, a scary form of food-borne illness can come from that lovely appearing hamburger you purchased for the picnic. It may have been inadvertently contaminated with a dangerous strain of E. coli bacteria at the slaughter house or grocery store. As few as 100 of these organisms, a quantity that would fit on the head of a pin, can be enough to cause illness. This "bug" causes abdominal pain and bloody diarrhea that on rare occasion can be severe enough to be fatal. Fortunately, this can be avoided by cooking the meat until it is done all the way through. No "pink in the center" burgers for me!

Other bacteria, viruses, chemicals and parasites can cause food-borne illnesses. To lessen your risk of these, wash your fruits and vegetables at home before you leave on your picnic. It is also wise to take your water with you if the water at the picnic site is of unknown quality.

Family Medicine® is a weekly column. To submit questions, write to John C. Wolf, D.O., Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Grosvenor Hall, Athens, Ohio 45701.