When unpasteurized apple juice sickened more than 50 Americans late in 2008, killing at least one child, it become frighteningly clear that hazards can lie in seemingly benign foods. The culprit in that episode was Escherichia Coli a virulent strain of ordinary gut bacteria. Packing a toxin that can cause kidney failure and even death, this type of E. coli is one of the nastiest members of a rogue’s gallery of disease-causing organisms, such as salmonella, cyclosporine, and hepatitis A that you can pick up from fruits and vegetables. Most of the germs are present in the dung of farm animals and can contaminate a produce when it falls on fertilized soil or is handled by someone who don’t wash up. Fruits and vegetables seem to pose a smaller health risk than meat and eggs. Still, the danger is real and should prompt you to take simple precautions. Cooking kills most bacteria, but unless you’re need prepared are steam your salad, you’ll need to take other measures. Thoroughly rinse raw produce before eating. Studies show that this step can reduce bacterial infection ten-to 100 fold, which may be enough to keep you from sick.
0 comments:
Post a Comment