Do you ever find yourself leaning over the toilet, doing the thing your body hates most, and wondering whether it was that sushi you got last night or just some fall stomach bug?
Well, there are a few sure signs that it’s one or the other. It may not be clear from your symptoms, but there are some other ways you can tell.
- That entrée at the BBQ tasted a little too…room temperature. If you went to a barbecue recently and ate anything that was at a different temperature than it should have been (for example, potato salad that’s a little too warm or grilled chicken that’s a little cold), you could be inviting yourself to a foodborne illness party in your stomach. Make sure all the food you’re eating is eaten at the temperature at which it’s meant to be consumed.
- You were too impatient to warm up your leftovers all the way. There’s no room for laziness when storing and reheating leftovers. Even if you store it perfectly, your leftovers could have gotten bacteria overnight, and if you don’t reheat your leftovers for long enough, you risk ingesting them. This goes the same for frozen dinners—following them exactly, including standing time, is the best way to avoid the risk of bacteria.
- There was only one plate for cooking the chicken. This is a mistake no one should be making by now, but everyone gets a little lazy sometimes. Even if you cook meat correctly, handling it badly after you cook it will get you into the land of food poisoning. Use separate surfaces for raw meat and cooked meat, as well as for veggies or any other things you may be preparing. Raw meat shouldn’t touch anything but its designated surface and other raw meat.
- You drank water somewhere you shouldn’t have. If you’re traveling somewhere where the water isn’t safe to drink, you’ll end up sick if you drink it. This sounds like an obvious statement, but it’s more of a reminder to do your research before you travel. Keep in mind that some places wash their produce in the same unsafe water, so keep an eye out for yourself.
If you’re unlucky enough to get food poisoning, let your doctor know if your symptoms last for more than two days.
