How to avoid salmonella poisoning?
Salmonella, also called salmonellosis, is a foodborne illness named for the group of bacteria that cause it. Salmonella causes diarrhea and gastroenteritis, and, rarely, typhoid fever. It is often spread through contaminated food or water. Raw or improperly prepared or stored foods such as beef, poultry, produce, raw milk and eggs can become contaminated with the salmonella bacteria. All foods, including vegetables, can potentially become contaminated. Contaminated foods usually look and smell normal. Cooking kills the bacteria. The amount of Salmonella bacteria needed to make a person ill depends on the type of bacteria, the number of bacteria ingested and the strength of a person’s defense systems. Acid secreted by the stomach to digest food is usually the body’s first defense against Salmonella. Bacteria that survive the stomach acid invade the walls of the small intestine and trigger a reaction by the immune system, the second line of defense. It takes a million or more bacteria to
