UK Dirty Kitchen Hygiene Report - Is This for Real?
Today’s headline news that the UK is the dirtiest developed country in the world seemed to have shocked the nation, including Professor John Oxford of Bart's and the London Queen Mary's School of Medicine and Dentistry who was interviews on City Talk Radio this morning. Yet why should we be shocked? Having taught Food Hygiene and Safety training for over 10 years, I’m not at all surprised. Hygiene habits are often passed on by our parents... and "it (poor practice) never harmed them" is what I hear all the time! So it's not so surprising really...
Kitchen dishcloths are the biggest culprit - harbouring the E.coli bacteria amongst other things and are a major cause of food poisoning. There are many strains of E.coli, not all of which are harmful. The strain that causes most severe food poisoning is E. coli O157:H7
Every First Aider should know how to recognise Food Poisoning and how to deal with it. However, prevention is better than cure, so here are some tips to help prevent and deal with food poisoning.
Tips: Preventing Food Poisoning
1. Keep separate cloths for different jobs and make sure everyone knows what they are. For example I have colour-coded cloths:Pink - in the sink (for dishes only)Blue - for the loo and mildew (the dirty jobs)Cream - to keep the sides clean (to wipe down all surface areas in the kitchen).Because I have made this rhyme everyone (including my cleaner) remembers them.
2. Disinfect cloths every day. If you have a dishwasher, you can put them in there for the last cycle of the day.
3. Wipe down often-used surfaces like fridge/cupboard door handles on a regular basis.
4. Let dishes dry naturally rather than use a tea towel.
Recognising Food Poisoning
So, how does a First Aider recognise and treat Food Poisoning?
Recogniseing E. coli O157:H7 symptoms can be difficult but include severe bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramps (usually within 24 hours of exposure and lasts from one to eight days), but sometimes the infection causes non-bloody diarrhea, a slight fever, mild fever, anemia or no symptoms at all. It is rare for the victim to vomit – although this is common in other types of food poisoning.
How to Treat Food Poisoning
Food poisoning can be extremely dangerous and indeed life threatening. In the worse case scenario different forms of food poisoning can result in cancer, alopecia (hair loss), chronic illness and disability (particularly in the most vulnerable; children and the elderly,) so early recognition and treatment is vital.
First Aid treatment is very simple:
Check for Danger, Response, Airway, and Breathing.
Treat for Shock – lay casualty down and raise legs, keep warm, reassure
The medical treatment for E. coli specifically is in the form of electrolytes (salts and minerals that form electrically charges particles - ions - in body fluids). Electrolytes are important because they control body fluid balance and are important for all major body reactions. There are some effective, pleasant-tasting replacement fluids available without prescription.
Dehydration can occur when more fluids are being lost than can be consumed, this is evident more so in the very young, the elderly, and people who are taking diuretics. To prevent dehydration, a doctor may give fluids intravenously.
Diarrhoea is the body’s way of removing the toxins from the body as quickly as possible. Taking any anti-diarrhoeal medication is usually avoided.
Road to Recovery:
People who experience food poisoning should modify their diet. Eating and drinking should be avoided whilst vomiting or diarrhoea is present (with the exception of drinking small quantities (sips) of water or other clear fluid).
Once vomiting and diarrhoea stop, they should eat bland, soft, easy-to-digest foods for two to three days e.g. the BRAT diet of Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, and Toast, all of which are easy to digest. Avoid products like milk, spicy food, alcohol and fresh fruit for a few days. These modifications are often all the treatment that is necessary.
Final Comment:
As I have mentioned though, prevention is better than cure - so take some action now and ditch those dirty cloths!
Kitchen dishcloths are the biggest culprit - harbouring the E.coli bacteria amongst other things and are a major cause of food poisoning. There are many strains of E.coli, not all of which are harmful. The strain that causes most severe food poisoning is E. coli O157:H7
Every First Aider should know how to recognise Food Poisoning and how to deal with it. However, prevention is better than cure, so here are some tips to help prevent and deal with food poisoning.
Tips: Preventing Food Poisoning
1. Keep separate cloths for different jobs and make sure everyone knows what they are. For example I have colour-coded cloths:Pink - in the sink (for dishes only)Blue - for the loo and mildew (the dirty jobs)Cream - to keep the sides clean (to wipe down all surface areas in the kitchen).Because I have made this rhyme everyone (including my cleaner) remembers them.
2. Disinfect cloths every day. If you have a dishwasher, you can put them in there for the last cycle of the day.
3. Wipe down often-used surfaces like fridge/cupboard door handles on a regular basis.
4. Let dishes dry naturally rather than use a tea towel.
Recognising Food Poisoning
So, how does a First Aider recognise and treat Food Poisoning?
Recogniseing E. coli O157:H7 symptoms can be difficult but include severe bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramps (usually within 24 hours of exposure and lasts from one to eight days), but sometimes the infection causes non-bloody diarrhea, a slight fever, mild fever, anemia or no symptoms at all. It is rare for the victim to vomit – although this is common in other types of food poisoning.
How to Treat Food Poisoning
Food poisoning can be extremely dangerous and indeed life threatening. In the worse case scenario different forms of food poisoning can result in cancer, alopecia (hair loss), chronic illness and disability (particularly in the most vulnerable; children and the elderly,) so early recognition and treatment is vital.
First Aid treatment is very simple:
Check for Danger, Response, Airway, and Breathing.
Treat for Shock – lay casualty down and raise legs, keep warm, reassure
The medical treatment for E. coli specifically is in the form of electrolytes (salts and minerals that form electrically charges particles - ions - in body fluids). Electrolytes are important because they control body fluid balance and are important for all major body reactions. There are some effective, pleasant-tasting replacement fluids available without prescription.
Dehydration can occur when more fluids are being lost than can be consumed, this is evident more so in the very young, the elderly, and people who are taking diuretics. To prevent dehydration, a doctor may give fluids intravenously.
Diarrhoea is the body’s way of removing the toxins from the body as quickly as possible. Taking any anti-diarrhoeal medication is usually avoided.
Road to Recovery:
People who experience food poisoning should modify their diet. Eating and drinking should be avoided whilst vomiting or diarrhoea is present (with the exception of drinking small quantities (sips) of water or other clear fluid).
Once vomiting and diarrhoea stop, they should eat bland, soft, easy-to-digest foods for two to three days e.g. the BRAT diet of Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, and Toast, all of which are easy to digest. Avoid products like milk, spicy food, alcohol and fresh fruit for a few days. These modifications are often all the treatment that is necessary.
Final Comment:
As I have mentioned though, prevention is better than cure - so take some action now and ditch those dirty cloths!
posted by AmandaClarke at
6:54 AM
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