Food poisoning is extremely common. But that doesn't mean it's unavoidable.
Few things will put a damper on your vacation or holiday faster than food poisoning. The intense stomach pain, rushing to the toilet and feeling relegated to bed keeps just about everyone out of commission for the hours or days the sickness lasts.
While many cases go unreported, "the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 48 million people – about 1 in 6 Americans – get sick from foodborne illnesses each year," says Laura Bellows, a registered dietitian and an associate professor in the division of nutritional sciences at Cornell University. "Of these, 128,000 people are hospitalized and approximately 3,000 people die from foodborne illness each year."
Here's what causes food poisoning, when you should be worried and what can be done to prevent having to experience it in the first place.
What is food poisoning? What are symptoms?
Food poisoning, also known as foodborne illness, is a common sickness caused by swallowing food or liquids that contain harmful bacteria, viruses or parasites, and sometimes even chemicals.
Some of the most common bugs that contaminate food include E. coli, salmonella, campylobacter, staphylococcus, listeria and norovirus. Though most any food can become contaminated with bacteria or a virus, "foods like fresh produce, raw or undercooked meats or fish, raw milk and eggs and uncooked flours all are potential carriers of bacteria or viruses that could cause food poisoning," explains Beth Widen, a registered dietitian and a nutritional scientist at The University of Texas at Austin. Foods like cooked rice and potato salad that are left out for too long are also prone to grow the bacteria that causes foodborne illness.
Common symptoms of food poisoning include stomach aches and pain, nausea, fever, vomiting, diarrhea and headache. "Those most at risk for severe foodborne illness include children under 5, pregnant women, older adults and people with weakened immune systems," says Bellows.
How long does food poisoning last?
Food poisoning symptoms can vary widely in severity, as can the length of time one feels sick. Many people feel better after several hours, but it is not uncommon for symptoms to persist for 24 to 48 hours.
In most cases, symptoms resolve on their own without needing a doctor's visit. "Usually, you can treat food poisoning at home by replacing the fluids lost via vomiting or diarrhea by drinking water, diluted juice, clear broths, sports drinks with electrolytes for adults and child-specific oral rehydration drinks or popsicles for children," says Widen. "Eating saltines, yogurt with probiotics and toast or other plain foods may also help."
The CDC recommends seeking medical help if diarrhea symptoms last longer than three days, if you can't keep liquids down and are showing signs of dehydration or if you see blood in your stool.
How can food poisoning be avoided?
Food poisoning can be avoided under many circumstances. This can be done by buying your food from reputable grocery stores and restaurants and by following safe food handling practices. "Minimize your risk of infection by cooking your poultry and meats to their recommended temperatures, avoiding raw or unpasteurized milk and thoroughly washing your vegetables," suggests Bellows.
It's also important not to leave foods out for too long and to keep items that need refrigeration in the freezer or fridge. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says that many foods shouldn't be left out of the refrigerator for longer than an hour, and that no refrigerated food should be left out longer than two hours.
"This also applies if you lose power due to an emergency or your refrigerator or freezer breaks," says Widen. During such emergencies it's important to keep your fridge and freezer closed to hold temperature and to discard the food contained therein if the fridge has been off for too long. The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services says any perishable refrigerated items should be thrown away if power has been out longer than four hours.
Bellows says that other preventative recommendations include "keeping your meat and poultry separate from other foods and washing your hands before, throughout and after the cooking or the food preparation process."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What is food poisoning? How long does it last?