WINT. most Jamaicans underplay food poisoning

AS many as half of Jamaica's food poisoning cases are not reported each year, according to Dr Barry Wint, the chief medical officer in the Ministry of Health.

He said the failure to report a number of cases was largely due to the fact that Jamaicans have cultured common illnesses like diarrhoea as a normal "way of life".

"It is a fact that to most Jamaicans, a little diarrhoea after a grand feast is normal," Dr Wint said. "Most Jamaicans underplay food poisoning saying it is a simple illness and most times do not pay it any mind."
According to Dr Wint, in Jamaica, there were at least two outbreaks of food poisoning each year. But smaller scales of food poisoning are also common in the hotel sector. "And there are also instances where persons come down with viral infections after an outing," he told the Observer.

Another instance where food contamination is likely to occur is in a buffet line.
"This happens where the temperatures that are recommended [for the food] are not maintained," he explained, noting that gravies tend to be the portion likely to be contaminated first.

Persons with weakened immune systems or certain chronic illnesses, pregnant mothers, seniors and young children are most vulnerable to food-borne illnesses.
"In the case of children, the contamination may be caused from dirty hands," he said.
Dr Wint, however, noted that the single best treatment for food poisoning is prevention - careful attention to the preparation and storage of foods, use of clean work areas and cooking utensils and the regular hand-washing.

Food poisoning generally refers to illnesses caused by eating food contaminated with micro-organisms - namely, bacteria, parasites and viruses. And food-borne illness often presents itself as flu-like symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, or fever, so many people may not recognise the illness is caused by bacteria or other pathogens in food.
Thousands of types of bacteria are naturally present in our environment. However, not all bacteria cause disease in humans. For example, some bacteria are used beneficially in making cheese and yogurt.

Bacteria that cause disease are called pathogens. When certain pathogens enter the food supply, they can cause foodborne illness. Millions of cases of food poisoning occur worldwide each year. In the United States alone, 76 million people get sick each year and more than 300,000 are hospitalised from food-borne illness, according to the US Centre for Disease Control.
But most cases of food poisoning can be prevented. Proper cooking or processing of food destroys bacteria.

Trousers in Denim

Cream of the 'Crop'

Cheeky's World