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what
yo
ucan
do...
time/y tips andhelpful suggestions for you and your family
•
A Word of Caution
The United States Department of Agriculture gives
sorne sound advice. applicable wherever you may live:
Trear stored gasoline as if it were dynamite. A
• Always remember that foods infe.cted with sal-
one-gallon can of gasoline has the explosive potential
monella may not have a detectable odor or off-flavor.
of approximately 14 sticks of dynamite, according to
• When it comes to food preparation, keep in
an article which appeared in the
Journal of the
mind that the two strongest weapons against Salmo-
American Medica/ Association,
January 7, 1974. Gaso-
nellosis are heat and cleanhness: heat, because
-----------.-. u temperatures of 155° F. destroy
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salmonella bacteria in food. and
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cleanliness, because the spread and
TRAG/C
result of carrying extra gas container in auto.
line should only be stored in a heavy metal container
with a tjghtJy closed lid. The storage location should
be ampJy ventilated and away from all sources of
ignition as well as out of the reach of children.
•
Are You Sure lt's the Flu?
What sorne may mistake as the fiu may actually be
a common type of food poisoning - salmonellosis.
More specifically, salmonellosis is an intestinal
tract infection caused by salmonella bacteria.
It
strikes
within 12 to 48 hours after eating salmonella–
contaminated food . Flu-like symptoms - fever, head–
ache, nausea, abdominal cramps, vomiting and
diarrhea - persist anywhere from a few hours to
severa! days, leaving victims washed out and weak.
Though salmonellosis rarely causes se ious health
conseguences, it can be fatal to infants and elderly
persons whose resistances are low. Where the possibility
of contamination exists, it's wise to take every pre–
caution necessary to avoid salmonella food poisoning.
16
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growth of salmonella bacteria is
<il
stopped by clean hands, clean
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counters and clean utensils.
.,
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• It's true that cooking kills
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salmonella bacteria, but still, don't
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use the same platters and utensils
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before and after cooking. This can
<.:>
result in recontaminatíng the food
wíth salmonella. Also, always thor–
oughly wash your hands. kitchen
counter tops, utensils, disbes and cut–
ting boards with soap and hot water
after contact with raw meat, poultry
and other raw foods to prevent spreading any salmon–
ella bacteria that may be present. Never use an un–
washed cutting board for food that will not be cooked
before serving.
• Do not put defrosting meat
op
top of or in
contact with other food.
• Do not allow meat, poultry and other foods to
stand at room remperatures for longer than two hours
after cooking. Bacteria thrive at temperatures between
45° and 115 ° F.; as a rule ofthumb, it's best to keep
foods below 40° or above 140° F.
• Be animal conscious. lnsects, rodents, and pets -
particularly turtles. birds, dogs and cats - can be car–
riers of salmonella. Humans can get salmonellosis
through eating contaminated food as weU as through
contact with an animal.
• Do not allow pet feeding dishes. toys or bedding
in the kitchen or near items in contact with the family's
food. Always wash your hands after handling pets and
before preparing foods. Teach your children to do the
same. !n fact. insist on it.
- Patrick
A.
Parnell
PLAIN TRUTH June-July 1974