How To Prevent Food Poisoning

The prevention of food poisoning is a key essential in any survival situation. Preventing food poisoning is more than knowing if something has spoiled by sight, smell, or taste. One of the most common ways that people contract food poisoning is due to poor hygiene and mishandling of prepared foods. Cross contamination such as putting meats that are cooked or vegetables that are cooked on to the same surface or area in which the raw state of these foods were handled can lead to several foodborne illnesses. Salmonella, botulism, and other nasty viruses can be transported into prepared food. Most all foods can have dangerous contaminations such as these before they are cooked but when reaching an internal temperature of 165 degrees or better in the center of the food these viruses are destroyed.

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The only way the food will become contaminated is cross contamination. Making sure to wash your hands and have a clean area that is ready for the prepared food will play an essential role in helping you to avoid food poisoning. Food poisoning can be extremely dangerous and most times must simply be passed. This will mean violence stages of vomiting and diarrhea. If someone is suffering food poisoning, it will be of extreme importance to have plenty of fresh water on hand to keep them hydrated. A dehydrated individual with a bad case of food poisoning can be seriously injured without proper medical attention. Remember if something doesn't look, smell or taste right don't eat it. Avoid cross-contamination and keep up your hygiene when handling food. Doing these simple things should help you to avoid food poisoning.

 

I have had food poisoning and let me tell you it wasn't a pleasant experience in the comfort of my own home, so I can't imagine how insufferable it would be in a survivalist situation! The two best things I can recommend is washing your hands constantly and washing (and re-washing) the surfaces in which you store or prepare your food. While I got food poisoning from a restaurant, I know more than one person that has gotten food poisoning from camping. Most likely, I think it was due to them throwing all their perishable food into one cooler to attempt to keep it from spoiling and that is where the cross-contamination happened. As mentioned in the original post, cross-contamination can be deadly. When in doubt, throw it out!