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06/30/2008 09:11 AM

 

The Dangers of Salmonella June 30, 2008 ECO staff - Eric Johnson, Student Journalist Everyone is familiar with the “tomato incident” and the dangerous bacteria that were recently found in most of the tomatoes. Most health conscious people know about the bacteria salmonella, but does anyone know how it came about, where its from, how to prevent it, or how it got its name? Salmonella got its name after Daniel Elmer Salmon, an American veterinary pathologist. Salmonella is a gram-negative bacterium and is found in many reptiles and animals. But how does salmonella get transported on to the food we eat? As awful as this may sound, the bacteria gets transported by feces droppings. It is possible that humans were responsible for this outbreak but it is more likely that a bird, snake, wild boar, or almost any other wild animal could be the reason for this outbreak. Salmonella can get inside of a tomato by damage but most likely because of a temperature differential during the washing and cooling with water processes. A large, ten-degrees or more differential, may cause contaminated wash water to be drawn into the tomato. Salmonella and any other microorganism in the water will be drawn into the tomato through the stem scar. While other fruits and vegetables may exhibit a similar trait, the producers try to minimize the differential as much as is possible. There are some signs and symptoms that one should look for if they think they have salmonella poisoning. These signs include watery or bloody diarrhea, stomach cramps, throwing-up, fever, headache, chills, sweats, fatigue, and lack of appetite. There are certain precautions that may be taken to protect against this bacteria. After using the restroom make sure to wash your hands thoroughly, when purchasing fruits or vegetables make sure to rinse them before eating, and when handling food for others be sure to wear some type of protective gloves. Cross contamination plays a big role in the transportation of salmonella. It is important to wash your hands in between handling two different types of food. Never touch one piece of meat and then handle another. Take a hand wash break in between and you’ll be safe from the harms of salmonella.