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Q & A: E. coli and your home

Food-borne bacteria and toxins are often impossible to detect on your food or in your kitchen until you get sick. Dr. Karl Kabasele, CBC's medical specialist and a public heath physician in Toronto, answers questions about how you can prevent E. coli and other bacteria from getting into your food.

How does E. coli bacteria end up on, or in, food?

E. coli bacteria occur naturally in the intestines of animals and people, and it is plentiful in fecal matter. The processing of meat and other animal products may lead to inadvertent contamination with fecal matter, and therefore meats (and particularly ground meat) are among the highest-risk foods. Fruits and vegetables may also become contaminated on the farm if animal wastes inadvertently get into the soil or water supply where produce is grown.

E. coli can be introduced into food at any point along the chain of food production by contaminated containers, utensils and surfaces, or because of food handling by people who are ill.

Why is safe food handling so important?

Safe food handling is important to minimize the risks of contaminating food with infectious organisms that cause food poisoning. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency estimates that 11 million to 13 million Canadians are sickened by food each year.

Who is at greatest risk?

At greatest risk of food-borne illness are very young children, the elderly, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems. In general, these people are more likely to suffer severe illness and complications that may require medical attention or hospitalization.

What foods should we be cautious around?

The foods that are most risky when it comes to food poisoning include meats, dairy products, eggs, seafood and prepared salads. In public health circles, high-risk foods are defined as those which support the growth of harmful germs, especially where no further steps are taken to kill or reduce the amount of germs in that food.

The highest risk foods are generally those with high protein content and a neutral pH (not excessively acidic or alkaline). As a result, meats and animal products tend to be excellent breeding grounds for micro-organisms. That includes unpasteurized dairy products and undercooked eggs. But any food can be risky if it is allowed to remain for more than two hours in the temperature "danger zone," between 4 C and 60 C, so store cold foods in the refrigerator and keep hot foods hot by consuming immediately after cooking or holding them in chafing plates for prolonged service.

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