Food safety is a hot topic nowadays. With companies like Chipotle being involved in major food poisoning scandals, consumers are urged to stay alert. Whenever a recall campaign impacts a food product you consume regularly, you’re urged to avoid ignoring the recall campaign. Making sure the tainted food you have in your possession is not consumed will help you to stay healthy and safe.
But what happens when products you have in your possession can carry bacteria for months without you even noticing?
According to research published in the Journal of Food Protection, Salmonella can live for at least six months in both crackers and cookies. Making these items particularly dangerous to consumers with weak or compromised immune systems.
Salmonella infections usually make you sick for a few days, and if you’re healthy, your body recovers. But to many consumers, Salmonella can lead to serious consequences.
If the infection caused by Salmonella travels into the bloodstream from the intestines, consumers may require antibiotics and even hospitalization to recover. In serious cases, Salmonella may lead to death.
During the research, scientists put Salmonella in cracker fillings and different types of cookies. After the experiment, they placed the products in storage.
While researchers found that Salmonella survived better in cookies than crackers, the bacteria survived for months in both types of food items. In many cases, the organism lingered for six months.
With this result in hands, researchers are beginning to look into ways they could help consumers to prevent further contamination incidents.
To avoid contamination, consumers should keep in mind that ingredients that may carry the foodborne pathogens should not be used. But while researchers are not able to come up with a better plan, consumers are being urged to simply be careful. Avoid food poisoning incidents by staying alert and responding to recalls promptly. Also, stay safe by seeking medical attention immediately after you fall ill due to the consumption of contaminated food.
For more details on what researchers are saying about contaminated cookies and crackers, follow this link for the full article.
For tips on how to avoid Salmonella contamination at home, watch the video below.
