Can You Get Food Poisoning From Pizza | Tech Foodie
Pizza is the favorite food of the people and now it has become the most consumed food all over the world. And we all know the reason behind this. Pizza is a scrumptious and flavorful food, even people with different taste buds can like it just by having one bite.
Still, a lot of people are curious to know if pizza can take a part in making them sick. We will investigate thoroughly by taking into consideration all the aspects that can become a cause of illness by eating pizza. However, the chances of getting sick from pizza can be lessened if you purchase pizza from a reputable restaurant. We will discuss the circumstance’s of can you get food poisoning from pizza in our today discussion.
What is food poisoning?
Food poisoning is a type of illness that happens when we consume infected or contaminated food. And the causes of such contamination can be bacteria, parasites, viruses, or any toxins. The symptoms of food poisoning can vary from person to person, depending on the type of bacteria which you have consumed.
Symptoms that have been seen commonly are nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal or stomach cramps, dizziness, and dehydration. In some cases, these symptoms generally appear right after eating the food or in the next or sometimes can be seen within a few hours. In most instances, it causes only mild fever which can be treated at home without any hurdle.
Though, it is important to mention that you can’t blame pizza whenever your stomach is upset after eating it. Some other factors should also be taken into account such as food allergies, overeating pizza, eating at the wrong time, and allergies to some vegetables. All of these can also become a cause of food poisoning.
If you ever feel you have food poisoning, you should rush to your doctor specifically if you are dealing with severe symptoms because in the worst cases, food poisoning can also become a cause of death.
Causes of food poisoning:
Food poisoning can be caused by numerous factors. Here, we will discuss some causes of poisoning and also how to prevent them.
1. Bacteria:
Bacteria are the most frequent cause of food poisoning. Some common bacteria which have been identified as causing food poisoning are E.coli, Salmonella, Clostridium per-fingers, Listeria, and Bacillus cereus. These bacteria can be found in different types of foods such as poultry, eggs, raw meat, or in unsterilized milk.
To avoid food poisoning and kill bacteria, we should properly cook our food and should take care of good food hygiene. Like washing your hands properly before and after cutting vegetables or fruits, and we should separate kitchen utensils for meat and vegetables. And we should store food in an appropriate place which is neat and clean.
2. Viruses:
Viruses are also a frequent cause of food poisoning. Some common viruses are Norovirus and Hepatitis A. These viruses can be present in contaminated food or water. To avoid food poisoning from these viruses, we should ensure good hygiene. And should develop a habit of washing hands thoroughly during cooking or before eating food.
3. Parasites:
Parasites can also be found in our food or water and they can become a cause of food poisoning. They are present in different sizes and shapes and sometimes can be seen with the naked eye. Some types of parasites are Toxoplasma gondii, Giardia lamblia, Toxocara spp, and Trichinella spiralis.
To prevent their harmful attack we should follow all the hygiene factors like washing hands before and after eating food, washing and peeling fruits and vegetables, and drinking clean and pure filtered water only.
4. Contaminated Foods:
Any food we consume that is contaminated means polluted or unclean and can also cause food poisoning. We should only eat clean food which has gone through a hygienic process. We should also take care of other factors like while preparing food we should use clean utensils, and our kitchen should be clean. There should not be any type of dirt or germs in our kitchen. Also storing food at an appropriate temperature helps to prevent any unpleasant event.
Causes of getting food poisoning from pizza:
The risks of getting food poisoning from pizza are associated with different factors like poor hygiene, improper storage and handling of food, or the quality of the ingredients used. Here are some possible causes of food poisoning from eating pizza:
- Rough or undercooked dough can have harmful bacteria like E.coli that can cause food poisoning.
- Raw or improperly cooked meat can also cause bacteria if you do not cook chicken, meat, or sausages perfectly then they can cause bacterial infections.
- Contaminated or infected vegetables that are not washed properly before cutting and cooking can also take part in creating harmful bacteria.
- Cheese needs to be frozen before use if your cheese is stored at a lower temperature, bacteria can also grow in it.
- Cross-contamination can also become a cause if you are making dough on a surface that was used before for meat cutting, it can also have germs and bacteria.
- Inappropriate storage of cooked pizza, like letting it stay at room temperature for a longer time, allows bacteria to develop and grow.
How to prevent food poisoning From Pizza:
Below are some tips and suggestions that how can we eat pizza safely without getting infected by any bacteria or food poisoning:
1. Reputable Restaurant:
If you are ordering pizza firstly, make sure that you are ordering from a reputable and trusted restaurant. That means they have a proper hygiene system and are using super quality ingredients in the preparation of pizza. Also, they are ensuring you that food is clean and fresh.
2. Washing Hands:
Proper cleanliness is another way that helps you to prevent food poisoning. Like washing your hands while cooking your food or before cooking your food also. Because there may be germs or bacteria on your hands and later they can be transferred to your food while cooking it.
3. Cleaning:
We must clean our kitchen regularly with some antibacterial soap or spray. We should also clean the slabs, countertops, utensils, or cutting boards regularly before cooking food. These cleaning habits will help us to prevent bacteria from our kitchen.
4. Cooking:
Cooking properly can also kill bacteria from food if any are present. We must follow the instructions provided on the pack while cooking pizza at home. While baking we must ensure that the internal temperature of the pizza reaches 73°C only then the pizza will be cooked properly.
5. Storage of Leftover Pizza:
Leftover pizza should be stored in a refrigerator within two hours of its cooking and it should be consumed within one day or a maximum of two. Any pizza that has stayed at room temperature for a longer time should not be consumed because in such conditions bacteria can grow faster. While you reheat leftover pizza, ensure that you are reheating it at an absolute temperature of 75°C in order to kill any kind of bacteria that can be present.
Symptoms of Food Poisoning From Pizza:
Food poisoning can be caused by different types of bacteria, we can prevent it only by ensuring cleanliness. Symptoms of food poisoning can vary from person to person depending on the type of bacteria one is infected from.
Here are some symptoms that may indicate that you are infected with food poisoning:
- Nausea or vomiting
This is the most frequent symptom of food poisoning. It occurs first before any other symptoms mostly within 1 to 2 hours of the infection.
- Diarrhea
Watery diarrhea or blood or mucus in loose stools also indicates that you have consumed bacteria through your food.
- Abdominal cramps
Acute and terrible stomach and abdominal cramps also specify that something wrong has just happened to you. It means that you have consumed something really unhealthy or contaminated food.
- Dehydration
When your body fluids are lost faster as compared to the speed of taking them back. Then, a state of dehydration occurs in your body.
- Chills
In this state, you also feel cold sweating, and body shivering because of the body’s weakness.
- Fever
High-temperature fever can also occur as a result of bacterial infection in your body, particularly if you are infected with Listeria bacteria.
- Appetite loss
Loss of appetite is common in such a state because of nausea and vomiting you don’t feel like eating anything.
- Headache
A stubborn headache that does not go away easily is a clear indication that something is wrong with your gut.
- Weakness
Feeling weak from food poisoning is also common because when we don’t consume food our body’s energy becomes low and we feel weak.
If you suffer from any of these symptoms after eating pizza, then you must seek a doctor urgently before the symptoms get severe.
Treatment for Food Poisoning From Pizza:
Treatment of food poisoning can be started as soon as possible. Because it can cause some serious health issues and in extreme cases can also cause death. If you are suffering from a bacterial infection, your doctor will prescribe you antibiotics. Its treatments depend upon which type of bacteria you are infected with. But taking antibiotics to cure infections caused by viruses is not effective.
Along with taking antibiotics, you can also do different things to help reduce symptoms of food poisoning. Such as staying hydrated and drinking healthy juices for your health and to complete your hydration. You should also avoid eating heavy meals in such conditions , you should eat light meals like bread, toast, or fruit. And you should take plenty of rest also.
Conclusion:
Summing up the whole discussion of can you get food poisoning from pizza here, we can’t deny that pizza is our favorite food. But it’s also true that we can get food poisoning from pizza. Certainly, we can’t stop eating our favorite food so we should take precautionary measures in order to minimize the risk of getting infected by bacteria. We can do this in several ways by eating and drinking clean and by taking care of cleanliness. Food poisoning can be extreme so we should take all the precautionary measures to avoid it.
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