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FOOD HYGIENE AND FOOD POISONING

These figures do not represent the true incidence, as many persons infected do not call in their
doctor and are therefore not notified.
Food poisoning is of two kinds — bacteriological and chemical. The former is much the commoner
being due to living organisms which are easily spread from person to person by poor food
hygiene standards in shops, canteens, kitchens or the home. In some types the live organism itself
is spread from person to person via food, in others the organism produces a toxin in the contaminated
food and although the organism may be killed by cooking, the toxin is unaffected and can
cause severe illness when the food is consumed. The food in either case can be contaminated
by a human handler or indirectly by flies, rats and mice or dirty food handling appliances and
equipment, e.g. knives, mincing machines, etc.
Chemical food poisoning is due to accidental contamination of food by some toxic chemical
material and is much rarer than bacteriological contamination.
Every case notified is investigated by a Health Visitor or Public Health Inspector as soon as
possible, in order to find, if possible, the source of infection and to prevent further spread. If the
case or a close contact is a food-handler, appropriate laboratory investigations are made and positive
cases are not alJowed to return to work until clear of infection. In the case of contacts who are
food-handlers, their employers are approached to arrange alternative non-food handling duties
pending clearance of the contact or they are taken off work and compensation for loss of wages is
paid by the Council.
The majority of cases notified are isolated instances and usually no source of infection is found.
Where a number of cases occur simultaneously a common source of infection may be found and
action can then be taken.
Examples of both bacteriological and chemical poisoning which were fully investigated are
given below
BACTERIOLOGICAL
FOOD POISONING OUTBREAK DUE TO CHICKEN CONTAMINATED WITH SALMONELLA
ORGANISMS
Salmonella Group D was isolated by the Public Health Laboratory in faecal specimens from
cases of food poisoning in a neighbouring borough and also from the remains of one chicken from
a meal consumed there.
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