| Trial and error over time has seen foods that have a | | | | advance. Illness is caused by bacteria multiplying in the |
| obvious toxic effects be excluded from the human | | | | intestines and by toxic proteins that the bacteria |
| diet. Today acute poisoning from any food | | | | liberate there. The popularity of defrosting and cooking |
| uncontaminated by bacteria is rare, the contamination | | | | meat in microwave ovens often results in incomplete |
| is from bacteria in foods that when handled, stored | | | | cooking and incomplete destruction of bacteria. |
| and cooked properly are not toxic. This means that | | | | Microwave ovens can have an uneven heat |
| the far more important risk to our health is | | | | distribution which results in both over cooking and |
| contamination of food by toxic biological substances | | | | under cooking. |
| such as bacteria and fungi. Bacterial contamination of | | | | A common food contaminant is ecoli, which is |
| food has been a major problem throughout human | | | | especially found in hamburger mince. It causes server |
| history. Acute illness from food contamination is | | | | diarrhoea, which can be fatal. Bacterial contamination |
| characterized by symptoms which may include | | | | on the outside of the meat which will be cooked is |
| diarrhea, cramps, fever and vomiting. The risk of death | | | | normally harmless, since the heat will destroy the |
| from food contamination is much higher for the elderly, | | | | bacteria. However when the meat is transformed |
| people who have a weak immunity system and the | | | | from its original structure (such as mince), some of the |
| very young. Long term affects may also be present | | | | bacteria is transferred to inside the hamburger pattie |
| due the infections caused by the contaminated food | | | | and if the cooking is inadequate the bacteria can |
| that can weaken the immunity system, thereby make | | | | survive and cause food poisoning. In recent years |
| the body more prone to contracting other disease and | | | | there has been a rapid increase in food poisoning in |
| illnesses. | | | | most countries. The demise of home cooking and the |
| Although the refrigeration of food has greatly | | | | popularity of fast food outlets and restaurants have |
| improved the situation, outbreaks of bacterial poisoning | | | | contributed to this increase in food poisoning. In the US |
| are still occurring today. This is happening principally as | | | | there are about 30 million cases a year, leading to |
| a result of inadequate cooking of food, improper | | | | about 10,000 deaths and an annual cost of $6 Billion |
| cleaning of equipment, cross contamination of cooked | | | | dollars to the economy. |
| and raw food and preparation of food too far in | | | | |