The trip was great — now, about that food poisoning. Here’s what to know

I just returned from a two-week vacation in South Africa and Zimbabwe. The animals, the cool weather and the wonderful people of this region made for a memorable trip.

The only glitch which I want to warn everyone about, since it could happen anywhere, was that I got food poisoning.

So, whether you are traveling abroad where it is hot or staying home where it’s hot you need to take precautions with what you eat.

Food poisoning is the common name for a foodborne illness. It is caused by eating or drinking food contaminated with either bacteria, viruses, parasites or a harmful toxin. The symptoms can occur within a few hours or a few days.

Mine occurred within a few hours, which helped me pinpoint that it was food that had been sitting out all day. My friend Susan‘s foodborne illness occurred several hours after she ate at a buffet. Again, the food was sitting out for a while, and who knows who might have been coughing on it.

So, there’s our first precaution: Don’t eat food that has been sitting out for a few hours. Particularly in the heat that we’re experiencing in South Florida, food will not stay at a safe temperature. Bacteria multiply rapidly in food that is between 40 and 140 degrees.

An episode of foodborne illness will usually be gone in one to three days.

The most important thing to do after you get sick is to stay hydrated. Drink, and then drink more and if your fluid loss is extreme I suggest using electrolyte drinks, or if you’re traveling the electrolyte tablets that can be dissolved in water.

If symptoms last more than three days, or if you develop a high fever, seek medical attention.

Home prevention is essential:

Wash your hands well before food prep.

Avoid cross-contamination between raw meat or poultry and ready to eat foods.

Separate cutting boards.

Don’t wash raw chicken before cooking — you could be splashing bacteria everywhere. Cooking kills bacteria.

Sheah Rarback MS, is a dietitian nutritionist in private practice in Miami, Florida sheahr@gmail.com