How do you get salmonella?

Salmonella outbreaks have been plaguing Brits for the last few weeks, from Kinder eggs to fears over poultry products from high street favourites.

The incubation period for salmonella (the time it takes from picking up the bacteria to becoming ill) is between 6 hours and 3 days, but can be longer, according to the NHS.

They state that it is often within 12-36 hours. People known as ‘carriers’ can have the germ in their stools for many months.

The bacteria may take up to 7 weeks to clear out of the body so care should be taken not to infect others during this period, however, the greatest danger of passing it to others is early in the infection when the person is ill.

Can you cure salmonella?

Generally, salmonella is something one must go through and come out the other side – there’s nothing that can speed up the process or fix the symptoms.

The symptoms usually pass within a week. The NHS advises that people with salmonella should take care to drink plenty water or other clear fluids.

They also add that low fat natural yoghurts and probiotic products (ones that contain small amounts of bacteria) can help to get the bowels back to normal once the worst of it has come to pass.

Chilling food properly helps stop harmful bacteria from growing.

As some general guidance:

• Your fridge should be 5°C or below
• Don’t overfill your fridge. Leaving space allows air to circulate and maintains the set temperature
• Leftovers and homemade goods should be frozen as soon as possible
• Make sure any warm dishes are cooled before putting them in your freezer

Cleaning

Cleaning advice includes:

• Wash hands with soap and clean, running water for 20 seconds before and after handling food, especially after touching raw or undercooked eggs, meats, poultry (like chicken and turkey), seafood, or their juices
• Wash utensils (including cutting boards, dishes, and countertops) after they’ve touched raw or undercooked eggs, meats, poultry, seafood, or their juices
• You should not wash raw meat. Washing meat under a tap can splash bacteria onto your hands, clothes, utensils and worktops
• Regularly change your towels and sponges – dirty, damp cloths allow bacteria to breed.

Cooking

This section is all about understanding the proper temperatures to cook different food.

Standard advice is to cook food until it has reached 70 degrees Celsius (C) and stayed at that temperature for 2 minutes.

You can use a food thermometer to ensure that foods are cooked to a safe internal temperature.

As a guide, some of the foods more likely to contain the bacteria should be cooked to the following temperatures:

Beef*

• Rare – 48.9 C to 51.6 C
• Medium-rare – 54.4 C to 57.2 C
• Medium – 60 C to 62.8 C
• Medium-well – 65.5 C to 68.3 C
• Well done – 71.1 C and above

*The lower temperatures in the chart for rare and medium-rare meat are not recommended by some food authorities around the world, including the United States Department of Agriculture.

Lamb    

• Rare – (57.2 C)
• Medium-rare -60 C to 65.5 C
• Medium – 71.1 C
• Well done – 73.9 C

Poultry

• Chicken – 73.9 C to 80 C
• Turkey – 73.9 C to 80 C

Pork      

• Including ham and gammon  – 62.8 C

MORE : List of supermarkets and products recalled after salmonella chicken outbreak

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