Foods that cause symptoms of food poisoning

Is a strange contradiction that a food good for you too can be the source of infections or toxins and creating symptoms of food poisoning, but that's exactly the conclusion of a report recently issued by the Center for Science in the public interest (CSPI).

Foods like green leaves. berries, eggs and tuna can also be carrying some very unpleasant diseases within those packages healthy.

"We do not recommend that consumers change their eating habits," said Caroline Smith DeWaal, CSPI's food safety programs. The Group hopes instead to point out the weaknesses in our food safety system.

Food recalls are nothing new, so we need to find points of conflict and get rid of them. There are several bills before Congress that would improve food security by requiring all food producers keep written security plans, giving also the FDA more power to check these plans and apply the rules.

The authors of the report looked at data centers for disease control in food outbreaks of disease, going back as far as 1990. The number one food-related disease? Green leaves like lettuce, iceberg lettuce and spinach (among others) were the culprits in 363 outbreaks-causing the 13.568 people to get sick. Most of these were caused by norovirus, e. coli and salmonella.

In addition to these good-for-you-green, here are other foods that may pose a danger:

1) Eggs, involved in 352 outbreaks-11.163 reported cases of the disease.

2) Tuna, involved in 268 outbreaks-2.341 reported cases of the disease.

3) oysters, involved in 132 outbreaks-3.409 reported cases of the disease.

4) potatoes, involved in 108 outbreaks-3.659 reported cases of the disease.

5) cheese, , involved in 83 Protector-2.761 reported cases of the disease.

6) ice involved in outbreaks of 74-2.594 reported cases of the disease.

7) tomatoes, involved in 31 protector-3.292 reported cases of the disease.

8) Sprouts, involved in 31 Protector-2.022 reported cases of the disease.

9) Berries, involved in outbreaks of 25-3.397 reported cases of the disease.

Before you clean your closet and fridge, understand that the CDC database used for research can tell us if tomatoes or other ingredient in a salad was responsible for the disease.

And since foods such as potatoes are usually consumed cooked, is probably not the veggie itself that causes the focus, but something in their treatment (manure, contaminated irrigation water) or poor procedures that may be guilty of manipulation.

Also data from CDC only include foods that are regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. This leaves out some likely culprits-meat, poultry, pork and even some egg products, which are the responsibility of the United States Department of agriculture.

It is also important to understand that not all food-borne disease outbreaks are reported to the authorities. This can be, as the author of the report DeWaal Smith "the tip of the iceberg."

According to figures from the CDC, 76 million Americans get a food borne illness each year. To keep from being part of this number there are some simple steps you can take to protect you and your family.

While the food supply in the United States is very safe, you should still make every effort to keep the food cold and cook it thoroughly. Store leftovers immediately. Avoid raw oysters and if you go, keep oysters chilled. Stay away from raw eggs, this includes eating uncooked dough.

Fresh produce have been touched by many hands and should be washed with SOAP and water, to remove any bacteria that may remain on the skin which could make you sick.

Handling healthy foods (or all foods for that matter) correctly can help you get all the nutritional benefits without being effected by the symptoms of food poisoning or food borne illness.