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Learning About Food Safety, by Tom T.
I have heard many preppers talk of the massive food supply that they have. Some have months supply. While others have a year plus of food. All of this food will do no good if it isn’t prepared safely. I have been in the food industry for twenty plus years. In that time we have all seen the news of the mass explosion of food borne illnesses. We have seen the recalls of thousands of pounds of beef and the closure of several chains of restaurants. In a SHTF scenario I doubt we will be living in the best of conditions and using commercial ovens and ranges. I doubt we would even have an electric George Foreman grill. Instead we will be cooking old school, by fire or some type of portable camping propane stove. We could be preparing our meals in the foot hills of the mountains or some dirty ransacked dwelling that should be condemned. Any way you slice it, no matter where we cook we must prepare our food safely. According to the CDC every year 76 million people are infected with some type of food poisoning in the U.S. alone. Of those 5,000 people die every year to these related symptoms. The most affected are the young, the old and the ones with compromised immune systems. Where do these illnesses come from? I’m glad you asked. Food borne illness comes from drinking beverages or eating food that is contaminated with bacteria, parasites or viruses. Food borne illnesses have a variety of symptoms. These symptoms include upset stomach, diarrhea, fever, confusion, abdominal cramps, dehydration and even death. One or more of these symptoms could be a death sentence in a SHTF scenario. With the lack of medications and diagnosis from a doctor you could be in serious trouble. Imagine if you cooked a wild game bird for dinner and your entire family got ill. Who would tend to them? Who would continue the daily chores needed to survive? Who will protect them from invaders? It is not a pretty thought. The treatment to remedy most of the symptoms is to drink plenty of fluids and keep your electrolytes up and wait it out for a few days. However, sometimes dialysis or a blood transfusion is needed. Kinda tough to do in a SHTF world unless you are a skilled doctor with access to the equipment needed. Here is a list of some of the most common types of pathogens that cause food poisoning:
Salmonella -caused by under cooked poultry or eggs. The symptoms are abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting and nausea.
E coli-caused by under cooked meats. Symptoms are bloody diarrhea, vomiting, nausea and possible death.
Botulinum-caused by improperly canned goods, smoked or salted fish. The symptoms are double vision, inability to swallow, inability to breath, difficulty speaking.
Vulnificus- caused by raw and undercooked shell fish. The symptoms are chills, fever and collapse.
Shigella and Staphylococcus-cause raw foods, unpasteurized milk and dairy products. The symptoms are nausea, fever, abdominal cramping and diarrhea.
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