47 Times Health Inspectors Were Not Prepared For The Sight They Would Be Exposed To

An estimated 600 million people get sick after eating contaminated food every year. That's almost 1 in 10 people worldwide. 420,000 of them die. Let that sink in before you consider eating at a dodgy restaurant...

The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that unsafe food causes more than 200 diseases, ranging from diarrhoea to cancers. "Foodborne illnesses are usually infectious or toxic in nature and caused by bacteria, viruses, parasites or chemical substances entering the body through contaminated food," explains WHO's site. "Chemical contamination can lead to acute poisoning or long-term diseases, such as cancer. Many foodborne diseases may lead to long-lasting disability and death."

In America, the federal government estimates that there are about 48 million cases of foodborne illness annually. Each year, these illnesses result in an estimated 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths.

"Symptoms of foodborne illness usually appear 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food but may occur between 30 minutes and 4 weeks later," notes the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). These symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, fever, headaches, and body aches.

According to the World Health Organization, Salmonella, Campylobacter and enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli are some of the most common foodborne pathogens affecting millions of people around the world. The culprits are often eggs, poultry, milk, other animal products, and drinking water. There are also cases of people getting sick from contaminated fresh fruits and vegetables.

Norovirus is another thing you should be worried about when eating at a place that has no concern for health and safety measures. It's a foodborne infection characterized by nausea, explosive vomiting, watery diarrhea, and abdominal pain.

WHO warns that hepatitis A can also be transmitted by food and can cause long-lasting liver disease. The virus typically spreads through raw or undercooked seafood or contaminated raw produce.

The organization has also revealed that toxins in food are a very real problem worldwide. These can be naturally occurring toxins like mycotoxins, marine biotoxins, cyanogenic glycosides and toxins occurring in poisonous mushrooms.

You might be surprised to know that staple foods like corn or cereals can contain high levels of mycotoxins, produced by mould on grain. "Long-term exposure can affect the immune system and normal development, or cause cancer," warns WHO.

Then there are what's known as persistent organic pollutants (POPs). These are compounds that accumulate in the environment and the human body. "Known examples are dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), which are unwanted by-products of industrial processes and waste incineration," explains WHO. "They are found worldwide in the environment and accumulate in animal food chains."

The health body warns that dioxins are "highly toxic" and can cause reproductive and developmental problems, damage the immune system, interfere with hormones, and cause cancer.

The best way to prevent food-borne illnesses or food poisoning in your own home is by following a simple four-step process.

Clean, Separate, Cook, and Chill, advises the Centers For Disease Control (CDC).

"Clean" is pretty self-explanatory. Keep your hands, food, utensils and home clean. "Germs that cause food poisoning can survive in many places and spread around your kitchen," explains the CDC, adding that you should wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and water before, during, and after preparing food and before eating.

You should also always wash your hands after handling uncooked meat, chicken and other poultry, seafood, flour, or eggs. "Wash your utensils, cutting boards, and countertops with hot, soapy water after preparing each food item," adds the CDC site. "Rinse fresh fruits and vegetables under running water."

"Separate" basically means don't cross-contaminate. "Raw meat, chicken and other poultry, seafood, and eggs can spread germs to ready-to-eat food unless you keep them separate," warns the CDC, adding that when grocery shopping, one should keep raw meat, poultry, seafood, and their juices away from other foods.

You should also keep raw or marinating meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs separate from all other foods in the refrigerator. And store raw meat, poultry, and seafood in sealed containers or wrap them securely so the juices don't leak onto other foods.

Another important tip from the CDC is to use one cutting board or plate for raw meat, poultry, and seafood, and a separate cutting board or plate for produce, bread, and other foods that won't be cooked.

You might be surprised to know that raw chicken is ready to cook and doesn't need to be washed first. "Washing these foods can spread germs to other foods, the sink, and the counter and make you sick," cautions the CDC.

Always make sure to cook food to the right internal temperature. The only way to know a meal has been safely cooked is to use a food thermometer, with the exception of seafood, which changes color when ready.

"Food is safely cooked when the internal temperature gets high enough to destroy germs that can make you sick," explains the CDC, adding that you should always microwave food thoroughly. "Follow recommended cooking and standing times," notes the site. "Letting food sit for a few minutes after microwaving allows cold spots to absorb heat from hotter areas and cook more completely."

Finally, always refrigerate food promptly. "Bacteria can multiply rapidly if left at room temperature or in the 'Danger Zone' between 40°F and 140°F," warns the CDC. "Never leave perishable food out for more than 2 hours (or 1 hour if exposed to temperatures above 90°F)."

It's also important to thaw frozen food safely in the refrigerator, in cold water, or in the microwave. The CDC cautions that thawing food on the counter is not advisable because bacteria multiply quickly in the parts of the food that reach room temperature.