Almost everyone has at one time or another had some form of stomach upset related to food poisoning.  Food poisoning bacteria are very common and can be found in most raw foods of animal origin and sometimes in water and soil. Food poisoning is preventable.

Symptoms
Food poisoning may include one or more of the following symptoms: Vomiting, Diarrhoea, Nausea, Cramps, Flu-like symptoms e.g. headaches, high temperature etc.

Food Poisoning can have serious consequences, especially for the very young, the elderly and those already ill. It weakens general health and if symptoms persist, affected persons should seek medical attention.

It is important to remember that, depending on the type of food poisoning bacteria involved the onset of food poisonings symptoms can range from 1 to 72 hours after consuming the contaminated food. It is recommended that that you contact your local GP immediately. Confirmation that you have food poisoning is usually obtained by submitting a stool sample to your GP who will forward it to the laboratory for analysis.

Avoiding the Spread of Illness
Some of the more serious forms of food poisoning bacteria cause infectious diseases.

The reason some illnesses are termed infectious is because during and after recuperation, patients may still carry the bacteria in their digestive system. This phase of the illness is termed ‘carrier stage’.

While this stage will not re-infect the patient, the food poisoning bacteria may be passed from the patient to other persons, for example, by faecal contamination of food.

Transmission to other persons can be prevented by good hygiene practices, such as thorough hand washing in hot water, soap and a nail brush after using the toilet. The use of a small separate hand towel is also recommended. Similar precautions should also be taken by parents changing the nappies of young children carrying the bacteria.

In certain cases food workers with food poisoning will be prohibited from returning to work until the HSE is satisfied that he/she is no longer a carrier. This is usually ascertained by the analysis of faecal samples.

Complaints
It is very important if you have a complaint regarding a food business or product or a suspected food poisoning case that it is brought to the attention off the Environmental Health Service, so that it can be investigated. If other people report illness or problems associated with similar products or premises, your report could help identify a potential food poisoning outbreak or breakdown in food safety systems.

How to Make a Food Poisoning /Food Safety Complaint
Environmental Health Officers often receive complaints from members of the public. These complaints usually relate to a Complaint about a particular food they have bought, or something they have seen in a particular food business, or if they suspect they have contracted food poisoning

There are two ways of making a complaint to the Environmental Health Service contact your local Environmental Health Officer or contact the Food Safety Authority of Ireland on Lo call 1890 336677 or www.fsai.ie. They will pass your complaint onto the relevant Environmental Health Officer.