New York - A bacteria that is one of the most common causes of food-related diarrhea in the US is usually found in raw chicken, but it can be easily spread to other foods -- particularly in restaurants with poor food- handling techniques, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The bacterium, Campylobacter, not only causes diarrhea, vomiting and abdominal pain, in rare cases it can lead to arthritis or Guillain-Barr syndrome, a condition of temporary paralysis. Campylobacter have been found in up to 88% of raw chickens, but proper cooking can kill the bacteria. Testing of the most popular brand of chickens sold in supermarkets found that 63% were contaminated with Campylobacter, according to a report in the March issue of Consumer Reports magazine.
However, other foods can be contaminated by improper handling of chicken, according to the CDC report. Lettuce and lasagna served at a local restaurant were found to be the culprits behind a 1996 outbreak in Oklahoma.
"Inspection of the restaurant indicated that the countertop surface area was too small to separate raw poultry and other foods adequately during preparation," according to the CDC. "The cook reported cutting up raw chicken for the dinner meals before preparing salads, lasagna and sandwiches as luncheon menu items."
The Food and Drug Administration does have guidelines for training food handlers to prevent such cross contamination, but only two states out of 33 for which information is available require training for food handlers.
About 2 million cases of gastrointestinal illness are caused by Campylobacter every year in the US, and about 500 people die due to infection with the bacterial an estimated one in 1000 cases leads to Guillain-Barr syndrome, a syndrome that features paralysis that can last several weeks. A single drop of juice from contaminated meat is enough to cause illness, according to the CDC.
Some tips for avoiding illness:
-- raw poultry should be prepared away from other foods, on a separate countertop and cutting board
-- all utensils, cutting boards and countertops should be cleaned with soap and hot water after food preparation is completed
-- hands should be washed thoroughly with soap and hot water after handling raw meat
-- poultry should be cooked thoroughly to an internal temperature of 180 F (82 C) or until meat is no longer pink and juices are clear
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