FOOD POISONING: The Underestimated Enemy That Hides in Our Favourites

A tragedy struck our class and the whole school when our beloved Kukua succumbed to the grip of food poisoning after indulging in a seemingly harmless plate of fried rice. I still remember it as though it were just yesterday. Indeed, it was less than a year ago when we had to end the semester and write our exam without our TA (teaching assistant) to help us or even help the lecturer assess our performance. Shocked and grieving, we cried out for action, demanding safeguards against preventable tragedies. Yet, as the echoes of our lamentations faded, complacency settled in.

We were sorry to have lost our Kukua. Still, it never really dawned on us to take it seriously—probably because when you look up food poisoning on Google, it will state that it is not serious and that it settles on its own after a couple of days when in reality thousands of people have died from food poisoning. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 600 million – almost 1 in 10 people in the world – fall ill after eating contaminated food and 420,000 die every year, resulting in the loss of 33 million healthy life years (DALYs).

Diarrhoea caused by eating certain kinds of food has been so normalised in my part of the world that it is almost no longer looked into to find out if it’s simply because the food wasn’t prepared well, or we are allergic to that one food or the food has been contaminated. I used to think that food that was warm or hot could not be contaminated until I had my encounter with the reality of food poisoning. Little did I know that my brush with mortality awaited me, a chilling reminder of the fragility of life in the face of culinary threats.

Different foods on display

Picture Credit: Photo by Quang Nguyen Vinh: https://www.pexels.com/photo/different-foods-on-display-2165159/

A Personal Encounter

My journey into the treacherous realm of food poisoning began innocently enough, with a hunger for convenience leading me to the makeshift food vendor at last year's Range Rover festival. One vendor stood out – a lady peddling an array of temptations, from rice to fries, noodles, and refreshing beverages. With the venue's sudden change of location, she remained the sole food vendor at the festival offering hope for those of us who had already begun to taste hunger as the night drew closer.

Noodles to the rescue

As night descended and hunger gnawed at my resolve, I succumbed to the allure of her noodles, oblivious to the impending doom that lurked within. I was expecting my food to be ready in about ten minutes as I had seen her preparing my order only to look at her stand to realise that my food was left on low heat on the stove while the cooker was missing. She came back after a short while and I didn’t know what to make of her disappearance; if that she left for the washroom or to attend to someone else. In what seemed to be about 15 to 20 minutes, my food was ready and served to me. Noodles that were just prepared could not be that bad right? I said to myself as I realised that these noodles were not what I was used to.

My second taste brought a disheartening realisation that the sausages used had gone bad. As most people in my part of the world would do, I separated the sausages from the noodles and went ahead to fill my tummy with what I wanted, leaving the sausages to the side to dispose of them in the bin because I was not about to throw noodles worth 40 cedis away just like that. At that time, if I had known that throwing away the 40 cedis noodles would have saved me a lot of trouble, pain and money much more than 40 cedis, I probably wouldn’t have thought so much of the money used in buying the food. I didn’t realize that this seemingly harmless meal would unleash a torrent of suffering, a cruel twist of fate mirroring the tragedy that befell my dear TA, Kukua. Within hours, my body rebelled, ravaged by the unseen assailants concealed within the tainted noodles.

Poisoned or not poisoned?

I left the event much later that night, arrived home around 2 am and went straight to bed after cleaning up. Later that day, my body felt so weak but I attributed it to skipping breakfast. That was when my suffering began. For weeks I didn’t have any desire for food. I would vomit each time I tried to eat. Any food that entered my tummy felt like I had just drunk a bottle of acid and each time, I visited the toilet, it was a combination of severe pain, blood, fatigue, and torture. Who would have thought that a warm plate of noodles could make one almost lose their life?

I was missing lectures, I could not walk straight because of constant cramping and I lost the strength to do basic things on my own. Living through every single day then felt like a punishment as I felt myself fading away with each passing day. I was dying, and during those moments, I understood how Kukua suffered before she kicked the bucket. It is not something I would even wish for an enemy, for it would be better to die instantly from a deadly poison than to suffer slowly and severely from contaminated food knowing you were dying anyway.

Food safety is important!

My harrowing ordeal serves as a stark reminder of the omnipresent threat posed by food poisoning. From the humblest of street vendors to the grandest of banquets, no meal is immune to contamination. Yet, amidst the shadows of despair, a glimmer of hope shines – the power of awareness and action. We must spotlight the silent scourge of food poisoning, educating ourselves and our communities on the importance of food safety practices.

Some food safety practices include:

• Wash your hands and surfaces often,
• Use separate utensils and cutting boards for different types of food
• Separate raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs away from ready-to-eat food to prevent cross-contamination.
• Cook food to the right temperature to kill harmful germs.
• Do not leave food at room temperature for more than two hours.

Source: https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/cleanliness-helps-prevent

Even with all these precautions, you are not 100% safe because you do not have control over the food you buy from the next food vendor or restaurant. This is why educating all people on the dangers of food poisoning is important.

As I reflect on my brush with mortality, I am filled with a renewed sense of purpose – to advocate for change, to demand accountability, and to ensure that no one else falls victim to the ruthless grip of food poisoning. Let us heed the lessons of the past, honouring the memory of those we have lost by forging a safer, healthier future for all. Together, let us turn the tide against this deadly culinary menace, reclaiming the joy of dining without fear. (A true story)