Hospital admissions for three common illnesses linked to food poisoning are reaching their highest level in decades, the Guardian has reported.
Admissions for salmonella infections reached 1,468 in England between April 2022 and March 2023, NHS data showed, a rate of three admissions for every 100,000 people, an all-time high.
E coli and campylobacter have also broken records for reaching all-time highs in the past two years.
Hospital admissions for campylobacter, an infectious disease caused by bacteria of the genus Campylobacter, reached more than 4,340, a rate of nine in 100,000 people in 2023, up from three in 100,000 in 2000.
Experts said the cause of the increase stems from weakening regulatory focus, a weakening of standards in importation checks post-Brexit and local authority cuts; while the UK food standards authority links the cause to improved detection.
Tim Lang, professor of food policy at City University, said it was no surprise and there would be more cases “until the British public wakes up and says it is not acceptable”. He added they should ask: “Why should I play Russian roulette with food?”
Aside from during the pandemic, admissions for salmonella were at their lowest 10 years ago, at 834 annual admissions in 2013. Ten years later, NHS data shows that the number is 76% higher.
James Mottershead, NFU poultry board chair, said it was “deeply concerning” to hear that “poultry products produced outside the UK are being imported from countries where salmonella cases are on the rise”.
But what is salmonella and what are the symptoms of food poisoning?
What is salmonella and how is it spread?
Salmonella is a common bacterial disease that can cause food poisoning. It was first discovered in 1885 by an American scientist named Dr. Daniel E. Salmon.
Salmonella bacteria affect the intestinal tract and are shed through faeces. But when animals are slaughtered and processed for meat, this bacteria can be transferred into food products.
The most frequent cause of infection is contaminated food or water, particularly foods like raw or undercooked meat, poultry, eggs or egg products, and unpasteurised milk.
However, salmonella can also contaminate foods like vegetables, fruit and shellfish, if they come into contact with animal or human faeces.
Additionally, pets like dogs and cats can also spread salmonella bacteria to people, so it’s important to wash your hands regularly while caring for them.
What are food poisoning symptoms?
Symptoms of food poisoning include the following:
- feeling sick (nausea)
- diarrhoea
- being sick (vomiting)
- stomach cramps
- a high temperature of 38C or above
- feeling generally unwell, such as feeling tired or having aches and chills
Food poisoning symptoms usually begin anywhere from six hours to six days after infection, however, some people do not develop symptoms for several weeks. They usually pass within a week but some people may be unwell for weeks after infection.
The NHS says people can usually treat themselves at home, and the most important thing is to drink lots of fluids, like water or squash, to avoid dehydration.
Most people won’t need antibiotics to treat salmonella but it may be recommended for some groups of people, such as people with severe illnesses, people with weakened immune systems, those who are more than 65 years old or babies younger than 12 months old.
How to avoid salmonella infection
The FSA says people can avoid most forms of food poisoning by following the four Cs of food hygiene: chilling, cleaning, cooking and avoiding cross-contamination.
Additionally, it is important to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water before preparing or eating food, and after handling raw foods, going to the toilet, changing a baby’s nappy, touching bins, and after contact with pets and other animals.
Also, you should never drink untreated water from lakes, rivers or streams.
