The new CDC report details the “new” foods that led to the outbreak of E. coli and Salmonella.

Everyone knows that meat and certain vegetables can turn out to be contaminated with fairly nasty bacteria. But new, pretty scary, Report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Learn more about the many “new” food media that have led to the development of pathogens such as E. coli and Salmonella.

The newest vehicles of interest include flour, sugar and spices. Because these are foods that cannot actually be washed to get rid of bacteria. Other foods on the list ranged from nuts such as cashew nuts, pistachios and pine nuts to various types of fish and fruits such as blueberries, papayas, apples and pomegranates.

A common theme for some of these new outbreak-related foods was imports from other countries.

Unfortunately, according to experts, it may not be possible to completely protect yourself from food poisoning associated with some of these products.

“I think the main point is to continue Good food safety practice You need to know where the food comes from, “said Jennifer Chorefka, an advanced clinical coordinator of metabolic and nutritional support at Mount Sinai Hospital. “I want to make sure that the food I buy is as fresh as possible.”

Dr. Cynthia Sears, an infectious disease specialist and professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, said domestically produced spices are likely to be a safer bet than imported ones. “Usually the spices here are irradiated,” she added.

Dr. Claire Panosian Danavan, an emeritus professor of infectious diseases at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Medicine, said that frozen fruits can also be contaminated.

Dunavan points out a good example of the occurrence of a pomegranate-tracked list that is part of a frozen mix of fruits collected from around the world and sold at Costco. Fortunately, she said the company knew who all the buyers were and was able to get in touch with a warning.

Many people used frozen mixes for smoothies, Danavan said. “Smoothies are one of the foods that people can get into trouble,” she added. “Freezing does not kill Salmonella, norovirus, or a variety of other viruses.”

In this case, the fruit mix was contaminated with hepatitis A. “On the plus side, the long incubation period of the virus allowed many to be vaccinated against hepatitis A before they got sick.”

Another item on the list was a frog. Not surprisingly, Sears said. “Essentially all amphibians are often contaminated with Salmonella,” she added. “Eating amphibians that are not completely cooked is a risk.”

Sears advises consumers to track how long food is stored in the refrigerator. She said the food shouldn’t be there for more than a week. She added that the pathogen could multiply and become ill if there was any contamination.

Experts agree that it is virtually impossible to protect yourself from all food poisoning. Therefore, it is important to know the symptoms.

Symptoms include “severe nausea, vomiting, diarrhea (more than 5-6 times a day), and problems with controlling fluids.” “Dehydration is the number one problem with the disease. If you have these symptoms, you may need to go for IV hydration and you should contact your doctor.”

In some cases, neurological symptoms can be a sign of warning, Sears said. “These include numbness, tingling, and numbness,” she said, adding that these types of symptoms should also send you to your doctor.

In the case of Listeria monocytogenes, “most of the time the signs are fever and chills,” Sears said. “And you can have diarrhea and feel sick. People often delay going to the doctor, and that’s especially true now in the days of COVID. It’s still important to seek medical help. I would like to emphasize. “

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