a) Eggs and egg products

According to the US Department of Agriculture approximately 2.3 million of the 50 billion eggs produced each year are contaminated with Salmonella enteritidis. Current research is focusing on vaccination for chickens and egg pasteurization. Prevention, however, is still a matter of integrity in the cold chain and scrupulous observation of expiry dates.

The subject here is not isolated cases of organic contamination such as Dioxin poisoning cases reported in the media. Chicken frequently carries the Salmonella bacteria which, in itself, is rarely a risk since chicken is almost always eaten cooked. But Salmonella introduced into kitchens via poultry can contaminate other, uncooked food. Contamination occurs either directly, e.g. when chicken comes into contact with other food in the fridge, or indirectly from surfaces that are later used to prepare different food.

• Fish
  Japanese dishes prepared with raw fish have been fashionable for some time. But eating raw fish can present health risks, due to the possible presence of living parasites. Some parasites such as Anisakis can reproduce or survive in the human intestines after raw fish is eaten. The Anisakis is a worm that lives in the stomachs of sea mammals such as dolphins and whales.
  It is eliminated through the animals' faeces and reproduces by hatching its eggs in water.

Small crustaceans which feed on the larvae are in turn eaten by fish. Most food fish such as herring, mackerel, tuna, salmon, etc. can be affected. In humans, symptoms such as stomach pain and vomiting occur some hours after ingesting contaminated fish. Prevention is simple : Fish should be cooked at 70°C, or frozen for several days at -20°C if it is to be eaten raw.

• Meat
  Surface contamination is of little consequence for meat that has not been minced, since it is easily eliminated by cooking. In minced meat, contamination is spread throughout and only cooking all the way through will kill the bacteria.
  Also, deep-frozen minced meat is best cooked without defrosting first, since this reduces the risk of bacteria multiplying in the food.

• Fruit and vegetables
  They are rarely responsible for food poisoning. In fact, food we eat is seldom harmful in itself, although some exotic fruits can be allergenic. They can however become toxic if they are not eaten in time. The main hazard comes from contamination by outside pathogens either during cultivation or handling.

Allergies

Around 2% of all allergies are due to a reaction to food. However the seriousness of some attacks, particularly the risk of potentially lethal anaphylactic, shock, calls for caution. Care should be taken with exotic fruit such as kiwi, lychees, mangos and papaya that have known allergenic properties, as well as with other hidden allergens. Peanuts are the most common food allergen and are found in many forms and products, sometimes in minute amounts sufficient to induce an allergic reaction, but not enough to be mentioned on the packaging. Nuts, milk, eggs and seafood are often the cause of food allergies. In addition, food handling prior to packaging involves more and more often, for hygiene reasons, the use of latex gloves which can be another hidden factor.