Have You Got Food Poisoning while dining out? If so, how often?

Question

I am wondering whether any one here as got Food Poisoning while dining out. Also, what is your reccomendation to avoid food poisioning?

Answer 1

the best way to get a hot burger from mackers is to ask for a big mac on a plain bun they cook it fresh and it comes out steaming

Answer 2

I had food poisoning once from a burger joint.  Make sure your food,(beef,pork,fish,chicken) is cooked completely through to the center.

Answer 3

i did once but it was from a take away kebab place, the onion was off and i was sick for 2 days non stop.

Answer 4

I think food poisoning is more common than people know.  We just gutted our kitchen, and we ate out quite a bit for a few months.  I was, ahem, unwell quite often during that time period.  My husband also.  I think it has more to do with food being kept at correct temperatures, but my husband is convinced that it is people who don't wash their hands.

Answer 5

i was eating someones secret 11 herbs and spices and i tell you a little secret i was on the crappa for about three days...

p.s. never eat bloody chicken

Answer 6

Personally, I haven't really had any illnesses I can directly attribute to food poisoning.

Yes, foodborne illnesses happen quite a bit. I have a lot of experience dealing with outbreaks of it. But there are a lot of stomach ailments that mimic food poisoning, get mistaken for food poisoning, but ARE NOT food poisoning.

How do you tell the difference? Here's how:

1. There are very few food poisonings that will have an onset within one hour. Scombroid fish poisoning will cause a severe allergy-like reaction within 20 minutes of ingestion of bad fish. Chemical toxins can generate burning sensations or actual corrosion within an hour of ingestion depending on dose.

Vomit-inducing food poisoning takes at least 3 or 4 hours to unfold. Even that's cutting it close.

Diarrhea food poisonings take at least a day, usually 1 to 3, to kick in after eating exposure.

2. Do you have reptiles as pets? How clean are your own kitchen and surroundings? Do you have a kid in day care? Gastrointestinal pathogens can be transmitted by pets (like Salmonella in reptiles). Improper sanitation in the home can also harbor germs, especially if you accidentally cross-contaminate. And good lord, babies in day care are little screaming germ bombs! Kids pick up stomach bugs at day care and bring them home to mommy and daddy. So if you have nay of these risk factors, don't be so quick to blame a restaurant.

As for my personal RECOMMENDATIONS:

1. If you are sick with a GI illness and suspect food poisoning, hurry your runny butt to the doctor and provide a stool sample.

2. Never order runny eggs. Safe eggs must be firm!!! Sub the sunny-side for some over-hard

3. Keep separate cutting boards for meat and veggies. Wash hands in between handlings.

4. Raw seafood is a bad idea. I love sushi too, but understand you assume a risk if you eat it. Raw oysters are the worst, btw. They harbor a bacteria called Vibrio, which can cause VIOLENT GI illness.

5. Wash with hot, soapy water for 20 seconds. Always.

6. Try to defrost in the microwave. Never leave a turkey in the sink overnight.

7. Never leave leftovers out for more than 2 hours. Hurry and get that stuff into the fridge (btw, your fridge needs to be colder than 41 degrees F)

8. Keep hot foods hot, above 135 degrees F to prevent proliferation of bacteria.

9. Never let a person who has had diarrhea and/or vomiting within the last 48 hours handle your food!!!

And lastly, about them restaurants. Even though the kid at the register at McD's looks like he probably picks his nose, the BIG chains are usually some of the safest places to eat. Those big corporations are scared to death of lawsuits, and will do everything they can to avoid them.

Don't be afraid to ask for a health inspection report. In most parts of the US, restaurant operators are required to show it to you upon request.

And in general, stick to less risky foods: thoroughly cooked is good.

There's a lot I can tell you, but I'll stop now.

Answer 7

Having taken food safety courses since I am a supervisor and inspect restaurants, I have a tip to relay to you and anyone else who suspects they got food poisoning.  Even the most fast acting listeriosis takes 24-48 hours to incubate, so don't think about what you just ate, think about what you had the day before or two days or more.  Chief offending foods are chicken and seafood and undercooked pork.  Prime operational hazards are from improper cooking and/or holding temps and employees not washing their hands/using gloves.  To avoid it, call your local health department.  Health inspections are a matter of public record.  They inspect 3-4/year, but I inspect my stores weekly in addition to our corporation doing monthly evaluations.  If you're out and about, one thing might tip you off:  the bathrooms---it's a detail--if they're clean, chances are they pay attention to other, bigger details like taking temps regularly (we do ours every four hours).  In a case like this, details are the difference between good and great, and safe and sick.

Answer 8

Yes, I was dining out that night, but had eaten a bad meat pie at lunch and was stuck ill, and didn't get to eat my beautiful lebanese food!! This was the only time.

Answer 9

twice from mcdonalds..and once from a chicken take away... to avoid it try and choose food that is just recently cooked. as well as choosing food that is the right temperature. if its supposed to be cold it shoud be, if its a hot dish it shoud be very hot.. don't ever use self serve food bars, you never know whos been to the toilet and not washed their hands and come to the food bar and could have touched some of the food, als it is a proven fact that hand washing is the best form af defence angainst allgerms...

Answer 10

never...but I have known people who have...very nasty

Answer 11

Never. Eat at home.