Do you worry about giving someone food poisoning?

Sandra Piddock

Sandra Piddock

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In a previous existence, I worked in catering. It was around 1990, and the requirement for basic food hygiene qualifications for catering staff was just becoming law in the UK. I was cooking in a cafe in Padstow, Cornwall at the time, and our boss put us all through the training.

I got very stressed when the lecturer was outlining all the different types of food poisoning bacteria, and telling us how easy it was to pass on food poisoning. Our cafe was very busy, and it wasn't unusual to serve up 100+ breakfasts, and over 200 lunches and snacks. I had visions of the Royal Cornwall Hospital being inundated with people I'd poisoned.

My boss asked me how long I'd been in catering - it was more than 20 years at that time. He then asked me how many people I'd fed in that time - it ran into thousands, maybe tens of thousands. Finally, he said, 'How many people have you poisoned with your food?' As far as I knew, the answer was a big fat zero.

Since that epiphany moment, I've never worried about it. I've always observed good kitchen hygiene, and used a liberal helping of basic common sense, and I still haven't poisoned anybody as far as I am aware. Do you every worry about giving someone food poisoning, or are you happy that you do all you can to avoid problems?
 
just common sense - never managed to give myself food posioning either (and having lived outside for long periods of time, and seen the state of my own hands from time to time, it amazes me what a few good germs can do for people!), so really don't worry about it.
 
No, I never worry about giving food poison to people I cook for because I'm aware of the correct procedures and have all the relevant training.
Nonetheless, I do not eat high risk foods in catering establishments, because I have worked in too many of them. :D
I managed once to give myself food poisoning: in my own kitchen I'm rather flexible about food expiry dates!
 
I've never worried about this because I try to stay mindful of the precautions. (This is for feeding family and friends... I'd probably have a different answer if I worked in food service.)

On the other side of it, though, I have *been* poisoned by a well-meaning friend giving me a homemade fruitcake for Christmas. I will never forget that horrible sickness and it keeps me remembering to be extra careful when cooking or baking for others.
 
I knew about food poisoning, but I was never worried about it until I faced hard times and had to get food for my family from questionable sources where hygiene seemed to be nonexistent. Obviously I used to wash thoroughly fruits and vegetables that I was getting from those places,and using disinfectants when possible.

However today that thing fell back into place and I can give my family quality food, I'm still concerned that, in example, i could buy canned food at the store that could cause food poisoning.
 
As long as I'm in a civilized country I don't worry about it all. Roaming around the world, I have to be careful though.
 
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