What Is Salmonella & How Do You Know If You Have It?

From nationwide outbreaks connected to cucumbers to recalls on Costco eggs, Salmonella has been making headlines as of late. But what exactly is this bacteria, how does it spread, and how can we avoid contracting foodborne illness as consumers? Here’s everything you need to know about Salmonella.

What Is Salmonella?

Salmonella is a bacteria that can cause Salmonella infection—also known as salmonellosis—when it’s consumed or you come into contact with it. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Salmonella causes approximately 1.35 million infections in the U.S. every year. 

Things that can cause salmonellosis include contaminated food, especially undercooked meat or vegetables that are not appropriately washed. Infection can also occur after drinking contaminated water or after being in contact with animals or animal feces that may contain the bacteria.

What Are the Symptoms of Salmonella?

Symptoms of salmonellosis typically start from six hours to six days after infection, and they can last up to seven days. The most common sign of Salmonella infection is watery diarrhea, which can contain blood or mucus. Other signs of illness include stomach cramps, headache, nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite.

While salmonellosis usually only causes mild infections, sensitive groups such as young children, immunocompromised individuals, those who are pregnant and people age 65 or older may experience more severe illness, which can result in hospitalization or death. Be sure to contact your health care provider if you are showing any signs of Salmonella infection.

How to Prevent Salmonella from Contaminating Your Home

To prevent the spread of any foodborne illness in your home, the CDC recommends four steps to food safety: clean, separate, cook and chill.

To ensure that your house is clean, wash your hands regularly, especially after handling raw meat, eggs, flour and vegetables. Plus, wash any cooking utensils and small appliances thoroughly after each use, and wipe down any countertops or cutting boards between cooking steps with hot, soapy water.

Separate your raw meat from other food when preparing a meal. And when making burgers, steak, chicken, eggs, seafood or any meat, cook to a safe internal temperature. While whole cuts of beef, veal, pork, lamb and fish with fins should reach 145°F, ground meat, poultry, casseroles and leftover meat should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160 to 165°F

And be sure to chill—or refrigerate properly—any perishable food like meat, dairy, fruits and vegetables. Bacteria can multiply quickly if contaminated food is left at room temperature. But don’t be fooled: that doesn’t mean foodborne pathogens like Salmonella, Listeria or E. coli can’t thrive in the refrigerator. When disposing of a potentially contaminated product, it’s important to also clean the shelves or walls of the refrigerator or freezer where the food may have been in contact.

The Bottom Line

Salmonella infection is a common foodborne illness, but there are preventive measures you can take to lessen your risk. If you are cooking your food thoroughly, washing your hands and cooking surfaces frequently and rinsing fruits and vegetables under water before eating, you are less likely to contract salmonellosis. 

If you are showing signs of food poisoning, talk to your doctor as soon as possible.