To say that food poisoning is unpleasant is an understatement. It can result in days or even a week of abdominal discomfort, vomiting, fatigue, diarrhea, and other painful, uncomfortable symptoms. In many cases, the only way to treat food poisoning is to rest, stay hydrated, and avoid making the symptoms worse by consuming foods that are difficult to digest. While you are recovering from food poisoning, keep the following four guidelines in mind to help yourself make a speedy, comfortable recovery.

Know the Symptoms of Your Condition

Although you might not know the exact condition from which you are suffering, you will know that you are experiencing food poisoning symptoms. Use your symptoms and knowledge of foods you recently consumed to make an educated guess about which condition, such as Listeria or Salmonella poisoning, you are facing. This will let you know what other symptoms to anticipate and when it is necessary to seek medical care.

Most Americans love their pets as if they were members of their families. Dogs, cats, and other domestic animals enjoy high quality veterinary care, organic pet food, and a range of products from accessories to toys to products to keep them safe. A pet's illness or death can be quite traumatic to the animal's owner.

Recently, capecod.com published a piece discussing the danger that xylitol, a compound used to sweeten gum and other products, poses to dogs. Xylitol is found in many food items that individuals share with their pets, such as peanut butter. When a dog consumes xylitol, it can experience food poisoning symptoms.

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A study from the Salk Institute for Biological Studies found that a bacterial protein known as SIrP can impact the appetites of mice infected with Salmonella strains that contain the protein. Two groups of mice were infected with Salmonella, one of which was infected with bacteria that contained the protein while the other was infected with bacteria that did not. The mice that were infected with the Salmonella bacteria that did not contain SIrP ate approximately 20% less food than the rodents in the other group and were much more likely to die as a result of their infection. The researchers found that the mice infected with Salmonella that produced SIrP continued to eat at a normal rate because the SIrP blocked the signals transmitted from the hypothalamus to the stomach that normally would slow their appetites.

Why would a food poisoning-inducing bacteria Salmonella produce a protein to keep its host eating at a normal rate? Because along with keeping the mice alive, it keeps the bacteria alive and ultimately, allows it to pass to new hosts. When a host stops eating, Salmonella has to move into other parts of its body, which can result in a serious illness that kills the host. Without a place to live, the Salmonella dies as well. But when the host continues to eat, the Salmonella can be excreted and then passed to a new host, allowing it to thrive.

What Does this Mean for Humans?

In December 2016, Fairway Market of New York announced its recall of its store brand candy corn because the product could contain egg, despite the packaging not stating this. So far, one individual has reported suffering an allergic reaction from consuming Fairway candy corn. Individuals with egg allergies who have purchased this product are advised to return it to the store for a refund or throw it in the trash.

Fairway Market operates specialty food stores in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. Like Whole Foods and Trader Joe's, many specialty products are sold under the store's own brand. This recall came before more victims fell ill as a result of an undeclared allergen, which can be as dangerous as suffering from food poisoning.

In most cases, food poisoning occurs because of an individual or group's negligence. This can be a restaurant failing to maintain a sterile kitchen environment, a produce manufacture failing to clean produce thoroughly before packaging it, a grocery store failing to remove a recalled product from its shelves, or even the host of a party leaving food at room temperature for hours, allowing harmful bacteria to develop in it. These are all examples of ignorance around food safety or callous handling of food products.

Sometimes, food poisoning is the result of a much more sinister behavior: intentional tampering. Recently, a man in California was arrested and charged with food tampering after he was observed pouring an unknown substance on two self-service food bars on surveillance videos from a Baht Fresh Mexican Grill and a Raley's grocery store. His actions are believed to be the cause of a few cases of food poisoning, one of which caused a 12-year-old victim to be hospitalized. This came after a similar incident in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where a man was found guilty of intentionally tampering with food by spraying mouse poison on fresh produce and on dishes at hot food bars.

When Food Tampering Occurs, Who is Liable for Victims' Damages?