The latest outbreak of Salmonella has been traces to two kinds of Peanut Butter from a supplier. They are being recalled now after 399 people in 42 states have been reported getting Salmonella poisoning. The distributor identified the producer as being an Ohio-based company.

The duration of this outbreak is particularly disturbing as it has been going on since the Fall. The symptoms are particularly bad in young children, the elderly and people whose immune systems are impaired. Diarrhea, fever and cramps in the stomach can be the symptoms. Preventing or reducing the risk are the only things that people can do for themselves. The CDC (Center for Disease Control) gives advice along with other experts in infectious diseases.

Before the cause for any particular outbreak can be determined, it is best for the public to take it on themselves to reduce their risk. Sometimes it takes weeks, or in this case months, to find the source of an outbreak because they have to interview people who have gotten sick, try to determine "ground zero", identify suspect food born distribution patterns and test those sources to see if they can confirm the outbreak came from a particular source or food. By asking everyone who got sick, what they might have eaten in common and where they all got those suspect items, they can then compare the lists and come up with some information that helps the analysis.

The need to eat well-cooked food has become even more important, especially after the recent scares for issues with even fresh fruits and vegetables. It has been shown that rinsing isn’t always enough. The scares with cantaloupes, jalapeno poppers and spinach have shown that washing isn’t sufficient. It was determines that the bacteria that get transmitted on the subject fruits and vegetables actually get into the items in ways that washing just doesn’t eliminate. Therefore, the solution is to cook the items so that the bacteria can be killed.

If you’re buying organic foods, don’t be so sure that hey are safe. Bacteria and testing for it in the organic food world is not a requirement that the government places on the distribution process. While they are often bought because they are healthier and less likely to be grown in areas where fertilizers could cause issues, that isn’t the case with regards to testing to make sure there isn’t an issue.

If the food was bought raw and prepared in your own kitchen, suggestions to keep your kitchen and preparation areas clean are a given.