Raw meat eating, proper cooking, storing of food and the related food borne diseases.

I know a lot of people who like to eat their steaks raw and bloody and some also like to eat other meat dishes like Crudos. Many like fish (sushi) and oysters raw! In my opinion human race evolved eating meat as the primary source of nutrition and our system is apt to eating meat raw as in the prehistoric times food handling and cooking practices may have been questionable? Regardless to the debate about evolution and meat eating habits of humans or if some even count fish as "meat" I will elaborate on the diseases we can get by eating any meat raw. As in any other instance the human body can resist a lot of infections and not everyone eating raw meat will get sick or even have the symptoms but the perils are perpetual and imminent. I will also touch upon the food handling and food storing habits which can reduce many infections. 

Food when cooked and left out for just even more than 2 hours at room temperature, bacteria can multiply quickly. Most colonies of bacteria grow undetected because they don't produce a bad odor or change the color or texture of the food. While freezing the food can slow or stop bacteria's growth but it does not completely destroy the bacteria. The microbes can become reactivated when the food is thawed and reheated.

The risk of disease from ingesting infectious pathogens found in raw meat is significantly higher than cooked meat, although they both can be contaminated. Meat can be incorrectly or insufficiently cooked, allowing disease-carrying pathogens to be ingested. Also, meat can be contaminated during the production process at any time, from the slicing of prepared meats to cross-contamination of food in a refrigerator. Most food borne infections are undiagnosed and unreported, though CDC estimates that every year about 80 million people in the US become sick and about nine thousand die due to food borne illness.

The following are some of the sources, symptoms and pathogens of common food borne illnesses. 

Sources of illness: Raw and undercooked meat and poultry
Symptoms: Abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting
Bacteria: Campylobacter jejuni, E. coli O157:H7, L. monocytogenes, Salmonella

Sources of illness: Raw foods; unpasteurized milk and dairy products, such as soft cheeses
Symptoms: Nausea, vomiting, fever, abdominal cramps, and diarrhea
Bacteria: L. monocytogenes, Salmonella, Shigella, Staphylococcus aureus, C. jejuni

Sources of illness: Raw and undercooked eggs. Raw eggs are often used in foods such as homemade hollandaise sauce, caesar and other salad dressings, tiramisu, homemade ice cream, homemade mayonnaise, cookie dough, and frostings.
Symptoms: Nausea, vomiting, fever, abdominal cramps, and diarrhea
Bacterium: Salmonella enteriditis

Sources of illness: Raw and undercooked shellfish
Symptoms: Chills, fever, and collapse
Bacteria: Vibrio vulnificus, Vibrio parahaemolyticus

Sources of illness: Improperly canned goods; smoked or salted fish
Symptoms: Double vision, inability to swallow, difficulty speaking, and inability to breathe. These things are serious and I would go to ER right away!
Bacterium: C. botulinum

Sources of illness: Fresh or minimally processed produce; contaminated water
Symptoms: Bloody diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting
Bacteria: E. coli O157:H7, L. monocytogenes, Salmonella, Shigella, Yersinia enterocolitica, viruses, and parasites

You may have to be worried and go see a doctor right away if any of the following symptoms occur with diarrhea:

• High fever—temperature over 102.
• Blood in the stools.
• Diarrhea that lasts more than 3-4 days.
• Prolonged vomiting that prevents keeping liquid down.
• Signs of severe dehydration, such as dry mouth, sticky saliva, decreased urination, dizziness, fatigue, sunken eyes, low blood pressure, or increased heart rate and breathing rate.
• Signs of shock, such as weak or rapid pulse or shallow breathing.
• Confusion or difficulty reasoning.

Most cases of foodborne illnesses can be prevented through proper cooking or processing of food, which kills most of the bacteria. In addition, because bacteria multiply rapidly between 40°F and 140°F, food must be kept out of this temperature range.

I will point out some tips to keep the food from going bad and become a risk to health...

• Refrigerate foods promptly. If prepared food stands at room temperature for more than 2 hours, it may not be safe to eat. It does apply to the left over pizza on the bedside table and eating it for breakfast as done regularly in dorm rooms! Set your refrigerator at 40°F or lower and your freezer at 0°F.
• Cook food to the appropriate internal temperature—145°F for roasts, steaks, and chops of beef, veal, and lamb; 160°F for pork, ground veal, and ground beef; 165°F for ground poultry; and 180°F for whole poultry. Use a meat thermometer to be sure. Foods are properly cooked only when they are heated long enough and at a high enough temperature to kill the harmful bacteria that cause illnesses.
• Prevent cross-contamination. Bacteria can spread from one food product to another throughout the kitchen and can get onto cutting boards, knives, sponges, and countertops. Keep raw meat, poultry, seafood, and their juices away from all ready-to-eat foods.
  
  
  
• Make sure to wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with warm, soapy water before and after handling raw meat, poultry, fish, shellfish, produce, or eggs. 
• Wash utensils and surfaces before and after use with hot, soapy water and sanitize them with diluted bleach. 
• Keep cold food cold and hot food hot. (This is actually a really good tip, I have found in my research). 
• Maintain hot cooked food at 140°F or higher.
• Reheat cooked food to at least 165°F.
• Refrigerate or freeze perishables, produce, prepared food, and leftovers within 2 hours.
• Never defrost food on the kitchen counter. Use the refrigerator, cold running water, or the microwave oven.
• Never let food marinate at room temperature—refrigerate it.
• Divide large amounts of leftovers into small, shallow containers for quick cooling in the refrigerator.
• Remove the stuffing from poultry and other meats immediately and refrigerate it in a separate container.
• Wash all unpackaged fruits and vegetables under running water just before eating, cutting, or cooking. Scrub firm produce such as melons and cucumbers with a clean produce brush. Dry all produce with a paper towel to further reduce any possible bacteria.
• Do not pack the refrigerator. Cool air must circulate to keep food safe. 

  
  

  So what does all this really mean as far as "eating meat raw or bloody"? I personally like my steak medium-well done and even butter flied (it makes it easier to get it thoroughly cooked) and I am not a big sushi fan but that's just me. I will leave it to the readers and their own personal taste preferences but as I mentioned the risks are real and its better to take precautions proactively. Once ingested there is nothing much which can be done to prevent an infection till you have the symptoms and some times we can be late to react and seek treatment. So its best to keep the above mentioned symptoms in mind and act quickly if they get you worried.
  
  ~ Dr V.
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    References

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