Keep on the lookout if you like to gorge yourself on guacamole or stuff yourself with salsa. These two popular dips may be behind a growing pattern of foodborne illness.

Researchers from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education analyzed CDC data on foodborne illness outbreaks. They noticed a trend beginning in the late 1990s.

From 1998 to 2008, roughly one in 25 of all restaurant-related illnesses was a result of guacamole or salsa. This translated into 3.9 percent of all foodborne illness cases and contributes to billions in annual healthcare dollars.

"Salsa and guacamole often contain diced raw produce, including hot peppers, tomatoes and cilantro, each of which has been implicated in past outbreaks," researcher Magdalena Kendall of Oak Ridge said in a press release. "[These foods] are often made in large batches, so even a small amount of contamination can affect many customers."

Eating contaminated food can cause nausea, diarrhea, headache and fever. Foods such as guacamole and salsa have lots of vegetables and lots of possibilities for salmonella or E. coli contamination, which is why safety is a must.

"We want restaurants and anyone preparing fresh salsa and guacamole at home to be aware that these foods containing raw ingredients should be carefully prepared and refrigerated to help prevent illness," Kendall said.

Learn more about foodborne illnesses from the CDC, or visit Reuters for more information.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is pushing meat producers to cut the amount of antibiotics given to animals. The concern is that these antibiotics could lead to resistant strains of bacteria that could infect consumers.

Antibiotics have long been used in livestock care. In addition to treating sick animals, antibiotics are used to prevent the spread of disease and further promote healthier, and generally larger, produce. This practice is used to produce more food, which is why some are reluctant to restrict the amount of antibiotics that can be used to raise animals.

“As we know, healthy animals produce safe food,” Sam Carney, president of the National Pork Producers Council, told MSNBC. “We need every available tool to protect animal health.”

Current guidelines allow meat producers to use antibiotics therapeutically (for illness) or sub-therapeutically (for prevention). Certain groups, such as Keep Antibiotics Working, maintain that the overuse of antibiotics leads to hardier, more resistant bacteria—such as salmonella and C. and E. coli—that can be transmitted to humans.

The FDA acknowledges that minimizing antibiotic resistance is “critically important for protecting both public and animal health.” In response, it is encouraging producers to limit the amount of sub-therapeutic antibiotics administered to livestock and poultry.

Read more from MSNBC, or learn more about antibiotic use in animals.

This Easter weekend, health officials are reminding parents not to let young children handle baby chicks and ducklings due to the risk of Salmonella infection. At Easter time, baby chicks, ducklings and other animals, are commonly given as gifts or put on Easter displays. In some areas, there has been a surge of interest in baby chicks as people are increasingly raising them for fresh eggs. Every year, a number of children will become infected with Salmonella after handling baby chicks or ducklings at Easter.

Many parents may not realize that these baby birds often harbor and shed Salmonella bacteria even if they appear clean and healthy. Bacteria from the animal’s intestines can easily contaminate their feathers and the immediate environment. Therefore, children may be exposed to Salmonella by simply handling the birds.

Young children are at higher risk of getting Salmonella infections from animals because they have frequent hand-to-mouth behaviors. In addition, young children, along with the elderly and immune-compromised people, are more likely to develop serious complications from Salmonella infections.

Salmonellosis typically starts with nausea and vomiting within 12 to 72 hours after exposure, and may progress to abdominal pains, diarrhea, fever, chills, or muscle aches. Most people recover without receiving any medical treatment, but severe dehydration may occur and the infection can spread to other organs outside the intestines.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), salmonellosis causes about 1.4 million cases of foodborne illness and more than 500 deaths each year in the United States. The CDC has issued the following 5 recommendations to parents about preventing Salmonella infections from baby chicks and ducklings:

• Do not purchase live animals as Easter gifts. Give toy stuffed animals instead.

• Do not let children under 5 years of age handle baby chicks or other young birds. Keep them from coming into contact with packages in which chicks or ducklings arrive.

• If anyone touches the chicks or ducklings or their environment, make sure that they wash their hands immediately afterwards. Pacifiers, toys, bottles or other objects should not touch the baby birds or their enclosures. If these objects do become contaminated, wash them with warm soapy water.

• Do not allow anyone to eat or drink while interacting with birds or their environment. Keep the bird area separate from areas where food and drink are prepared or consumed. Do not allow chicks or ducklings on table surfaces or places where food will be prepared or eaten.

• Talk to your veterinarian, nurse or doctor about possible risk factors.

Salmonella has been a hot topic in the news and parents may be starting to suffer from “Salmonella fatigue” but it’s important to keep their children free from Salmonella this Easter holiday. For more information about Salmonella, read the Healia health guide on Salmonella, or send a question to Healia’s online support group for Salmonella.


_{Photo: Samdogs, Flickr, Creative Commons}