Are Raw Fruits and Vegetables Making you ill?

Are Raw Fruits and Vegetables
Making you ill?

Raw fruits and vegetables have been known to serve as vehicles of human disease for at least a century. In 1899, Morse linked typhoid infection to eating celery. Warry (1903) attributed an outbreak of typhoid fever to eating watercress grown in soil fertilized with sewage and Pixley (1913) recorded two cases of typhoid from eating uncooked rhubarb which was grown in soil known to have been fertilized with typhoid excreta.

One person can harbor a parasite without ever knowing it, another person could be infected with the same parasite and feel completely devastated and fatigued, without ever knowing that a parasitic infection is at the root of a lingering illness.

Why is this? When the immune system is weakened by fatigue Medical Drugs,poor diet, and recreational drugs there is always the danger of initiating an inflammatory cascade throughout the body.
This is especially true of the gut, which has a direct line of communication to the brain via the vagus nerve.

In 1912, Creel demonstrated that lettuce and radishes grown in soil containing Bacillus typhosa (now Salmonella Typhi) harboured the organism on their surfaces for up to 31 days. Melick (1917) recovered typhoid bacilli from mature lettuce and radish harvested from soil that had been inoculated at the time seeds were planted. Some parasitic helminths (e.g. Fasciola hepatica, Fasciolopsis buski) require encystment on plants to complete their life cycle. Thus, the recognition of raw fruits and vegetables as potential vehicles for transmission of pathogenic microorganisms known to cause human disease is not new.

Beware of getting rat lung worm brain parasite infection from eating unwashed salad vegetables

Angiostrongylus cantonensis

Raw and minimally-processed fruits and vegetables are an essential part of peoples diet all around the world. Where land is available, families grow fruits and vegetables for their own use. Alternatively, produce is purchased from local farmers or retail outlets for further preparation by street vendors, by families at home or as part of meals eaten in restaurants and other food-service facilities. While advances in agronomic practices, processing, preservation, distribution and marketing have enabled the raw fruit and vegetable industry to supply high-quality produce to many consumers all year round, some of these same practices have also expanded the geographical distribution and incidence of human illness associated with an increasing number of pathogenic bacterial, viral and parasitic microorganisms.

Parasites do not like the following: unrefined carbohydrates, raw green vegetables, bitter melons, tomatoes, black pepper, raw carrots and their tops, fresh horseradish, onions, vegetable proteins, high fiber, radishes, kelp, raw cabbage, ground almonds, blackberries, figs, and alkaline diets. In addition, roundworms can be expelled with rose hip tea, and raisins soaked in senna tea makes for faster elimination of parasites in children. In Mexico, fresh pineapple and papaya are used to cure worm infestations, and the seeds are often chewed to eliminate parasites.

In recent years, the frequency of outbreaks epidemiologically associated with raw fruits and vegetables is documented to have increased in some industrialized countries (e.g the United States) as a result of change in dietary habits and increased import of food (Altekruse et al., 1997). In developing countries, foodborne illnesses caused by contaminated fruits and vegetables are frequent and in some areas they cause a large proportion of illness.

Most people are not aware of the danger to their health posed by parasites;

Changes that may contribute to the increase in diseases associated with the consumption of raw fruits and vegetables in industrialized countries (Hedberg et al., 1994) and foods in general (Altekruse and Swerdlow, 1996; Altekruse el al., 1997; Potter et al., 1997) have been described. Factors include globalization of the food supply, inadvertent introduction of pathogens into new geographical areas ? e.g. outbreaks of shigellosis in Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom in 1994 due to contaminated lettuce imported from southern Europe (Frost et al., 1995; Kapperud et al., 1995) and cyclosporiasis in the United States which was linked to consumption of contaminated raspberries imported from Guatemala (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1996c) ? and the development of new virulence factors by microorganisms, decreases in immunity among certain segments of the population, and changes in eating habits. In developing countries, continued use of untreated wastewater and manure as fertilizers for the production of

The ingestion of raw vegetables represents an important means of transmission for several infectious diseases. The objectives of the present survey were to perform a parasitological evaluation of vegetables sold commercially in greengrocers in Urmia City, which were consumed raw, and to analyze the presence of human and livestock parasitic eggs, larvae, cysts, and oocysts; to determine the greater percentages and the season of contamination; to identify the parasites by morphology and micrometry.

First, both sides of the vegetable leaves were washed carefully with a hard brush, and then each unit or bundle was washed with
50 ml of sterilized water More

Fruits and vegetables can become contaminated with microorganisms capable of causing human diseases while still on the plant in fields or orchards, or during harvesting, transport, processing, distribution and marketing, or in the home. Figure 1 shows potential mechanisms by which pathogenic microorganisms can contaminate vegetables. Bacteria such as Clostridium botulinum, Bacillus cereus and Listeria monocytogenes, all capable of causing illness, are normal inhabitants of many soils, whereas Salmonella, Shigella, Escherichia coli and Campylobacter reside in the intestinal tracts of animals, including humans, and are more likely to contaminate raw fruits and vegetables through contact with faeces, sewage, untreated irrigation water or surface water. Contamination may also occur during post-harvest handling, including at points of preparation by street vendors, in food-service establishments and in the home. Contamination with viruses or parasites can result from contact with faeces, sewage and irrigation water (Cliver, 1997; Speer, 1997).

The microorganisms normally present on the surface of raw fruits and vegetables may consist of chance Contaminants from the soil or dust, or bacteria or fungi that have grown and colonized by utilizing nutrients exuded from plant tissues. Among the groups of bacteria commonly found on plant vegetation are those that test positive for coliforms or faecal coliforms ? e.g. Klebsiella and
Enterobacter (Duncan and Razzell, 1972; Splittstoesser et al., 1980; Zhao et al., 1997).

Fecal coliform bacteria are a kind of total coliform. The feces (or stool) and digestive systems of humans and warm-blooded animals contain millions of fecal coliforms. E. coli is part of the fecal coliform group and may be tested for by itself. These harmful germs can cause diarrhea, dysentery, and hepatitis.

Many factors, may contribute to real increases in diseases associated with fruits and vegetables (Hedberg et al., 1994). These include use of wastewater, increased application of improperly composted manures to soils in which fruits and vegetables are grown, changes in packaging technology such as the use of modified or controlled atmosphere and vacuum packaging, extended time between harvesting and consumption, and changing food consumption patterns (e.g. eating more meals away from home, including greater use of salad bars). Increased global trade in raw fruits and vegetables, as well as increased international travel in general, could also increase the risk of produce-associated diseases. Finally, the susceptibility of the public to foodborne diseases, at least in more developed countries, is changing due to increased numbers of people who are elderly, immunocompromised or have chronic diseases. This change in social demographics is likely to lead to increased risk of illness associated with the consumption of raw produce that otherwise may contain levels of pathogens innocuous to healthy individuals.

One of the most common parasites to infect human beings is the yeast-like Blastocystis hominis, a single-celled parasitic organism that causes abdominal cramping, bloating, gas, and sometimes anal itching.

Pathogens of most concern

Other common parasites are:

Tapeworms, which can grow as long as 60 feet while living in the human intestines. There are currently more than 5,000 different species of tapeworm.
Hookworms. If given the chance, they will suck blood from our intestinal walls.
Giardia, a single-celled parasite that is usually the result of drinking infected waters. It typically survives in chlorinated water and commonly lives in mountain streams, earning it the name, “backpacker’s diarrhea.” About 2.5 million cases are reported annually.
Blood flukes. They mature first in snails and then complete their life cycle by burrowing through human skin and swimming through veins. Blood flukes infect more than 200 million people. There are also other species of flukes found living in the liver, lungs, and pancreas.
In the case of malaria, a new generation of parasitic microbugs will burst from a single red blood cell.
Pinworms, the most common roundworm in the United States. Worldwide, roughly 209 million people are infected. (2) The most common sign of pinworm infestation is anal itching at night, which is when the female pinworm migrates to the perineum to lay her eggs. Children are the most common carriers.

A hookworm is a common parasite that will suck blood from intestinal walls. In many cases, you could be carrying a parasite without even knowing it!

If you have any of these Symptoms,

chronic diarrhea

chronic diarrhea or/alternating with constipation

nausea

intestinal cramps

dizziness

changes in appetite

vomiting

fowl-smelling gas

indigestion

bloating

multiple food allergies

loss of appetite

weakness and fatigue

itching around the anus - especially at night (indicating pinworms)

restlessness and difficulty sleeping
sore and aching intestines
weight loss (although not necessarily)
itching on the soles of the feet - sometimes accompanied by a rash
coughing bloody sputum in some cases
fever followed by loss of appetite
palpitations (indicating hookworms)
anemia
fatigue
muscle pain
conjunctivitis
facial swelling around the eyes (indicating trichinosis).
Wheezing and coughing, followed by vomiting, stomach pain and bloating (suggesting ascariasis or threadworms).

Salmonellae have been isolated from many types of raw fruits and vegetables (Beuchat, 1996b; Wells and Butterfield, 1997). Outbreaks of salmonellosis have been linked to a diversity of fruits and vegetables, including tomatoes (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1993; Hedberg et al., 1993; Wood et al., 1991), bean sprouts (Mahon et al., 1996; O?Mahony et al., 1990; Van Venedey et al., 1996), melons (Blostein, 1991; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1979; 1991; Gaylor et al., 1955; Ries et al., 1990), unpasteurized orange juice (Cook et al., 1990) and apple juice (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1975). The pathogen can grow on the surface of alfalfa sprouts (Jaquette et al., 1996), tomatoes (Zhuang et al., 1995) and perhaps on other mature raw fruits and vegetables, making it imperative to use hygienic practices when handling them.

Prevention of contamination of fruits and vegetables with pathogenic microorganisms should be the goal of everyone

This is a very difficult task, since some pathogens are normally present in the soil and may therefore be present on the surface of fruits and vegetables when they are harvested. In addition, inadequate water resources may encourage the use of unsafe water to make ice or raw
sewage to irrigate fields. Farm environments are not and cannot be aseptic.

The simple practice of washing raw fruits and vegetables in hot water or water containing detergent or permanganate salts removes a portion of the pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms that may be present, but studies showing the efficacy of these treatments are few.Viruses and protozoan cysts on fruits and vegetables generally exhibit higher resistance to disinfectants than do bacteria or fungi.

Reduction in the chances of contamination can be achieved, through simply Ozonating your fruits and vegetables

Treatment of drinking-water with ozone for the purpose of killing microorganisms has been practised for nearly a century. Salmonella Typhimurium, Y. enterocolitica, S. aureus, and L. monocytogenes are among the pathogens sensitive to treatment in ozonated (20 ppm) water (Restaino et al., 1995). Enteric viruses (Finch and Fairbairn, 1991) and oocysts of protozoa such as 24 WHO/FSF/FOS/98.2
Cryptosporidium parvum (Korich et al., 1989) are also sensitive to ozone. Greater than 90% inactivation of C. parvum was achieved by treatment with 1 ppm ozone for 5 minutes (Peeters et al., 1990). C. parvum oocysts are about 30 times more resistant to ozone and 14 times more resistant to ClO2 than Giardia cysts under the same conditions.

Incidence of parasites found on vegetables collected from markets and vegetable gardens in Taegu area.
Choi DW, Lee S.
SourceDepartment of Parasitology, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine, Taegu, Korea.

Abstract
A parasitic survey on vegetables collected from markets and vegetable gardens in Taegu area was conducted for the discovery of human parasitic eggs and larvae. Three species of vegetable, lettuce (Lactuca sativa), young radish(Raphanus sapivus) and Chinese cabbage (Brassica pekinensis) were selected. All vegetable leaves were washed with a hard brush, and then species of parasites and the approximate mean number of parasitic eggs per 200 grams of vegetable leaves were investigated. When vegetables collected from markets were examined, 5 species of parasite eggs (ascarid, trichurid, Trichostrongylus, Clonorchis and hookworms) and 2 larvae (filariform and rhabditoid ) were found. Furthermore, a number of eggs and larvae of undetermined species were also observed. Of the parasites studied, ascarid egg was found to be highest (49.0%), followed Trichostrongylus egg(18.0%) as well as filariform larva of hookworms (19.7%), and the least often observed was rhabditoid larva of hookworms(0.7%). The recovery rate of parasites among lettuce, young radish and Chinese cabbage collected from markets ranged from 23.2 to 91.9 percent and was similar to that from vegetable gardens, where Chinese cabbage showed the highest (91.1%) and lettuce being next(49.0%) in positivity of ascarid eggs. In the case of filariform larva, the rate of Chinese cabbage was twice as high as that of lettuce and young radish. There was a significant reduction in the rate of filariform larva, suggesting that a single washing of vegetables at the vegetable washing stand would reduce the number of parasites attached to vegetable leaves, when young radish washed at the stand was compared with that unwashed. In the monthly rate of parasites recovered from young radish, there was significant fluctuations between the eggs and filariform larva of hookworms. The mean number of ascarid egg per 200 grams of vegetable was 7.5 in young radishes, 3.1 in lettuces, and 0.5 in Chinese cabbages, in decreasing order. It is noteworthy that young radish contained more than 10 times more than Chinese cabbage. These results would seem to indicate that one of the important routes of infection is due to consumption of pickled young radishes in summer than pickled Chinese cabbages in winter.

PMID:12913510[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

The use of ozone to disinfect various types of foods has been investigated. Preservation of fish (Haraguchi et al., 1969), reduction of aflatoxin in peanuts and cottonseed meals (Dwankanath et al., 1968), reduction of microbial populations on poultry (Sheldon and Brown, 1986), and
reduction of microbial populations on bacon, beef, butter, cheese, eggs, mushrooms, potatoes and fruits (Gammon and Kerelak, 1973; Kaess and Weidemann, 1968) using gaseous ozone have been studied. High relative humidity or aqueous conditions generally favour microbicidal activity. The lethal effect of ozone is a consequence of its strong oxidizing power.

What is Ozone

Testimonials

Ozone can be used for the reduction, or elimination of L. monocytogenes on food products. Since achieving GRAS approval for the use of ozone for direct contact with food in 2001 the use of ozone for the elimination of L. monocytogenes has increased significantly.

Extension of shelflife of oranges, strawberries, raspberries, grapes, apples and pears can be achieved by treatment with ozonated water. In addition to the antimicrobial effects of ozone, oxidation of ethylene also occurs, thus retarding metabolic processes associated with ripening. Concentrations in the range of 2-3 ppm for berry fruits and 40 ppm for oranges greatly reduce microbial populations.

Because of its instability, ozone must be generated at the usage site. The use of ozonated wash and flume-waters
in fruit and vegetable handling and processing operations provides a method to control build-up of microbial numbers, particularly in recycled water, and deserves consideration for routine use as a disinfectant for fruits and vegetables.

When using Ozone, do not use water over 80° F. Ozone treatments with colder water are more effective in sanitizing food..

Better for your food and health by removing toxins.
Decontaminates meat, poultry and seafood.
Neutralise's pesticide residues and microbes on fresh fruit and vegetables.
Eliminates germs, bacteria and mould..
Food lasts up to four times longer and tastes better.
Baby bottle cleaning .
Better for your home and family with 100% chemical-free cleaning.
Turns tap water into an odorless and safe sanitizer/sanitiser and deodoriser.
Sanitizes/sanitises everyday kitchen items including sponges, toys, pacifiers, baby bottles and work surfaces.
Safe for babies, pets and people with allergies and sensitive skin.
Save money on chemical household cleaning products.
Neutralise's bacteria 3,000 times faster and 50% stronger than bleach.

Does Ozone harm Healthy cells ?

"The different modes of action of ozone on a living organism are now well understood. The production of peroxides is responsible for the remarkable bactericidal and fungicidal effects of ozone. The virus inactivation is enhanced by a peroxide intolerance of weakened infected cells.

Normal cells are protected from the effects of ozone by enzymes in the cell wall - glutathione peroxidase, catalase and superoxide dismutase. Ozone stimulates the production of these enzymes, thus enhancing the cell wall resistance to invasion." Fritz Schellander

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Feel like you Already have Parasites!!!