Probiotic Supplements May Be Key to Fighting Food Borne Illness

what is a probiotic Probiotic Supplements May Be Key to Fighting Food Borne IllnessKeeping your digestive system in optimal working order may help you fight off food borne illnesses.  One way to achieve a health immune system for fighting bacteria and viruses is to make sure you have enough health bacteria in your digestive system to fight off the bad stuff.  The USA Today reported last November that a large egg seller in the US has recalled 280,000 eggs after finding evidence of salmonella. This is the second egg recall in recent months, leaving an uneasy feeling about the safety of food. In light of the recall, Vidazorb reminds consumers that probiotics may offer significant benefits in countering food poisoning and addressing its related symptoms.

Americans love to eat, and more are choosing healthier meals than ever before. But, to the dismay of many who are opting for salads and veggie plates, these foods have too often been contaminated with pathogenic bacteria. In fact, food poisoning is on the rise in America. According to the Center for Disease Control, food borne diseases cause nearly 76 million illnesses, 325,000 hospitalizations, and 5,000 deaths each year in the U.S.(1) Even with increased diligence in improving hygiene, food safety standards and overall cleanliness, major outbreaks of food borne illness are on the news, seemingly every other week. A recent peanut butter product Salmonella contamination caused 691 infections in 46 states. Bagged spinach was the cause of an E. coli outbreak in 2006 that made 200 people ill. And now, eggs are suspect—what’s next?

Fortunately, research has shown that probiotics may offer significant benefits in countering food poisoning and addressing its related symptoms. A study from University College in Ireland found that probiotic strains helped reduce incidence, severity and duration of diarrhea in pigs infected with Salmonella.(2) Salmonella is a common cause of severe gastroenteritis in humans, and the study offers positive implications for humans and the food industry.

Taking  probiotic supplements may improve the body’s ability to stave off food poisoning and mitigate the common symptoms of nausea and diarrhea. Some theories are that probiotics work to strengthen the intestinal lining, allowing it to act more efficiently as a barrier to harmful organisms. In addition, some strains of probiotic bacteria secrete antimicrobial substances, which in turn can destroy destructive bacteria.

Every year there are more outbreaks of food poisoning and a probiotic supplement offers an easy and convenient natural defense against these food borne pathogens. 

Source: (1) Mead, P, Slutsker, L, Dietz, V, McCaig, L, Bresee, J, Shapiro, C Griffin, P, and Tauxe, R. Food-Related Illness and Death in the United States. Emerging Infectious Diseases. Vol. 5, No. 5, Sept-Oct. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

(2) Casey, PG, Gardiner, GE, Casey, G, Bradshaw B, Lawlor PG. A five-strain probiotic combination reduces pathogen shedding and alleviates disease signs in pigs challenged with Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium . 2007. Appl Environ Microbiol. 73(6): 1858-63.

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