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Food Poisoning: Common Causes and Safety Measures

Food poisoning is something many of us don't think about until it humbles us. One minute you're fine, the next minute your stomach is doing gymnastics, and you're questioning every life decision you made that day or wonder if it's your village people that have finally caught up with you. We like to call it "running stomach", "my stomach was just paining me" or "something just upset me," but a lot of times, it's food poisoning.

And many times, we eat food we don't even know much about. We combine foods anyhow. One swallow from here, stew from there, cold drink on top, street snack after that — doing combinations like a chemistry student running experiments, as if the stomach is a laboratory. Then later, we start seeing the consequences. For students, especially, this thing is common.

Why food poisoning is common among students

As students, especially in the university, we're often busy, tired, and trying to manage life on a tight budget. Lectures, night reading, deadlines, and little money don't exactly encourage careful eating habits.

Many students rely on roadside food, campus vendors, and quick snacks. Food might be cooked early in the morning and left till evening. It's exposed to heat, dust, flies, and repeated handling. Sometimes, it still tastes good, so we assume it's safe. Unfortunately, taste doesn't kill bacteria.

Another issue is random food combinations. Eating heavy meals late at night, mixing different foods from different sources, drinking very cold beverages immediately after oily or spicy food; all of these can stress the stomach. While not every combination causes food poisoning, they can make the body more vulnerable, especially if one of the foods is already contaminated.

Then there's poor hygiene, both from vendors and from us. Hands not properly washed, food prepared on unclean surfaces, reused water for washing plates or vegetables — these things introduce bacteria into food without us noticing. Germs like Salmonella and E. coli don't announce themselves. They just enter quietly and cause trouble later (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2024).

Improper food storage also plays a big role. Cooked food kept outside for hours, especially in hot weather, becomes unsafe very fast. Bacteria multiply rapidly at room temperature, even if the food still looks normal (Food and Agriculture Organization [FAO], 2022).

What we can actually do about it

Preventing food poisoning doesn't mean you must stop eating outside or starving yourself. It just means being smarter. Very smart.

First, watch where you buy food from. If a place looks dirty, smells off, or the food has been sitting out too long, that's already a sign.

Second, be mindful of food combinations. Eating anything and everything back-to-back, especially from different sources, is risky. Your stomach is not a dustbin. Just because your friend ate it and survived doesn't mean your body will react the same way.

Third, pay attention to hygiene. Wash your hands properly before eating. Don't eat with dirty hands just because you're rushing to class. That small effort matters more than you think (CDC, 2024).

Fourth, be careful with leftovers. If you cook or buy food and keep it for later, store it properly and reheat it well. Food should be reheated until steaming throughout, not just warm to the touch.

And don't forget water safety. The water used to cook food, wash vegetables, or prepare drinks matters a lot. Unsafe water is a major source of foodborne illness (World Health Organization [WHO], 2023).

When to stop managing and seek help

If you're vomiting repeatedly, have severe stomach pain, fever, bloody stool, or you feel extremely weak and dehydrated, that's not something to manage with vibes and prayer alone. Seek medical care. Food poisoning can become serious, especially when treatment is delayed (CDC, 2024).

As students, we like to say, "I fit manage." But food poisoning is not one of those things you should manage carelessly. What you eat and how you combine it matters. Where you buy food from matters. How clean your hands are matters.

Watch what you eat, watch where you eat from and please, we know it can be very sweet and pleasurable, but watch how you combine foods. Your stomach is not a testing ground. Eat with sense today so your body doesn't collect the bill tomorrow.

Published by the Hospital Visitation Committee (HVC), Muslim Students' Society of Nigeria, University of Ibadan (MSSNUI).