Ice Cream Poisoning Common During Summer

Ice cream which is made from milk, cream and eggs can be hazardous to one’s health since it contains ingredients that when not refrigerated properly can cause an upset stomach or diarrhea. Supermarket freezers during summer months that malfunction leave frozen foods open to becoming contaminated with bacteria and poisonous to the body.  To help keep from food poisoning by milk product foods such as ice cream, check for gaping in the container on the sides and at the top.  Squeeze to see if air can be released in an ice cream carton.  Check that the top does not have a deep gash from a razor used to cut open bulk packaging. The slits used to split open crates of ice cream packs can puncture the tops of ice cream boxes causing both air and bacteria to get into the ice cream. Check store freezers for drippings of ice cream on the floor of the freezer and that cartons of ice cream are not extremely soft and dripping when making a purchase.  Keep in mind that ice cream delivery's come in trucks with freezers.  The transported ice cream during a hot summer day will be soft and need time to refreeze in the stores.  Soft ice cream purchased has to travel back to the house and refreeze.  It may be best to wait until the ice cream is hardened in the store before transporting again home for better safety in eating ice cream products.

There are other things to think about when eating ice cream during high heat days and areas such as on the beach or in an area where it is not shady or little breeze.  According to what is already in the stomach, when adding ice cream to the diet and the body overheats, this can cause a reaction in most people of feeling dizzy and or having an upset stomach.  At best, the body may regurgitate the substances.  At worse, vomiting, headache and ultimately diarrhea may set in.  If this happens, once the person is in a fairly come and relaxed state the use of cold water that in most cases will be readily available can help lessen the ill feeling until one can get home or to the hospital if it seems severe or other symptoms like blurry vision or obviously fainting occurs.  If a reaction to ice cream seems to be the only issue that caused watery bowels, eating about a half a cup of brown rice can help tighten the bowels quickly.  More information on how to use brown rice for the condition and other tips can be found in the article, How to Stop Diarrhea Quickly on this site.