Florence Nightingale, the mother of modern nursing, understood something critical about health long before modern science confirmed it: clean water, proper nutrition, and sanitation save lives. She became famous for her relentless focus on cleanliness and disinfection. At the hospital where she worked in the mid-1800s, she emphasized the importance of washing hands, linens, and towels, and ensuring that patients had access to clean food and supplies.
Yet, despite her efforts, the death rate continued to rise. In 1855, investigators discovered the truth: the hospital’s water supply was contaminated because the building sat on a sewer. Nightingale’s story is a reminder that invisible contaminants can silently drive disease, whether in water then or in our food supply today.
Mycotoxins: The Hidden Food Threat
Just as dirty water spread disease in Nightingale’s time, mycotoxins—toxic substances produced by certain molds—remain an overlooked danger in our food system. Unlike spoiled food you can see or smell, mycotoxins are invisible. You can’t taste them, and cooking won’t always destroy them (some withstand temperatures up to 500°F). Once present, they’re nearly impossible to remove.
Contamination can occur at any point—from the farm, to storage, to processing, to your own kitchen. And research shows they are widespread. Mycotoxins like aflatoxin, DON, zearalenone, ochratoxin, T-2/HT-2, and Alternaria toxins have been linked to immune suppression, hormone disruption, liver damage, cancer, and more. Children and those with weakened immune systems are especially vulnerable.
Why the Gut is Ground Zero for Food Safety
The gastrointestinal (GI) tract isn’t just a “food tube.” It’s a highly complex organ system, and about 70–75% of our immune system lives in the gut. That makes sense: the gut’s inner surface area (about 32 m²) is far larger than our skin, and it’s where most invaders enter our bodies.
Good digestion starts in the mouth. Healthy teeth, gums, and saliva not only prepare food mechanically but also kill or neutralize harmful organisms. Gum disease and poor oral hygiene can actually allow pathogens to enter the body, contributing to heart disease, arthritis, obesity, and more. That’s why daily brushing, flossing, and regular dental care aren’t just about smiles—they’re about immune defense.
Chewing food thoroughly is equally important. It signals your digestive system to prepare enzymes and stomach acid, making it harder for infectious organisms to survive while helping your body absorb nutrients efficiently.
Preventing Foodborne Illness at Home
Even mild food poisoning can be devastating for people with GI issues or weakened immunity. Fortunately, much can be prevented through safe food handling:
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Handwashing: Wash hands well before, during, and after preparing meals.
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Kitchen hygiene: Clean countertops, utensils, and cutting boards thoroughly. Use paper towels instead of cloth towels that may harbor bacteria.
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Produce care: Wash fruits and vegetables before eating or storing them—remember, many hands may have touched them before they reached your home.
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Avoid cross-contamination: Use separate cutting boards and utensils for raw meats and produce.
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Cooking: Cook foods to recommended USDA temperatures to kill bacteria (though not all mycotoxins).
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Refrigeration: Keep your fridge at or below 40°F and your freezer at 0°F. Don’t leave leftovers out for more than two hours (or one hour in hot weather).
Mold and Mycotoxin Prevention
Because you can’t see or taste mycotoxins, prevention matters:
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Store flours, grains, and baking ingredients in the freezer or fridge, ideally frost-free units that reduce humidity.
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Never eat visibly moldy foods, and don’t just cut off the moldy part—mycotoxins spread beyond what you can see.
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Buy from trusted sources that test for contaminants when possible.
Special Considerations for Immunocompromised People
Those with weakened immune systems—from cancer treatment, autoimmune medications, or chronic illness—should be especially careful. Avoid high-risk foods such as raw seafood, undercooked eggs or meats, and unpasteurized dairy. Even small lapses can trigger serious infections.
Food Safety Beyond Microbes
Pathogens aren’t the only risk. Poorly regulated preservatives, additives, pesticides, and antibiotic residues in animal products also pose long-term health concerns. Preparing simple, whole, and “clean” foods at home—and freezing or refrigerating them properly—is one of the best ways to reduce exposures.
The bottom line is that food safety is about more than just avoiding upset stomachs. It’s about protecting your gut, your immune system, and your long-term health from hidden hazards like mycotoxins. As Florence Nightingale taught us, sometimes the most dangerous threats are the ones we can’t see.
References
1. Oerther DB, Oerther S. Nightingale's legacy as a nurse theorist promotes healthful food systems. Perspect Public Health. 2020;140(3):141–143.
2. Dlugasch L, Story L. Gastrointestinal function. In: Applied pathophysiology for the advanced practice nurse. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning; 2021:392.
3. Center for Disease Control. About handwashing. https://www.cdc.gov/clean-hands/about/index.html#:~:text=Before%2C%20during%2C%20and%20after%20preparing,After%20touching%20garbage. Updated 2024. Accessed October 30, 2024.
4. Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. 2022 nutrition care manual. In: Nutrition care manual. Chicago, IL: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics; 2022. https://www-nutritioncaremanual-org.unh.idm.oclc.org/client_ed.cfm?ncm_client_ed_id=352.
5. World Health Organization. Mycotoxins. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mycotoxins. Updated 2023. Accessed October 30, 2024.
6. Letscher-Bru V, Obszynski CM, Samsoen M, Sabou M, Waller J, Candolfi E. Antifungal activity of sodium bicarbonate against fungal agents causing superficial infections. Mycopathologia. 2013;175(1-2):153–158. doi: 10.1007/s11046-012-9583-2.
7. Cazares B. Cooking meat: Is it done yet? https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2022/10/03/cooking-meat-it-done-yet. Updated 2022. Accessed October 30, 2024.