How to Prevent Angiostrongyliasis
Examine your produce carefully.Before eating fruits and veggies, check for visible dirt, slugs, bugs, and snails., Rinse your fruit and vegetables.Place your produce under a cold-water spray for a few seconds, then soak it in distilled water for one...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Examine your produce carefully.Before eating fruits and veggies
If you see any, remove them, then wash your hands thoroughly.
Clean the thick skin of melons, cucumbers, citrus, and potatoes with a vegetable brush under cool water even if you don’t see any visible debris, as the grooved surface can trap yucky bits that might cause angiostrongyliasis. -
Step 2: check for visible dirt
Pour the water out and, if you wish, let your produce dry.
Do not use bleach, soap, or detergent on your produce when washing it, as these products can harm you if residue is ingested.
Washing with cool tapwater is just as good as washing with commercial fruit and vegetable rinses.
Don’t bother buying these commercial products to wash your produce.
Even organically-grown veggies and fruits need to be washed because they might have come in contact with creatures that carry angiostrongyliasis parasites. , Utensils, likewise, need to be scrubbed clean with hot, soapy water before use. , Snails, crabs, frogs, and prawns, for instance, should be frozen in order to kill any parasites within them.
Store them at a temperature at or below
-35 degrees Fahrenheit (-37.3 degrees Celsius) for at least 15 hours to kill any potential parasites.Most home freezers cannot reach temperatures this low, however, so be sure you know the actual temperature of your freezer before assuming that it can reach temperatures low enough to kill the parasite. , If you consume snails, prawns, crabs, shrimp, and other mollusks, take precautions before consuming.
Boil these creatures for 3-5 minutes to kill the parasitic larvae.
Do not eat raw snails, prawns, or other mollusks. , Observation of these preventive measures is especially important when traveling to these areas or eating exotic foods like snails, monitor lizards, frogs, or slugs.
Avoid restaurants or public eateries that do not use proper seafood handling techniques or equipment. -
Step 3: and snails.
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Step 4: Rinse your fruit and vegetables.Place your produce under a cold-water spray for a few seconds
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Step 5: then soak it in distilled water for one or two minutes.
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Step 6: Clean your preparation area.Cutting boards and surfaces where you’ll be chopping or otherwise prepping your produce need to be cleaned with hot soapy water.
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Step 7: Freeze potential carriers before cooking.
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Step 8: Boil snails and prawns before eating.Angiostrongyliasis is caused by a parasite commonly found on snails and prawns.
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Step 9: Use caution when eating abroad.Angiostrongylus infections are prevalent in Southeast Asia
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Step 10: the Pacific
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Step 11: and the Americas.
Detailed Guide
If you see any, remove them, then wash your hands thoroughly.
Clean the thick skin of melons, cucumbers, citrus, and potatoes with a vegetable brush under cool water even if you don’t see any visible debris, as the grooved surface can trap yucky bits that might cause angiostrongyliasis.
Pour the water out and, if you wish, let your produce dry.
Do not use bleach, soap, or detergent on your produce when washing it, as these products can harm you if residue is ingested.
Washing with cool tapwater is just as good as washing with commercial fruit and vegetable rinses.
Don’t bother buying these commercial products to wash your produce.
Even organically-grown veggies and fruits need to be washed because they might have come in contact with creatures that carry angiostrongyliasis parasites. , Utensils, likewise, need to be scrubbed clean with hot, soapy water before use. , Snails, crabs, frogs, and prawns, for instance, should be frozen in order to kill any parasites within them.
Store them at a temperature at or below
-35 degrees Fahrenheit (-37.3 degrees Celsius) for at least 15 hours to kill any potential parasites.Most home freezers cannot reach temperatures this low, however, so be sure you know the actual temperature of your freezer before assuming that it can reach temperatures low enough to kill the parasite. , If you consume snails, prawns, crabs, shrimp, and other mollusks, take precautions before consuming.
Boil these creatures for 3-5 minutes to kill the parasitic larvae.
Do not eat raw snails, prawns, or other mollusks. , Observation of these preventive measures is especially important when traveling to these areas or eating exotic foods like snails, monitor lizards, frogs, or slugs.
Avoid restaurants or public eateries that do not use proper seafood handling techniques or equipment.
About the Author
Debra Howard
A passionate writer with expertise in organization topics. Loves sharing practical knowledge.
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