Robotics Talks Health

Community contributed by Molokai Oompa Loompas

We are the Molokai Middle School’s (MMS) all-girls robotics team. You may remember us as the Molokai Monarchs or the Molokai Gleeks.  This year, we are the Molokai Oompa Loompas. Our team has six members: Hikili`i Chow (9th grade, MHS), Sarah Jenkins (9th grade, MHS), Momi Afelin (8th grade, MMS), Cendall Manley (8th grade, home schooled), Lily Jenkins (7th grade, MMS), and Katy Domingo (6th grade, Kaunakakai Elementary School).

This year’s First Lego League theme is “Food Factor.”  Our team will work to improve the quality of food by finding ways to prevent food contamination. We will be writing a series of articles educating you on different food borne illnesses and how to prevent them. So next week, we invite you to check back in because we are going to be identifying the bacteria e-coli and giving you tips on how to prevent this illness in your home!

Salmonella Poisoning

Hi, our names are Cendall Manley and  Katy Domingo.  We are members of the Molokai Middle School’s robotics team known as the Molokai Oompa Loompas.  We would like to educate you on the bacterium salmonella to ensure that you and your family stay healthy.

Salmonella is one of the most common causes of food-borne illnesses.  Salmonella usually infects the intestines of birds, reptiles and mammals. It can also be found in meat, poultry, eggs and milk products. If a human is infected by salmonella, the most common symptoms will be fever, diarrhea, and abdominal cramps. Upon diagnosis, an infected individual should drink a lot of water to avoid dehydration. One must see a doctor if common symptoms are accompanied by any of the following: high fever (temperature over 101 F), blood in the stool, prolonged vomiting that prevents keeping liquids down, signs of dehydration and/or your illness lasts more than three days. 

It is easy to protect yourself and your family from salmonella poisoning.  Just follow these five easy steps:

1. Clean. Wash your hands with soap and water before preparing or coming in contact with food.
2. Separate. Do not cross-contaminate food! Wash hands, utensils, and cutting boards after the have touched raw meat, but before they are used on other foods. Put cooked meat on clean plate not back on the one that held the raw meat. Keep raw meat away from fresh produce.
3. Cook. Cook your meat, poultry, and eggs well; ground beef should be cooked at an internal temperature of 160 F, chicken should be cooked at an internal temperature of 170 F and eggs should be cooked until yoke is firm.
4.  Refrigerate leftovers quickly.  Salmonella and other bacteria can grow fast at room temperature. 
5.  “When in Doubt Throw it Out!”
Don’t allow salmonella to get you down.  Be smart when preparing and storing your food products.  A few extra steps now will keep you healthy and happy.

Information taken from: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)