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One of these suspect items is to blame for my food poisoning experience. (Click to enlarge.)

As fate would have it, I was finishing Module 39 of Future Health Now! (How to Eat Leftovers Without the Mold, Yeast and Bacteria) around the time of my food poisoning episode. I’ve often said that I like to experience what I’m telling my clients and readers… but this was way beyond the call of duty.

Now, many people offered their suggestions as to what could have caused the problem (along with some great reasons why). Let’s line up the suspects…

1. The Pesto: Someone said: “When you freeze pesto the oils break down and become denatured and harmful.” Most chefs agree that pesto can be frozen if you avoid putting any cheese in the recipe. Add cheese later when you thaw a portion. (By the way, try freezing in ice cube trays with or without a plastic wrap lining.)

2. The Fridge and Freezer: Another person pointed out that in Module 1 of Future Health Now! I talk about shutting off my circuit breakers at night. Did a lack of refrigeration spoil my food? Good guess but I do leave power going to my fridge and freezer (after all, I do live in the tropics!).

3. Food Combinations: Another person wrote: “The entire menu sounds like a mismatch for any stomach.” Other than eating fruit after the meal it really wasn’t all that bad. At worst it would have caused a little indigestion – not six hours of vomiting!

4. Tainted Vegetables: Others blamed the vegetables, painting my bok choi, chard and kale with the brush of the September 2009 E coli spinach recall. This is unlikely. As a recent study shows only “vegetable crops grown in the vicinity of cattle feed yard operations can be contaminated with pathogens…”

5. The Cacao: Few suspected the cacao. But powder can go moldy very easily. And unlike whole foods which you can wash — you can’t rinse a powder. If you’re unsure about cacao (or any other spice) you need to cook it. Otherwise, if you prefer raw, then stick to the nibs, wash them, dry them and then grind them fresh. Still, I don’t think the cocao powder caused my food poisoning nightmare.

6. The Vanilla Extract: Some suspected the vanilla extract. But it’s essentially an alcohol which is as antibacterial as it gets.

7. The Coconut Milk: People wondered if the coconut milk was bad. I’m sure it can go bad but remember coconut is also highly antifungal. On the flipside, any mold that does manage to invade coconut milk is thus very powerful and could make you quite sick. Best to drink it fresh or heat any leftovers. Still, I don’t think this was the culprit.

Upon reviewing all the evidence (including some details I have yet to share with you) I can confidently say… “The tomato sauce did it!” Which most of you had voted as the culprit as well.

Next week I’ll explain exactly why and how I’m going to avoid being poisoned by tomato sauce ever again (subscribe using the form below to receive part 3).

P.S. One person even voted for Cheese Puffs! I haven’t eaten a Cheese Puff in decades… but, who knows, maybe my body was finally detoxing it.

P.P.S. How to deal with mold (whether moldy food, moldy homes, moldy clothes) is a reoccurring theme in Future Health Now! If you haven’t already, consider our low monthly fee by clicking here.

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