Preventing food poisoning in hot weather

Many street vendors sell all kinds of snacks that are not properly preserved. Photo: KHÁNH NGÁ

According to records, at many traditional markets, school gates, residential areas, and sidewalks in the city, it is not difficult to come across stalls selling pre-processed foods with eye-catching appearance and a variety of types such as: mixed rice paper, bread, rice rolls, grilled pork vermicelli, chicken feet, fried sausages, fried sour sausages, etc.

These dishes are often not covered or preserved properly, easily contaminated with dirt, insects and harmful bacteria. Customers are mainly students, workers, who need fast, convenient and cheap food.

Mr. Ha Thanh My (residing in Hoa Cuong ward) said that due to the busy nature of his job, he often eats breakfast and lunch at restaurants near his office. He knows that these stalls are not hygienic, the sellers do not wear gloves, the food is not covered properly, but he still has to buy them because it saves time...

Meanwhile, Ms. Tran Thi Ngoc Ha (Thanh Khe ward) said that after eating fried nem chua at a sidewalk stall near the school, both mother and child experienced stomachaches just a few hours after eating. She took her child to a nearby medical facility for examination and was diagnosed with mild food poisoning. “When I bought it, I saw that the stall was crowded and the nem was fried on the spot, but I didn’t expect that there was still a potential risk of food safety,” Ms. Ha shared.

Dr. Truong Thi Hoa, Deputy Head of the Department of Tropical Medicine, Da Nang Hospital, said that there are 4 main causes of food poisoning: microorganisms, chemicals, food containing natural toxins, and spoiled food. The incubation period is from 2-4 hours, while food poisoning caused by microorganisms has an incubation period of 6-48 hours. The main symptoms of food poisoning are: abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and possibly fever.

In addition, hot weather is a favorable condition for flies and mosquitoes to breed and spread pathogens through food and drinking water. This is also the reason why gastrointestinal diseases, especially acute diarrhea, increase in the summer.

People need to choose safe food, preserve food properly, maintain hygiene while preparing food; choose restaurants and eateries that ensure food hygiene and safety...

Besides, in the hot season, many people make common mistakes in food preservation such as: leaving cooked, uneaten food at room temperature without covering it; putting hot food in the refrigerator; not covering food when storing it cold; mixing raw and cooked food...

When there are signs of food poisoning, people need to go to the nearest medical facility for timely monitoring and treatment; drink plenty of water or ORS to replenish water and electrolytes. At the same time, they should keep samples of suspected food or vomit in a sealed bag to help doctors diagnose the cause and appropriate treatment...

Source: https://baodanang.vn/phong-chong-ngo-doc-thuc-pham-mua-nang-nong-3297056.html