Food poisoning kills 21 people in 2024

According to the latest report of the Ministry of Health , in the first 11 months of 2024, the whole country recorded 131 cases of food poisoning, causing 4,796 people to be infected and 21 people to die.

Compared to the same period last year, the number of poisoning cases increased by 7 cases, the number of people infected increased by 2,677, but the number of deaths decreased by 7.

The main cause of food poisoning is still mainly due to natural toxins such as puffer fish, wild mushrooms, and strange animals. In addition, microorganisms and chemicals are also the cause of poisoning in some cases. Illustrative photo

Among the poisoning cases, there were 29 major cases (≥ 30 people infected/case), causing 4,049 people to be infected and 2 people to die. The minor and medium poisoning cases (

According to the analysis of the Ministry of Health , of the 131 food poisoning cases, 43 cases were related to natural toxins (mainly poisoning from toads, wild mushrooms, sea cucumbers, puffer fish, and strange crabs); 6 cases were related to chemicals; 45 cases were caused by microorganisms, and 37 cases had undetermined causes.

Food poisoning cases have occurred mainly in collective kitchens, school canteens, eateries near schools, and street food in provinces such as Khanh Hoa, Dong Nai , Soc Trang, Ho Chi Minh City and Vinh Phuc.

The main causes of food poisoning are still mainly natural toxins such as puffer fish, wild mushrooms, and exotic animals. In addition, microorganisms and chemicals are also the cause of poisoning in some cases.

In particular, in cases of poisoning at restaurants and collective kitchens, experts say that lack of food quality control and inadequate storage conditions can lead to a high risk of poisoning.

Faced with the above situation, the Ministry of Health has advised the Government to issue directives to strengthen measures to prevent and handle food poisoning.

The Ministry of Health also requested the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to step up the control and traceability of food ingredients, especially for products from livestock, poultry, seafood, and vegetables to ensure safety for consumers.

To prevent food poisoning, the Ministry of Health has requested authorities to continue to strengthen monitoring and handling of food safety incidents.

At the same time, stricter measures are needed to control the origin of food, especially imported products and street foods of unknown origin.

In the coming time, the Ministry of Health will continue to coordinate with relevant agencies to strengthen the inspection and examination of food production and processing establishments and points of sale to ensure food safety and hygiene for the community. Along with that, propaganda to raise people's awareness of food safety will also be promoted.

Regarding a serious food poisoning incident that recently occurred in Phuc Loi Ward, Long Bien District, Hanoi City. According to a report from the Hanoi Food Safety and Hygiene Department, on December 19, a party caused 20 people to be hospitalized and 2 people died.

Through investigation, authorities discovered that the wine samples used in this meal contained methanol and acetonitrile – toxic chemicals.

Specifically, two wine samples from NBC Pacific LLC (Hung Yen) contained methanol and acetonitrile exceeding the permissible limit. Food and water samples did not detect pathogenic microorganisms, but clinical samples (blood and urine) from patients all contained acetonitrile and cyanide – an extremely toxic substance.

Acetonitrile is an industrial solvent commonly used in chemical and pharmaceutical manufacturing, but is not a natural component of alcohol.

When illegally mixed with alcohol, acetonitrile can cause severe poisoning. When entering the body, it is converted to cyanide, which is a serious health hazard and can lead to death.

Source: https://baodautu.vn/ngo-doc-thuc-pham-lam-21-nguoi-tu-vong-trong-nam-2024-d235040.html