Preventing food poisoning in hot weather

Many street vendors sell a variety of snacks that are not properly stored. Photo: KHANH NGAN

According to observations, in many traditional markets, school gates, residential areas, and sidewalks throughout the city, it's not difficult to find stalls selling ready-made food in attractive and diverse forms, such as: mixed rice paper salad, sandwiches, rice rolls, grilled pork vermicelli, chicken feet, fried sausages, fried fermented pork rolls, etc.

These food items are often not properly covered or stored, making them susceptible to contamination from dust, insects, and harmful bacteria. The main customers are students, workers, and others who need quick, convenient, and inexpensive meals.

Mr. Ha Thanh My (residing in Hoa Cuong ward) said that due to the busy nature of his work, he often eats breakfast and lunch at restaurants near his office. He knows that these stalls do not guarantee hygiene, the vendors do not wear gloves, and the food is not properly covered, but he still buys from them to save time...

Meanwhile, Ms. Tran Thi Ngoc Ha (Thanh Khe ward) said that after eating fried fermented pork rolls at a street stall near the school, both she and her child experienced stomach pain just a few hours after eating. She took her child to a nearby medical facility for examination, where the doctor determined it was mild food poisoning. "When we bought them, the stall was crowded, and the rolls were fried right there, but I didn't realize there was still a potential risk of food safety and hygiene issues," Ms. Ha shared.

According to Dr. Truong Thi Hoa, Deputy Head of the Department of Tropical Medicine at Da Nang Hospital, there are four main causes of food poisoning: microorganisms, chemicals, food containing natural toxins, and spoiled food. The incubation period is 2-4 hours, except for food poisoning caused by microorganisms, which has an incubation period of 6-48 hours. Symptoms of food poisoning mainly include abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and possibly fever.

In addition, hot weather creates favorable conditions for flies, mosquitoes, and other pests to breed and spread diseases through food and water. This is also a reason why gastrointestinal diseases, especially acute diarrhea, increase during the summer.

People need to choose safe food, store food properly, maintain hygiene during food preparation; and choose restaurants and eateries that ensure food safety and hygiene...

In addition, during the hot season, many people make common mistakes in food preservation such as: leaving cooked or leftover food at room temperature without covering it; putting hot food into the refrigerator; not covering food properly when refrigerating; mixing raw and cooked food, etc.

When experiencing symptoms of food poisoning, people should go to the nearest medical facility for monitoring and timely treatment; drink plenty of water or oral rehydration solution to replenish fluids and electrolytes. They should also keep samples of suspected food or vomit in a sealed bag to assist doctors in diagnosing the cause and determining appropriate treatment.

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