Bacterial food poisoning has a distinct seasonality, mostly occurring in hot and humid seasons. This is because high temperatures and humidity are suitable for bacterial growth and reproduction.
The massive reproduction of bacteria in contaminated food, producing large amounts of toxins including enterotoxins and endotoxins released after bacterial lysis, is the fundamental condition for food poisoning to occur. Its main clinical manifestations are gastrointestinal symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. It often occurs several hours after eating. Common pathogenic bacteria include Salmonella, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus that can produce enterotoxin.
The key to preventing bacterial food poisoning is to inhibit bacterial reproduction, with roughly eight points to note:
One, when selecting food, choose fresh and non-spoiled items.
Two, food should be thoroughly washed and soaked before consumption.
Three, when picking seafood, it is best to choose live ones.
Four, to prevent cooked food from being contaminated by bacteria, knives and cutting boards for raw and cooked food should be kept separate. Cold dishes must be washed and disinfected, and it is best not to eat cold dishes left over from a previous meal.
Five, food stored in the refrigerator should be consumed as soon as possible. Frozen food must be heated before consumption because many bacteria do not die under refrigerated or frozen conditions. The refrigerator should never be used as a food safe.
Six, some toxins produced by bacteria are not destroyed by high heat. Therefore, food is not safe to eat just because it has been reheated. Some leftover meals can still cause food poisoning after being heated and should not be stored at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
Seven, maintain regular exercise to improve the body's resistance to disease.
Eight, eliminate vectors of bacterial transmission such as flies, cockroaches, and red ants.