Hot weather provides a prime opportunity for bacteria to run rampant. This period is particularly prone to intestinal infectious diseases such as dysentery and infectious diarrhea, as well as food poisoning, so special attention should be paid to prevention. Experts reminding citizens to prevent summer food poisoning have stated that salt, vinegar, alcohol, and wasabi should not be used for sterilization, as they have no effect in preventing food poisoning. Pickled foods also require strict disinfection.
With the closure of school canteens, food poisoning is now more common in small-scale household settings. According to Sun Dayong, Deputy Chief Physician of the Gastroenterology Department at the General Hospital of the Guangzhou Military Command, among cases of food poisoning, several pathogenic microorganisms are common in daily life, such as Salmonella, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Bacillus cereus, and Proteus. These can contaminate various foods, causing fever, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Among them, the contamination rate of various foodborne pathogens in meat and meat products is the highest. Common symptoms include a short incubation period, with illness usually occurring 2 to 24 hours after eating. Patients often exhibit digestive tract symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. The poisoning symptoms cease after the consumption of the specific food is stopped.
Sun Dayong reminds that different pathogenic bacteria require different disinfection methods, and relying solely on vinegar or wasabi for sterilization is not sufficient. For example, Salmonella, the most common pathogen in food poisoning, can survive in meat with a salt content as high as 10%-15% for several months. It can be transmitted to humans through contaminated meat, poultry, eggs, or water, and it can only be completely killed by boiling in water for 30 minutes. Therefore, strict disinfection is also necessary when consuming pickled foods. Heating to kill pathogenic microorganisms is an important measure for preventing food poisoning. When consuming raw or cold foods, it is also important to note that vinegar or liquor cannot completely eliminate or inactivate parasites in food, as some parasites can survive in vinegar for up to several tens of days. Seafood contains more Vibrio parahaemolyticus in the summer.
Attention should also be paid to the presence of Vibrio parahaemolyticus in fish and shellfish. It is understood that the average contamination rate of marine fish and shrimp is 45%-48%, and can be as high as 90% in the summer. The contamination rate of pickled fish and shellfish is also 42.4%. Vibrio parahaemolyticus mainly contaminates seafood. The main poisoning symptoms manifest as paroxysmal colic in the upper abdomen, followed by diarrhea. Most patients experience nausea and vomiting after diarrhea. Body temperature is generally below 39°C, and the course of the disease is usually 2-4 days. Mild cases may see symptoms disappear within a few hours, while severe patients may experience dehydration and shock. In individual cases, blood pressure may drop, the complexion may become pale, and consciousness may be unclear, with the course of the disease extending up to 10 days.
Vibrio parahaemolyticus can also easily grow and multiply in cold dishes and other preserved foods. It can be killed by heating to 56°C for five minutes or 80°C for one minute. It is difficult for it to survive in an acidic environment. Thoroughly cook dishes or add vinegar, and pay attention to the cleanliness and hygiene of kitchen utensils (knives, cutting boards, cloths, tableware, containers), ensuring they are used separately for raw and cooked foods and are cleaned and disinfected after use. Refrigerators can also easily breed bacteria.
The kitchen is a breeding ground for bacteria, so to prevent food poisoning, the first thing to pay attention to is kitchen hygiene and keeping it dry. After each cooking session, pots, pans, and other utensils should be cleaned immediately to prevent mosquito and fly bites. Dishcloths are a hiding place for bacteria. Therefore, they should not only be rinsed clean but also regularly disinfected by steaming in a microwave oven.
Also pay attention to the refrigerator. If both the freezer and the refrigerator compartments are full, air cannot circulate well, creating a warm and humid environment. Even if the temperature is only slightly higher than the specified level, bacteria can breed.
It is recommended to keep the shelves inside the refrigerator clean and dry. Do not place eggs on the shelves by the door, as that is the warmest part of the refrigerator. Similarly, salads and sauces should not be placed there. They contain enough sugar to breed bacteria in slightly warmer conditions. Leaving the refrigerator door open for a few minutes will affect the internal temperature.
Common types of food poisoning include the following:
1. Bacterial food poisoning: Refers to acute or subacute poisoning diseases caused by people eating food contaminated by bacteria or their toxins, such as Salmonella food poisoning, which is the most common type.
2. Mycotoxin poisoning: Refers to acute diseases caused by eating foods contaminated with toxic fungi and their toxins. General heating methods cannot destroy the mycotoxins in the food.
3. Animal food poisoning: Refers to poisoning caused by consuming animal foods containing toxic components, such as pufferfish poisoning.
4. Plant food poisoning: Refers to poisoning caused by accidentally eating toxic plants, such as poisonous mushroom or kidney bean poisoning.
5. Chemical food poisoning: Refers to poisoning caused by people eating foods contaminated with toxic and harmful chemicals, including food poisoning caused by some toxic metals and their compounds, nitrites, pesticides, etc.
Warm reminder: 5 tips to prevent vegetable pesticide poisoning
Pesticide residues on vegetables can also easily cause food poisoning. When processing vegetables, the method of one wash, two blanch, three peel, four soak, and five store should be adhered to to reduce pesticide residues and prevent food poisoning.
One wash: Pesticides on vegetables are mainly organophosphate insecticides, which are difficult to dissolve in water. Therefore, experts recommend using running water for small, multiple washes. This method is mainly suitable for leafy vegetables like spinach, lettuce, and bok choy. For vegetables like chive flowers, they can be rinsed in water, draining and washing at the same time, and then soaked in salt water to completely remove pesticide residues.
Two blanch: This method is suitable for vegetables that are difficult to handle with other methods, such as celery, green peppers, and beans. Wash with warm water or boil in boiling water for 2 to 5 minutes, then rinse one or two more times.
Three peel: Peeling is a good method for removing residual pesticides from stem vegetables. Vegetables like winter melon, apples, and cucumbers have uneven or hairy exteriors, so they tend to have relatively higher pesticide residues. Therefore, wash them before peeling to avoid contaminating the fruit or vegetable with pesticides on the peeler.
Four soak: Leafy vegetables like spinach, bok choy, and rapeseed can be soaked in water to remove toxins. A small amount of dishwashing liquid can also be added to the water, followed by rinsing with clean water.
Five store: Storage method, which involves storing vegetables for more than 15 days to allow the pesticides in the vegetables to slowly decompose into harmless substances.
Emergency measures for food poisoning
In case of food poisoning, immediately call the emergency center 120 for help. Before professional rescuers arrive, some simple first aid measures can be taken.
1. Induce vomiting. Use artificial stimulation, such as using fingers or a blunt object to stimulate the patient's pharyngeal arch and posterior pharyngeal wall to cause vomiting. At the same time, be careful to avoid aspiration and suffocation.
2. Catharsis. If the patient has been poisoned for a longer period but is still in good spirits, they can be given laxatives to help expel the toxins.
3. Prevent dehydration. Mild poisoning patients should drink more salt water, tea, ginger sugar water, or thin rice porridge.
4. Properly handle suspicious food. Suspected toxic food should not be consumed again, so that doctors can collect vomit, excrement, and blood and urine for toxicological analysis at the hospital.