Five-point guide to avoiding food poisoning in this muggy weather
NIAMH HORAN
IF THE miserable summer weather of the past week hasn't given you a cold or flu, it might still hit you - with food poisoning.
The Food Safety Authority has warned people to be extra careful preparing food during this "muggy" weather, following thousands of food poisoning cases last year.
During that summer, 1,800 people fell ill from just one bug associated with raw chicken - camplyo bacter.
Now Alan Reilly, deputy chief executive with the authority, says many people still aren't following the five golden rules when handling perishable foods.
"We normally see a summer peak in cases of food-born illnesses, and that peak is associated with warmer weather and people not keeping perishable foods chilled. For example, a person could go for their weekly shopping and then leave it sitting in their car under the sun. This is especially dangerous with raw chicken and raw mince; the temperature can rise and the bug presence on the food can increase. The more bugs on the food, the more likely you will get ill from eating it."
He said: "During the summer months, people have to pay greater attention to the basics of food hygiene, and they should follow the five golden rules about perishable foods such as meat, soft cheeses and anything you'd get from a delicatessen.
These include:
* always make sure you chill food so the bugs can't grow;
* always keep your chopping boards clean;
* separate foods to avoid cross contamination, especially between raw and cooked food;
* always cook your food thoroughly;
* only use clean water for washing it in.
In 2006, 420 cases of salmonella were reported to the authority, in addition to 180 cases of E Coli O157, which can be contracted by coming into contact with animal faeces on farms. Some 360 cases of illness associated with water contamination (crypto sporidium) were also reported - but this figure is expected to rise significantly in 2007, following the water contamination crisis in the West.
Meanwhile, the authority has issued a strict warning to food businesses to insure proper food safety practices.
