As the temperatures rise and the humidity levels increase, so does the risk of food poisoning. Ms. Pham Khanh Phong Lan, Director of Ho Chi Minh City Department of Food Safety, highlighted this issue on May 3 during a commentary on recent food poisoning cases in Nha Trang, Dong Nai, and Ho Chi Minh City. She emphasized that the current hot weather with prolonged high humidity provides an ideal environment for bacteria to grow, accelerating the process of food decomposition.
Many people have incorrect habits when it comes to preparing, cooking, and preserving food, which increases their risk of food poisoning. Even with high-quality ingredients and careful processing, cooked food left at room temperature for a few hours can spoil quickly in hot weather. The risk of food spoilage increases significantly if left overnight. During inspections, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Food Safety found street vendors using rice cooked the day before to make sushi, leaving it overnight and then selling it the next morning. This poses a significant risk of food poisoning as bacteria can multiply rapidly in hot weather conditions.
In addition to the heat wave, many people lack knowledge or awareness about food safety practices. Some common mistakes include mixing raw and cooked foods, purchasing cheap raw materials of unknown origin, and ignoring safety procedures. Dr. Doan Uyen Vy explained that in hot weather conditions, bacteria can multiply quickly in food left out at room temperature for long periods. This increases the risk of food poisoning as bacteria produce toxins rapidly in such conditions.
To prevent food poisoning from occurring altogether, it is essential to increase awareness and follow preventive measures like washing raw fruits and vegetables thoroughly before consuming them or cooking them at high temperatures to kill any harmful bacteria present on them. It is also important to store cooked foods properly by keeping them in airtight containers or covered with plastic wrap to prevent cross-contamination between raw and cooked foods. Additionally, maintaining cleanliness in food preparation areas by regularly cleaning surfaces with disinfectants can help reduce contamination risks associated with improper handling or storage of ingredients or equipment used during cooking or preparation processes.
If someone suspects that a particular item has gone bad or been contaminated by harmful bacteria due to improper storage or handling techniques used during transportation or preparation process should discard it immediately without eating it further.
Lastly, seeking medical attention promptly if symptoms such as nausea vomiting diarrhea appear after consuming any type of processed meal could potentially save your life from serious illness caused by bacterial infection.
Overall increasing awareness among street vendors about proper ways to handle ingredients safely during transportation while ensuring proper hygiene measures are implemented can significantly reduce risks associated with improper handling and storage techniques leading to outbreaks of illnesses caused by harmful bacteria present in contaminated products sold on streets across Vietnam’s cities