Heat and warm climates are the perfect environment for the reproduction of pathogenic microorganisms
In summer, avoiding food contamination/poisoning is fundamental
The Silestone Institute provides practical advice to guarantee a safer food comsumption and avoid illness in summer
After food contamination incidents such as last month in February, in a Danish restaurant called Noma, or those that occurred in the British restaurant Heston Blumenthal in 2009, the debate on health and food safety remains a problem year after year. Furthermore, with the high temperatures of the summer season, picnics and lunchboxes on the beachfront, hygiene then becomes a key element in guaranteeing the health of our body.
Summer is an ideal period to enjoy the sun and the lovely temperatures, yet additionally forms the perfect environment for the growth of bacteria. According to scientific sources, bacteria cultivate much faster during the summer and in warmer climates as the microorganisms need heat and humidity in order to multiply.
With this in mind, we need to prevent the transmission of pathogenic germs in foods in order to then be able to avoid them entering and damaging the human body.
In order to avoid possible infections, it is important to maintain good habits in handling foods, both before and after cooking them. Hygiene is an essential element in the correct conservation of food and the Silestone Institute, as part of their work on good hygiene habits, propose key steps of basic cleaning in order to avoid the formation of an infection at home.
Maite Pelayo, microbiologist and spokesperson of the Silestone Institute, discusses the repercussions that contaminated food can have, as well as how to avoid coming into contact with them and what you need to keep in mind so as to guarantee health and food safety.
What are the main illnesses produced from food contamination?
Illnesses that are transmitted through food occur when consuming contaminated foods or drinks full of bacteria, parasites or viruses. This type of pathology can cause symptoms that go from a simple stomach ache to more problematic symptoms such as diarrhea, fever, vomiting, abdominal cramps and dehydration.
Harmful bacteria in raw or not fully cooked foods are the most common cause of illness. The majority of cases are mild, yet an infection of specific strain E coli for example, could provoke a rare disturbance, mainly in children, which could then lead to kidney failure or failure of other organs. Another more common example of a microorganism that causes these effects is Salmonella.
It is worth highlighting that those most susceptible to suffer these types of ailments are children, pregnant women, elderly and those who generally have a weak immune system, therefore special precautions should be taken.
How to sustain health and food safety while on holiday?
The Silestone Institute defines key steps in order to guarantee our health and safety of our food elements. These simple tips will help to guarantee food safety:
• Examine the appearance of the product by looking at the label containing information concerning the ingredients, how to conserve the product and the expiration date.
• Make sure to always keep the refrigerator at a steady cold level, as at ambient temperature the bacteria start to multiply.
• Separate raw foods from cooked foods so as to avoid a possible transmission of microorganisms through cross-contamination. Do not mix the utensils and containers between raw and cooked foods.
• Conserve food products that require to be preserved at colder temperatures in refrigerators in plastic bags and keep the ice frozen so as not to drip water and place them in the freshest place possible.
• Use drinking water and always wash hands before handling food.
• Wash all utensils and surfaces each time you handle a different food, keeping in mind that your hands are cooking utensils as well.
• Prepare salads including raw vegetables and cold meats (or sausages) at the last moment, having washed them well at home (the place most hygienic to do so).
• Cook the tortilla in advance so as you can cool it and allow the egg to set well.
• Avoid sauces that contain eggs (if they are mass-produced they will need to be consumed in a small amount of time to avoid recontamination).
• Store dairy products and desserts made with eggs in the cold until the last moment.
• Check that the meat is well cook in order to guarantee that all germs have been eliminated.
• Cook foods at a high temperature for longer such as frying, baking, stewing etc. as these are effective hygienic methods.
• Remember that there are cleaning products, countertops, refrigerator and even switches that have bacterial properties that facilitate the correct conditions of hygiene in the kitchen.
Ultimately, maintaining a healthy body is fundamental as to guarantee a good quality of life for individuals, but it is especially complicated in the summer. For this reason, the Silestone Institute has established various essential steps in order to avoid coming into contact with contaminated foods in this warm season.