From our kitchens to humble street food vendors to the most prestigious fine dining establishments, no corner of the food industry is immune to the threat of food poisoning. It is a silent intruder that can turn a delightful dining experience into a nightmare of distress, illness, and discomfort.
Foodborne illnesses affect countless people every year. It occurs when we consume food contaminated with harmful bacteria, viruses, parasites, or toxins, and isn’t limited to just stomachaches and discomfort.
There are tips and tricks, and do’s and don’ts to make sure your food is safe to eat and what to look out for in potentially spoiled foods.
Here are some articles published on Health for Mzansi that can assist you with the prevention of food poisoning, emphasising the importance of proper food handling, storage, and preparation. We also share advice on how to treat food poisoning.
Food safety: Minimising the harm via hygiene
Food can go from nice to nasty in a heartbeat when there is a lack of hygiene in a kitchen.
Having access to adequate amounts of safe and nutritious food is crucial for maintaining life and promoting good health. Unsanitary facilities and equipment can spread harmful microorganisms and attract disease-spreading pests placing food safety at risk.
An expert looks at what eateries need to consider when handling food while a dietitian offers some tips to keep in mind when preparing and storing it.
Keep your holidays healthy with these food safety tips
Food safety and quality control officer Nompumelelo Mnguni from Pretoria highlights that most cases of food poisoning occur frequently during the festive season due to warm temperatures and overexcitement that cause mishandling of food.
With all the extra cooking and eating that goes on during this time of year, it’s important to take extra care while practising food safety to ensure that you and your loved ones stay safe and healthy.
For food safety’s sake, do not wash your chicken
Food safety specialist Dr Lucia Anelich warns that washing your chicken before cooking it, may be doing more harm than good. Anelich tells Health For Mzansi that “raw chicken may contain two types of bacteria, Salmonella and Campylobacter, both of which cause foodborne illness.
Even though you may not see it, splashing water from washing chicken under a tap can spread the bacteria onto the hands, work surfaces, clothing and cooking equipment in your kitchen.
10 golden rules for handling food this summer
Food safety is essential at all times of the year, however, different seasons call for extra vigilance due to the weather conditions.
Summer promises sunshine, heat and carefree gatherings with families and friends. It also coincides with an increase in the risk of food poisoning as warmer temperatures cause foodborne germs to thrive.
The director of Food Consulting Services, Shane Rimmel offers 10 golden rules for summer food safety which are not limited to hygiene, storage, and cooking food thoroughly.
Tummy trouble? Try these home remedies
There are few things in this world that are worse than an upset tummy, especially when it’s accompanied by nausea and vomiting. And whether it’s due to a stomach bug, indigestion or food poisoning, your only goal is to feel better ASAP.
There are home remedies you can try to treat the problem.
Registered dietitian Michelle Hawksworth says if you suspect food poisoning, the most important thing to do is stay hydrated. She explains that when we have food poisoning, your body loses fluids as well as electrolytes. This can cause us to become dehydrated and can exacerbate our symptoms.Â
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