PODCAST: Food safety first

Woza summer, now is the perfect time for those picnics and braais, but be careful as the warmer temperature also creates the perfect environment to support harmful food bugs. On episode 20, a Friend in Crisis from Pampierstad learned this the hard way.

Director of Food Consulting Services, Shane Rimmel. Photo: Supplied/Health For Mzansi

Director of Food Consulting Services, a food testing laboratory in Johannesburg, Shane Rimmel joins this episode 20 and unpacks how to avoid food poisoning during this festive season.

It’s all in the temperature

We know the festive season in Mzansi is a lifestyle. Cue the parties, lunches and dinners. And according to Rimmel when preparing feasts temperature control is as essential as a clean surface.

He says, “Though microscopic, bacteria are living organisms, and they don’t like it when it’s too hot or too cold. During the festive season, people don’t have effective temperature control measures for large food quantities.”

Our homes generally do not have the industrial infrastructure to keep large amounts of foods which makes it difficult to manage temperature.

“This gives bacteria the opportunity to get in your food and post consumption you might fall ill.”
Food Consulting Service director, Shane Rimmel

Food safety is second nature

Bacteria often thrives in unclean spaces. A clean kitchen is a happy kitchen, and a happy kitchen produces good food, says Rimmel.

Rimmel’s Golden Rules for festive food safety includes:

Clean utensils: Make sure that you clean your kitchen, utensils, and make sure that you pots and plates are washed with clean water and soap.

Good hygiene: Good personal hygiene is very important, other bacteria also come from us the people who prepare the food. Often the things we touch contain bacteria and you need to make sure you wash your hands before and in between the cooking to avoid contamination. Try to keep fingernails short.

Food prep: Foods also contain some bacteria, for instance – raw meat contain bacteria called salmonella and some raw vegetables do contain bacteria too. So, it’s important to make sure that you prepare the food properly.

Storage: The way we store the food is also very important especially where raw meat is concerned, make certain that raw meat is stored at the bottom of the fridge. And make sure that the food is covered all the time.

Steps to follow in case of food poisoning

According to Rimmel one of the major reasons for hospitalisation due to food poisoning is dehydration. If you suspect that you have food poisoning, the most important thing to do is to stay hydrated.

“Usually, food poisoning is not serious, and the illness runs its course within 24 to 48 hours. Seek medical attention should the symptom worsen or progress to bloody diarrhoea,” he says.

The most common symptoms of food poisoning are: