Summer warning: Food spoils easily, risk of many diseases

     During the summer months, from February to mid-May, temperatures can become extremely hot. This can have an impact on both health and food safety. It's essential to be cautious when consuming food during this time, as rising temperatures can cause food to spoil more quickly.

     The Ministry of Public Health is cautioning Thai citizens and foreign tourists who plan to travel during the summer. With temperatures ranging from 35-40 degrees Celsius, it provides an ideal environment for rapidly growing microorganisms like bacteria and viruses. This increases the risk of food contamination, leading to spoilage.

     Therefore, they closely monitor the spread of communicable diseases that can be contracted through food and water, such as diarrhea, food poisoning, dysentery, typhoid fever, and cholera. In the first nine months of 2022, there were 410,699 reported cases of diarrhea and, unfortunately, two recorded deaths. Interestingly, the age groups with the highest percentages were 0-4 years old (16.42%) and over 65 (15.25%). It's worth noting that the central region had the highest rate of reported cases.

     Buying food from trustworthy sources like fresh markets, flea markets, restaurants, or market stalls that meet the Clean Food Good Taste standard is essential. When selecting meat or fresh seafood, ensure that they have no unnatural coloring or unpleasant odor. Also, ensure that they are stored in a fridge at a temperature lower than 5 degrees Celsius.

     When purchasing food from food carts or mobile grocery shops, it's essential to exercise caution as the food has to be stored correctly, particularly when it comes to meat. Seafood is often stored with ice, but the temperature must be sufficiently cold to keep it fresh. If you notice gas bubbles in any plastic bag of ready-to-eat food, it's best to avoid purchasing it. Additionally, avoiding dishes or desserts containing coconut milk is advisable, as it can quickly spoil.

     It is recommended to eat freshly cooked food based on a few simple rules: eat hot food; use serving spoons; wash your hands; avoid eating raw food, including popular dishes such as Orchestia agilis (sand flea or beach hopper salad), spicy fish salad, raw shrimp in fish sauce, and spicy cockle salad; and be careful of any seafood, even if it’s grilled.

     If you’d like to eat food stored in the refrigerator that was cooked more than four hours ago or kept overnight, reheat the food until boiling. Serving spoons should be used, instead of everyone dipping in with their own spoons. Before eating and after using the toilet, you must wash your hands with soap and water every time to prevent diseases that spread through water or food.