In response to the South Korean Ministry of Meals and Drug Security (MFDS), summertime is the season when possibly in all probability essentially the most meals poisoning circumstances happen contained in the nation, notably contained in the month of September.
In its newest assertion warning clients of the upcoming high-risk time interval for meals poisoning subsequent month, the ministry highlighted points that diversified man-made parts have resulted contained in the variety of circumstances going up on condition that peak COVID-19 pandemic interval.
“The summer time season season months of 2023 from July to September noticed an increase in meals poisoning circumstances in South Korea, with 8,789 of us affected by 359 circumstances,” MFDS Minister Oh Yoo-kyung acknowledged by means of an accurate assertion.
“That is notably regarding as that is considerably greater than the circumstances seen inside the sooner 12 months with 5,501 of us/301 circumstances.
“Analysing the numbers from the COVID-19 pandemic interval from 2020 to 2022 (2020: 2,534 of us/164 circumstances; 2021: 5,160 of us/245 circumstances), the usual variety of circumstances on this interval have been 4,398 of us/240 circumstances – making the usual variety of meals poisoning circumstances 1.5x elevated and variety of victims about 2x elevated in 2023.”
Utilizing these findings, the ministry drew a correlation between the fastened observe of hygienic practices equal to handwashing and the decrease prevalence of meals poisoning, urging clients to contemplate practising these additional recurrently to keep away from components.
“Within the midst of the COVID pandemic, the thorough observe of personal hygiene administration equal to handwashing was fully practiced and low value of outdoor actions noticed meals poisoning circumstances drop to the underside ever,” she added.
“Nonetheless with social distancing eased after the COVID-19 pandemic, the variety of meals poisoning circumstances final 12 months not solely elevated to the extent prior to the pandemic, nevertheless in addition to surpassed it.
“As such MFDS requests that each one meals poisoning prevention pointers [and] private hygiene practices be strictly adopted [through the high-risk period] of September this 12 months.”
Delving into MFDS’ information revealed that the usual variety of meals poisoning occurrences from 2017 to 2019 prior to the pandemic was 7,076 of us/328 circumstances, complete nonetheless decrease than the 2023 numbers – however this included the abnormally excessive numbers of 2018 (11,504 of us/363 circumstances) when there was a mass meals poisoning outbreak at colleges everywhere throughout the nation.
“We now have furthermore discovered that plenty of these meals poisoning circumstances end consequence from careless storage equal to sustaining meals units at room temperature, and this occurs typically in September because of the considerably cooler native climate in mornings and evenings most essential of us to ponder it’s protected to take movement,” the ministry added.
Pathogenic fears
Most circumstances of meals poisoning in South Korea may very well be linked to 3 pathogens: Salmonella, pathogenic E.coli, and norovirus.
In 2023, Salmonella accounted for 48 circumstances and E.coli for 46 circumstances. The sooner usually comes into play when contaminated eggshells carry it to completely totally different meals and will normally be mitigated by proper handwashing after dealing with egg; whereas the latter is in uncooked greens and meat and may very well be mitigated with proper washing and cooking strategies.
Norovirus accounted for 62 circumstances in 2023, and comes from contaminated uncooked oysters or groundwater.
“Salmonella and E.coli circumstances have been commonest in July to September, however norovirus circumstances have been commonest in January to March and December,” acknowledged MFDS.
“Norovirus may also be transmitted by means of bodily contact with human waste or by means of contaminated arms – in order quickly as further bodily hygiene and handwashing want to come back once more into play correct proper right here for prevention.”
Pointers included by MFDS in its warning have been to: Wash arms for no less than 30 seconds utilizing cleaning cleansing cleaning soap; Cook dinner dinner dinner meat and eggs at 75°C for over one minute; Boil any groundwater prior to consumption; Wash and disinfect all cooking parts and utensils; Don’t combine knives and decreasing boards; and Retailer refrigerated meals at most 5°C/frozen meals at most -18°C.