Five keys to preventing cholera in hot summer
The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) today (July 26) reminded people to be vigilant on food safety measures in the current hot and humid summer to prevent cholera and other food-borne diseases.
"Cholera is an infectious disease caused by Vibrio cholerae and its incubation period is usually two to three days," a CFS spokesman said.
"Consuming food or water soiled by infected patients or the bacteria can lead to cholera infection. Symptoms include sudden onset of severe diarrhoea, vomiting and dehydration. It can lead to death in serious cases."
As Vibrio cholerae can be present in seawater, seafood including fish, shellfish and crustaceans like shrimps and crabs may be contaminated by the bacteria.
"If contaminated food is served without thorough cooking, the Vibrio cholerae present could lead to cholera infection," he said.
People are advised to follow the Five Keys to Food Safety to prevent cholera and other food-borne infection:
Choose
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* Do not patronise unlicensed food premises, illegal hawkers or buy food with suspicious sources, such as food sold at unreasonably low price or with unnatural colour;
* Purchase food from hygienic and reliable shops; and
* Buy shellfish that are fresh, with intact shell and no abnormal smell.
Clean
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* Wash hands thoroughly with warm soapy water before eating, preparing food, and after going to toilet;
* Keep kitchen clean;
* Seafood, especially crustaceans and bivalve shellfish, should be washed thoroughly. Handle waste removed from seafood carefully to avoid contaminating other food and utensils; and
* Wash all utensils with hot water and detergent after use.
Separate
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* Use covered container to hold food and keep raw and cooked food separately. Place cooked and ready-to-eat food in the upper shelf of a refrigerator and raw seafood placed in the lower shelf to prevent contamination of cooked and ready-to-eat food by juices dripping from raw seafood; and
* Use separate utensils and equipment to handle raw and cooked food, especially ready-to-eat food like sashimi, to prevent cross contamination.
Cook
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* Thaw and cook frozen food thoroughly;
* Cook shellfish until the shells are open and then further cook for three to five minutes. Shucked shellfish should be cooked for three minutes after the water boils.
Safe temperature
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* Cold dishes should be kept at 4 degrees Celsius or below;
* Consume cooked food as soon as possible. Do not keep the food at room temperature for more than two hours; and
* Store leftovers in a refrigerator at a temperature at or below 4 degrees Celsius and reheat it thoroughly before consumption.
"When dining out, people should patronise licensed food premises with good environmental hygiene," the spokesman added.
Please visit the CFS website (www.cfs.gov.hk) for more information about food safety.
Ends/Sunday, July 26, 2009
