It is National Barbeque Week, but dining al fresco brings a rise in cases of food poisoning. Nicole Matthews reports.
Almost 9,000 cases of food poisoning occur in Ireland everyday, according to a study carried out by the Irish Food Safety Promotion Board.
The VHI claims that more than 55 per cent of cases are caused by improper cooking and storage of foods, and 24 per cent by poor hygiene, such as not washing your hands while preparing food. Only 3 per cent of cases are from unsafe food sources.
It is no surprise then to learn that summer is the period where food poisoning cases increase sharply.
Picnics, barbeques and dining al fresco all increase the risks and extra care needs to be taken.
Dr Brian Redahan, director, consumer protection, of the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI), believes that hygiene is as important as the proper cooking of meats and chicken.
"People should assume that all raw meat is contaminated and only through properly following the four Cs of compartmentalisation, cleaning, chilling and cooking can the bacteria effectively be destroyed," says Redahan.
The two most common types of food poisoning are campylobacter and salmonella, usually contracted through chicken and meat.
Dr Cliodhna Foley-Nolan, director of human health and nutrition for the Food Safety Promotion Board, explains: "The biggest source for campylobacter is chicken and for salmonella is meat, fruit and vegetables which have been contaminated by animal manure or blood."
There is an increase in cases especially for salmonella and campylobacter in summer.
"While every year is different and depends on the weather, there is at least a 20-30 per cent increase in cases reported in summer.
"Campylobacter tends to hit its peak in May and June and salmonella in August and September," says Foley-Nolan.
The difficulty in accurately measuring the number of cases per year is that many infections have long incubation periods and thus it is difficult to trace the source of the contamination as it could have been two weeks previously.
The figures reported are considered to be conservative.
Also, 40 per cent of salmonella cases reported in Ireland are contracted from abroad. The symptoms may not manifest themselves for up to 10 days later, leading many to believe that it was simply what they ate the night before.
David McCleery, chief specialist of microbiology for the Food Safety Promotion Board, explains that in a study carried out by them, "only 10 per cent of cases of food poisoning were reported. Of those cases, 30 per cent consulted their GP, 1.3 per cent went to A&E and 1.8 per cent were admitted to hospital".
While the classic symptoms of campylobacter and salmonella are diarrhoea, vomiting, fever and stomach cramps, there other types of food poisoning which, while not as common, can have more severe implications.
Consultant microbiologist in the Rotunda Hospital, Dublin, Dr Mary Cafferky explains of the dangers of verotoxigenic E.coli and listeria, two more severe types of contamination.
"There have been worldwide outbreaks of verotoxigenic E.coli which can cause renal failure and permanent damage to the kidneys.
"It is generally picked up from hamburgers where the meat is contaminated and children are more at risk from this," says Cafferky.
Pregnant women are especially at risk from listeria.
If contracted it can infect the baby leading to miscarriage or stillbirth.
"Listeria can be very dangerous for pregnant women and they are advised not to eat soft cheeses and pate which is the source of the contamination," says Cafferky.
The European Communicable Disease Centre (ECDC), in Stockholm, which was established 18 months ago, tracks European patterns of food poisoning. Ireland has more cases of salmonella than Nordic countries, but less than Mediterranean countries and the UK.
"This is not simply climatic but also relates to measures of food storage. Nordic countries freeze chicken whereas in Ireland the preference is for fresh chicken so consumer preferences also play a part," says Foley-Nolan.
If food poisoning is contracted, it is recommended to drink water to prevent dehydration, to make sure that someone is monitoring you, and if it doesn't improve, to go to your GP.
Children are most at risk to picking up bacteria and Redahan recommends that they are given electrolytes which are rehydration packs available in all pharmacies to counter dehydration.
Cafferky also advises that if food poisoning is contracted it is not advisable to take medicine to stop the symptoms but try to let nature take its course.
"The problem with taking medicine to combat food poisoning is that it prevents you from clearing the intestines and could prolong the symptoms," she explains.
National Barbeque Week is being launched tomorrow and the Food Safety Promotion Board has issued the A-B-C of B-B-Q.
These guidelines explain how to prevent you or your family from contamination this summer with practical information such as cooking all meat until the juice runs clear.
For more information visit the Food Safety Promotion Board's website at www.safefoodonline.com or contact them directly at 1850 404 567.