After an unprecedented number of food poisoning outbreaks during the past month, the Food Safety Authority has advised the public that food can be made safe by taking simple precautions.
Its latest alert is in response to a salmonella outbreak which left 15 soldiers in hospital after a barbecue in Galway. The Mid-Western Health Board confirmed that it was investigating another suspected salmonella outbreak which affected more than 40 people who became ill after a wedding reception.
This is likely to bring to six the number of salmonella outbreaks over the past three weeks. Four have been linked to eggs imported from the North. More than 240 people have been ill, 31 of whom required hospital treatment.
The FSA confirmed that the outbreaks suggest that food poisoning cases are increasing in Ireland in line with the patterns in the western world. This was anticipated and is due to a multiplicity of factors. Increased consumption of convenience foods and more eating out are among the most significant.
The FSA chief executive, Dr Patrick Wall, stressed that a barbecue was normally a perfectly safe method of cooking and said that he did not wish to alarm people. In particular, however, he wished to warn the public that simple safety practices should be observed when preparing, storing and cooking food during warm weather.
He added: "We want people to enjoy barbecues, but to take a few simple steps to ensure that the food they eat is safe. Bacteria flourish in warm temperatures, doubling in number every 20 minutes, so it's important that people do not leave food products sitting beside the barbecue for long periods."
The four outbreaks of salmonella enteritidis in counties Donegal and Wicklow have been primarily linked to under-cooked eggs or raw egg dishes, such as home-made mayonnaise, sauces or desserts.
The Western Health Board believes eggs are unlikely to have caused the latest salmonella outbreak, which infected more than 50 people attending a barbecue at Renmore Army barracks in Galway last Thursday.
Fifteen Army and FCA personnel were still being treated yesterday in University College Hospital, Galway, Merlin Park Hospital, Galway, Portiuncula Hospital, Ballinasloe, and Letterkenny Hospital, Co Donegal, as several more cases of the infection were confirmed.
Although some of the patients were "quite sick", all were responding well to treatment, a WHB spokesman said.
The bacterium responsible has been identified as salmonella typhimurium, which is more commonly associated with meat products such as chicken and pork, and caused the Dundrum outbreak in Dublin earlier this year when 75 people became ill. Some 52 of the 120 guests at the Galway barbecue fell ill afterwards.
Dr Maura O'Shea, WHB director of public health, said there might have been some cross-contamination with other foods. As the incubation period ranges between 12 and 72 hours, most of those affected became sick only over the weekend.
The WHB stressed that proper cooking kills the salmonella organism and urged all food handlers to observe strict hygiene. It also stressed the importance of frequent and thorough hand-washing.
Raw meats, which may contaminate work surfaces and utensils, should be kept separate from cooked food. It also emphasised the need for thorough defrosting and adequate cooking of potentially infected foods, such as chicken. Eggs should never be consumed raw, it said. People with diarrhoea should maintain hydration with plenty of fluids, and medical advice should be sought if symptoms persisted.
Brian McLaughlin adds: A MidWestern Health Board spokesman said that the board was investigating a number of cases with gastroenteritis-like symptoms. "It has not been confirmed as salmonella. Tests have been taken and results are awaited," he said.
Up to 40 people who attended a wedding reception last Friday are believed to be affected. Turkey or prawn cocktail is suspected as the cause.
A hotel contacted in the Limerick-Clare area would neither confirm nor deny that it was being investigated. A major problem is tracing many of the wedding guests, who travelled from different parts of the country and who may be affected by the illness.
A Food Safety Helpline has been set up by the FSA to assist the public. It can be contacted at 1800-336677.