In the current hot weather conditions, prolonged high humidity can create ideal environments for bacteria to grow rapidly in food. When ingredients are not processed and stored safely, this can lead to serious poisoning. Ms. Pham Khanh Phong Lan, Director of Ho Chi Minh City Department of Food Safety, emphasized this during her comments on recent food poisoning cases in Nha Trang, Dong Nai, and Ho Chi Minh City.
Ms. Lan highlighted that people’s incorrect habits of preparing, cooking, and preserving food increase the risk of poisoning. Even with high-quality ingredients and careful processing, cooked food left at room temperature for a few hours can spoil quickly in hot weather. The risk of food spoilage increases significantly if left overnight. During inspections by the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Food Safety, street vendors were found selling sushi made from rice cooked the day before and left overnight for sale the next morning. This poses a significant risk of food poisoning due to improper storage conditions.
Dr. Doan Uyen Vy explained that in hot weather conditions, bacteria can multiply and produce toxins rapidly in food left out at room temperature for long periods. This increases the risk of food poisoning significantly. To prevent such incidents from happening again, it is crucial to raise awareness about proper food safety practices among people and vendors alike.
To prevent food poisoning, people should wash raw fruits and vegetables thoroughly before consuming them or using them for cooking or baking purposes. Cooked foods should be stored properly by keeping them cool in the fridge or freezer until they are ready to eat or use again.
Vendors should avoid cross-contamination between raw and cooked foods by using separate equipment or surfaces for each preparation stage.
Food items suspected to be spoiled or contaminated should be discarded immediately without hesitation.
Implementing proper cleaning procedures in food preparation areas can also help reduce the risk of contamination.
Using products with clear origins is also crucial as it helps identify any potential health risks associated with those products.
In conclusion, increasing awareness about proper food safety practices is critical to preventing outbreaks of foodborne illnesses among both individuals and street vendors who sell sushi made from rice cooked overnight at room temperature without proper storage conditions leading to potential health risks associated with such actions.