Posted: March 22nd, 2011 - 4:46pm
Source: ProMED-mail

The Ministry of Public Health has issued an official warning against consuming uncooked food during this summer [2011], as food can be easily spoiled due to rising temperatures in summer, and bacteria thrive better during this season, and can cause food poisoning. Deputy Public Health Minister Pannasiri Kullanardsiri said The Bureau of Epidemiology found that over 19 000 people had been treated for food poisoning within the past 2 months [January-February 2011]. The Deputy Public Health Minister advised people to maintain personal hygiene, such as trimming their nails, washing their hands after using the bathroom and before eating food.
Food that should be avoided includes papaya salad with raw crab meat or any food that contains coconut milk and half-cooked seafood, as it can be spoiled within a short period of time. Another way is to preserve food in a refrigerator at a low temperature to prevent bacteria from growing and to always make sure meat and vegetables are cooked during preparation.
The Bureau of Epidemiology's Director, Dr. Manit Theeratantikanon, said food poisoning will manifest between 2-4 hours after consuming contaminated food. People who could be at risk are students, people attending a party, and migrant workers. He advised everyone to commit to good personal hygiene to prevent themselves from getting ill.