Heat: best time for salmonella

Larissa Melville completed her traineeship in the editorial team of . After studying biology at Ludwig Maximilians University and the Technical University of Munich, she first got to know digital media online at Focus and then decided to learn medical journalism from scratch.

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MunichCurrently, one day is hotter than the next and the tropical temperatures persist. Barbecue evenings and picnics are now simply part of it. But be careful: many foods do not get the heat: they spoil and can quickly hit the stomach. But if one observes a few things, one can feast without remorse.

Stomach cramps, diarrhea and vomiting - this is how classic food poisoning manifests itself. It is triggered by bacteria that cavort in spoiled food. And just a few hundred of the microorganisms can make you sick. Salmonella is often the culprit, but Camylobacter is also more and more common. The pathogens can multiply particularly well in heat and high humidity - i.e. on hot, humid summer days. But with proper storage and hygiene, the bacteria usually have no chance. However, some foods should be avoided on hot days. Here are the most important tips:

• Put easily perishable foods such as milk or sausage products back in the refrigerator quickly after use. So do not leave the sausage platter and the milk jug on the breakfast table.
• You can also cool perishable products when grilling and picnicking, for example in a cool box.
• Thaw frozen meat and poultry in a jar in the refrigerator. Pour the defrosted water down the drain and rinse with hot water.
• Wash your hands with soap and lukewarm water after contact with raw eggs, meat, and poultry. This will protect you from infection and prevent the germs from spreading to other foods. For this reason, you should also rinse knives, cutting boards, and other kitchen utensils that you use thoroughly with washing-up liquid and warm water.
• Always cook or fry meat well. The temperature in the core should be at least 70 degrees for at least two minutes. Avoid raw meat, i.e. carpaccio, ground meat and tartare. Incidentally, these tips also apply to fish and marine animals.
• Keep heated dishes warm at at least 65 degrees until they are eaten. If the food is only intended for later consumption, cool it down to seven degrees within a few hours.
• Particular caution is always advised with dishes with raw eggs such as tiramisu or mayonnaise. Continuous cooling at a maximum of six degrees and rapid consumption keep the risk of infection low. However, if you want to be on the safe side, you should avoid these dishes entirely on hot days.
• Raw milk can contain Campylobacter bacteria and it is best not to drink it at all.
• Germs can also stick to vegetables, fruit, lettuce and herbs. Wash these thoroughly before consuming. For carrots and other vegetables that have come into contact with the soil, peeling is the safest alternative.

Seniors and small children are particularly at risk

Food poisoning is annoying and unpleasant, but in otherwise healthy adults it usually disappears after a few days. But it can get critical with small children, pregnant women as well as elderly and sick people. Therefore, you should only consume animal foods (meat, fish, dairy products) and sprouts when they are fully cooked. Without exception, because even a spoonful of spoiled tiramisu can cause food poisoning.

Buy wisely

But you can prevent food spoilage not only when storing and preparing the food, but also when shopping. These tips will help you:

• In the summer, it is better to buy only small amounts of food that you will consume quickly.
• When shopping, buy chilled or frozen products only at the end. If you have a long way home, use cool bags or boxes - this will keep the cold chain going.

And one more piece of advice: After shopping, go home as directly as possible and don't make a detour to the hardware store or a friend. Food spoils particularly quickly in a hot car.

Source: Press release of the German Nutrition Society (DGE) from July 16, 2015

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