Warning on food poisoning

HEALTH authorities are urging Queenslanders to take extra care in the kitchen this winter, with new data revealing thousands of people were struck down by food poisoning during the cooler months last year.

Queensland Health experts say while food poisoning is more common in summer, plenty of people still fall foul of gastrointestinal diseases each winter.

Between June 1 and August 31 last year, there were 2490 cases of food poisoning across the state, including 549 cases of salmonella, 1795 cases of campylobacter and 144 of yersinia.

Health Protection unit executive director Sophie Dwyer said infections could be severe, especially for babies, older people, and people with compromised immune systems.

“The symptoms can be very harsh, ranging from diarrhoea and vomiting to fever and abdominal pain, and last for a number of days,” she said. “In some cases, these illnesses can cause serious health complications including dehydration, and the infection may spread from the intestines to other parts of the body, causing damage to tissue and organs.”

Queensland Health data online shows so far this year there have been 1800 cases of salmonella, 3408 cases of campylobacter and 333 cases of yersinia identified, as of May 19.

Ms Dwyer said Queenslanders should take particular care preparing and storing food this winter, especially when cooking meals such as stews, casseroles and soups.

“During winter, people may be more likely to cook more meals for freezing and refrigeration,” she said.

“While this is a good, practical idea, it’s important that safe food preparation practices are followed. This applies to the full process – from the handling of raw ingredients to the storage of meals.”