Takeaway meals cause food poisoning in summer, warn doctors

abu dhabi — Doctors in the UAE are urging people to avoid takeaway meals and food deliveries in summer, warning that takeouts have caused a huge rise in food poisoning cases in emergency departments across the country.

Dr Zeyad Mansour, general practitioner, emergency department at Bareen International Hospital, said food poisoning has led to a whopping 70 per cent of all patients admitted to emergency departments in the summer.

“We advise people to avoid deliveries and takeaways, which are the most common causes of food poisoning in summer. We see a great rise in cases of food poisoning during summer. It has become the top cause of patients being admitted to the emergency room,” he added.

Dr Mansour said the viral or bacterial infection is one of the most common causes of illness among young people in particular.

“It causes the person to become severely dehydrated and will therefore need to be admitted to the hospital for treatment.” He urged people to avoid takeaway meals as well as places that serve meals that are prepared in large quantities, including buffets.

“If you go to a restaurant and order something, make sure they are preparing it fresh because some restaurants just prepare enormous quantities of food from the morning and feed it to people until the evening.”

Dr Mansour said cleaning fruits and vegetables thoroughly is also crucial, especially non-organic ones, as they are more prone to carrying germs and are often sprayed with chemicals.

Another common factor for rising food poisoning in summer is its ability to quickly spread through contact. “If one person at home or at work has the infection, it can be easily transmitted to another member through contact.”

Contact between people should therefore be avoided for around four days, or until the infected person’s symptoms stop.

Dr Mansour added that even using the same dishes or bathroom can also cause the infection to spread. “These are the most important precautions that people need to take to avoid gastroenteritis, which causes vomiting, diarrhea, severe abdominal pain and severe dehydration.”

Dr Rashmi Mathai, specialist, internal medicine at Universal Hospital, said food poisoning cases in the emergency department double during summer, compared to cooler seasons. “We also see a rise in cases of food poisoning in children in summer, which causes severe dehydration,” she added.

Dr Mathai said that the common organisms that cause food poisoning are salmonella, which is often caused by under-cooked poultry, as well as shigella, listeria, and E. coli, which can be caused by undercooked meat.”

She pointed out that food deliveries could be safe to consume if they are transported in a cooler and delivered in the shortest time possible.

Moreover, Dr Mathai added that although groceries purchased from supermarkets are typically safe for consumption, because they are placed in a temperature-controlled environment. Once they are placed inside the shopping bags, they are at risk.

“When you buy groceries, make sure you don’t leave it sitting in the car or outside for more than an hour. It will cause an increased risk of bacterial contamination.”