Reports of people sick with ecoli tripling within 10 days

Cases of eColi have tripled with  the HSE Health Protection Surveillance Centre yesterday reporting  96 confirmed cases over 10 days.  Met Eireann have reported continued high temperatures and there is a Yellow weather warning in place.

There is very little you can do to prevent becoming ill after you have eaten contaminated food, so taking some simple steps and planning your BBQ can save a very unpleasant illness. Ecoli is commonly associated with minced beef in under cooked burgers.

Temperature control is key to prevent bacteria to multiplying to unsafe levels.

 Food Safety Professional Orlagh Deegan advises taking the following steps to avoid becoming ill.

• Keep cold food cold. Use a cooler box.  If you don’t have ice-packs, frozen bottles of water are a handy substitute. Keep the  box closed to keep it cool.
• Segregate raw meat from other foods to avoid cross contamination. from other ready to eat.
• Unwashed hands are the number one cause of cross contamination. Before preparing or cooking any foods, thoroughly wash your hands.
• Make sure meats are cooked thoroughly until juices run clear. A kitchen thermometer is a handy and affordable piece of equipment to ensure meats are cooked properly, exceeding a core temperature of 75degrees is recommended.
• Make sure that any food left out for longer than 2 hours is discarded.

Many people who get food poisoning blame the last restaurant they ate in but in reality about 50% of cases happen due to food prepared by individuals. Orlagh’s advice is to plan ahead to avoid any unpleasant illness and enjoy your Al Fresco dining during the heat wave.  Heed the advice from Met Eireann and the HSE and don’t put yourself at risk.