Dr. Nguyen Trung Nguyen, Director of the Poison Control Center (Bach Mai Hospital) said that at the end of the year, the constant year-end parties, the habit of eating a lot of fried and stir-fried dishes, soft drinks, alcoholic beverages, etc. make many people lose control of their nutrition, causing health consequences that require hospitalization.
At the end of the year, the Center often receives and treats many cases of poisoning due to drinking alcohol without labels, without origin, without ingredients, and floating on the market. It is predicted that the number of patients hospitalized due to food poisoning will increase by 30% compared to the same period last year.
The main risks leading to food poisoning near Tet include:
Food of unknown origin: Consuming cakes, jams, and ham without labels or clear expiration dates is clearly one of the leading causes.
Improperly stored food: Many families have the habit of storing food for long periods of time. If not stored properly, food can easily spoil or become contaminated with bacteria.
Eating at unhygienic restaurants: The high demand for food and drink during Tet makes restaurants operate at full capacity, easily leading to ignoring food safety standards.
The Food Safety Department (Ministry of Health) recommends food safety and measures to ensure food safety during Tet.
Should buy just enough, buy food with clear origin: On occasions before Tet, the supply of fresh food, vegetables, confectionery products, processed foods is abundant with a variety of types. However, to ensure food safety, we need to choose fresh, clean products with clear origin. Should choose guaranteed shopping locations.
Markets and supermarkets are usually open after the second day of Tet, and some stores even sell throughout Tet, so shopping and hoarding food is unnecessary, wasteful and possibly unsafe. Storing raw food with cooked food can cause cross-contamination of disease-causing bacteria.
Do not buy more food than the refrigerator can hold, the temperature of the refrigerator may not be cold enough, leading to food spoiling quickly, causing food poisoning. Therefore, when shopping for Tet, calculate the amount of food enough to use, do not buy too much food and put it in the refrigerator, it will not be fresh, it can be wasteful, and if left for a long time, improper storage may not ensure health and can cause poisoning.
Be careful when buying processed foods from small food businesses. In recent years, the buying and selling of processed foods on social platforms such as Facebook and Zalo has become popular, and is especially bustling during the Tet holiday when the demand for food consumption increases. There are many businesses that provide delicious, clean foods. However, because these foods are mainly produced by hand in small households with limited facilities, equipment, and tools, they can cause food safety problems, especially when orders exceed production and processing capacity.
Note when using alcoholic beverages: Tet is the time when the demand for alcohol increases during parties, year-end parties, family reunions, along with the number of people hospitalized due to drunkenness, beer, and even alcohol poisoning also increases.
Limit processed foods: Cook your own meals to reduce the risk of food safety. If you buy processed foods, ask about the preparation time, how to store them, and how to cook them before eating.
Alcoholic beverages: Only drink wine and beer of clear origin, limit craft wine or herbal wine because it can contain toxins. Absolutely do not drink drinks of unknown origin.
Food hygiene and preservation: Cook thoroughly, avoid eating raw or fermented foods if safety is not guaranteed.
Notes on food storage and use: Leftover food should be covered, refrigerated and thoroughly reheated before use. The offering tray should only be eaten within 4 hours, then it needs to be reheated...
