"Cool Gimbap Ingredients Thoroughly Before Wrapping"…Beware of Food Poisoning During Autumn Outings

On the 16th, when the cool autumn weather continued, citizens visiting Namsan in Jung-gu, Seoul, are walking under the colorful autumn leaves turning red and yellow. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Seo So-jeong] As outdoor activities increase in the fall, caution is needed to avoid food poisoning when preparing lunch boxes and storing or consuming food and beverages outdoors.

According to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety on the 18th, an analysis of the average food poisoning occurrence over the past five years (2015?2019) shows that in the fall season (September to November), there were 89 cases, second only to the summer season (June to August) with 108 cases.

This is analyzed to be because in the fall, the morning and evening temperatures are chilly, leading to relatively careless food storage such as leaving cooked food at room temperature for long periods, while daytime temperatures remain high.

To prevent food poisoning in the fall and infection from the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), when preparing lunch boxes, hands should be washed thoroughly with soap or other cleansing agents for at least 30 seconds before and after cooking.

Fruits and vegetables should be soaked in water and then rinsed thoroughly under running water, and foods such as meat should be cooked completely at a core temperature of 75℃ or higher for at least one minute.

For gimbap, rice and ingredients should be cooked thoroughly and cooled before preparation, and lunch boxes should have rice and side dishes cooled and placed in separate containers.

Cooked food should be stored and transported at 10℃ or below using ice boxes, and it is dangerous to leave food for more than two hours in places exposed to sunlight, inside vehicles, trunks, or other relatively warm areas.

Do not pick or consume undercooked fruits or wild mushrooms nearby, and avoid drinking valley water or spring water whose safety has not been confirmed.

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety stated, "To prevent not only food poisoning but also COVID-19, cooking and eating in crowded places where many people gather should be minimized, and it is advisable to refrain from dining in close proximity to others."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.