Summer Food Left at Room Temperature Breeds Food Poisoning Bacteria... Gyeongnam Province to Begin Restaurant Hygiene Inspections from the 11th

Inspection of 3,500 Group Catering and Multi-use Facility Restaurants

Warning to Beware of Campylobacter and Salmonella Infections

Gyeongnam Provincial Government. / Photo by Se-ryeong Lee ryeong@

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Seryeong] Gyeongsangnam-do will conduct hygiene inspections and sample tests on collective dining facilities in schools and industries, as well as restaurants in summer multi-use facilities across the province from the 11th of this month to August 12th.

The province announced on the 8th that it expects an increase in food poisoning cases due to early heat and hot, humid weather, and will inspect about 3,500 collective dining facilities and restaurants in multi-use facilities within the province to ensure food safety management.

The hygiene inspections will be carried out at collective dining facilities and restaurants near summer multi-use facilities such as beaches, highway rest areas, and campgrounds to prevent bacterial food poisoning incidents caused by Campylobacter, Salmonella, and other bacteria common in summer.

The province will check compliance with hygienic handling standards such as wearing hygiene caps and masks, storage or use of products past their expiration date for sale purposes, reuse of leftover food, temperature management of refrigeration and freezing facilities, and management of preservation and distribution standards.

Guidance and publicity on personal hygiene management methods such as handwashing to prevent bacterial food poisoning in summer will also be conducted.

Campylobacter is a bacterium transmitted from animals to humans, which can infect people when undercooked or raw meat from infected animals is consumed, and secondary infection can occur through contaminated food, hands, or kitchen utensils.

It can be transmitted by even a single drop of water used to wash raw chicken where the bacteria have proliferated, and the incubation period is usually 2 to 5 days, with symptoms including abdominal pain, fever, vomiting, and sometimes bloody diarrhea.

Salmonella, commonly known, is a food poisoning bacterium widely found in the intestines of poultry such as chickens and ducks, as well as pigs, and thrives best at 37℃.

Symptoms usually appear after eating contaminated food, with an incubation period of 6 to 72 hours, and symptoms include abdominal pain and vomiting accompanied by fever.

A provincial official explained that many cases are caused by cross-contamination when ingredients contaminated with Campylobacter or Salmonella are not fully cooked, or when hands are not washed with detergent after handling contaminated ingredients and then touching other food materials or cooking utensils.

They emphasized the importance of strictly following key management guidelines such as ▲hand washing ▲cooking thoroughly and boiling ▲washing food ingredients and disinfecting cooking utensils ▲using separate knives and cutting boards ▲and careful storage by distinguishing eggs and egg products.

Kwon Yang-geun, Director of the Welfare and Health Bureau, said, “In summer, if ingredients and food are left at room temperature, there is a risk of rapid proliferation of food poisoning bacteria, so it is recommended to eat food as soon as possible after cooking or cool it sufficiently and store it refrigerated, and reheat leftovers before eating.” He added, “We will strengthen hygiene management to prevent food poisoning incidents through thorough prior management.”

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