Awareness and First Aid
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Don’t let your summer braai or picnic send anyone to the Emergency Centre. Follow these safety tips to avoid food poisoning over the holiday season.
Whether you’re hosting a family braai or packing a picnic, avoid leaving food out for more than two hours – or just one hour if the temperature is above 30°C, says Amy Pace, an Emergency Care Practitioner at ER24 Johannesburg West. “If in doubt, throw it out,” she advises. “Replacing the food makes more sense than getting sick.”
South Africa’s summer heat creates the perfect environment for bacteria to thrive, she emphasises. “We see this most often with undercooked meats, especially chicken, and with perishables that aren’t stored properly, like a potato salad left in a hot car while you continue shopping.”
How quickly food poisoning hits
Symptoms can appear as soon as 30 minutes after eating contaminated food but usually start within one to two hours. Common signs include diarrhoea, stomach pain or cramps, nausea, vomiting, and fever. The discomfort can last up to three days, depending on how your body clears out the bacteria.
When to seek help
Most cases of food poisoning can be treated at home, but Pace warns that some symptoms should never be ignored and warrant medical attention:
- Persistent vomiting or diarrhoea
- Fever of 38.5°C or higher
- Blood in your stool or vomit
- Severe abdominal pain
- Confusion
- Dehydration – signs include a dry mouth, constant headache, or infrequent urination. “If you can’t keep fluids down or start showing symptoms of dehydration, seek care immediately.”
Managing mild food poisoning at home
For mild cases, Pace recommends rest, hydration, and small, easy-to-digest meals. “Oral rehydration solutions are first prize. You can either buy them over the counter or make your own using one litre of boiled, cooled water, six teaspoons of sugar, and half a teaspoon of salt.”
Avoid anti-nausea or anti-diarrhoea medication unless prescribed, she adds, “because you want to get the bacteria out of your system, not keep it inside”.
The 4 Cs of food safety
Preventing food poisoning isn’t complicated. Just follow the 4 Cs: Clean, Cook, Chill, and Cross-contamination.
- Clean: Wash hands before, between, and after handling food. Use clean utensils, wipe down surfaces, and use hot water for washing up.
- Cook: Check that meats are fully cooked before serving – slice open a piece to be sure.
- Chill: Refrigerate leftovers within two hours. When using cooler boxes, keep drinks and perishables in separate coolers to avoid frequent opening and loss of cold air.
- Cross-contamination: Use separate cutting boards and utensils for raw and cooked foods, never reuse marinades or plates that held raw meat, and store raw items below cooked ones in the fridge. This helps ensure that any juices from raw meat don’t come in contact with food that’s ready to eat.
Summer’s most risky foods
From hummus left out in the sun to reusing the same plate for raw and cooked meat, Pace says cross-contamination is one of the most common – and entirely preventable – causes of foodborne illness. “Eating off a clean plate could be the difference between you and E. coli,” she adds.
High-risk foods include meats, poultry, seafood, egg-based dishes, dairy, cooked grains, and cut fruits or leafy greens. Prepared salads are often the biggest culprits, she warns, since they combine multiple ingredients that can each carry harmful bacteria. Being mindful of how these foods are handled and stored can go a long way in keeping summer meals safe and enjoyable.