The warm weather is not only pleasant for us humans, bacteria also thrive in the humid summer heat. Jonas Toljander is a microbiologist at the Swedish Food Agency and he explains what happens now that the rotting month is underway.
– Microorganisms thrive better and this means that during the summer there are more mold spores that move around in the air and can end up on the food. The warm and humid environments allow them to take hold and grow faster.
Here are the foods you should be extra careful with
And there are certain things you should keep in mind, now that food is at risk of going bad faster.
– Fruit and bread keep less well. Most food can go mouldy, but food left at room temperature is more sensitive, says Jonas Toljander.
Extra sensitive is the cooked food that is left out for longer than a couple of hours, so that it becomes lukewarm.
– If you have a buffet table with hot and cold food, then it is important that it should not be left out for too long. Either you put it away, or heat and cool the food.
But if the accident happens and food poisoning strikes, most of the symptoms usually go away after not too long, says Jonas Toljander.
– But then there are serious bacteria, such as Listeria, which can appear on sliced meat toppings and smoked vacuum-packed salmon. If you are in risk groups, for example the elderly and sick, with a weakened immune system, or pregnant, then you should be careful. Then you should eat fresh food that is kept chilled.
Risk groups should watch out: “Can cause blood poisoning and death”
Especially risk groups can be more seriously affected by bacteria such as Listeria.
– It can cause very serious symptoms with blood poisoning and sometimes death. We had a Listeria outbreak last year where there were a number of deaths that were suspected to be related to salmon.
Another bacteria that becomes extra common in the summer is Campylobacter. It is found in chicken and to avoid getting sick, the Norwegian Food Agency recommends that you handle the chicken separately during cooking.
– It is a bacteria that is common in many birds and it increases in occurrence during the summer because it is warm and cozy.
But even though the rotting month is here, don’t think so Jonas Toljander that you should feel too worried, as this can lead to unnecessary food waste.
– In many cases, food lasts longer than best before. Many people misunderstand that it has to do with safety, but the expiry date is something else. You can trust your senses and smell, look and taste the food to see if it is okay.
And it’s also about thinking an extra time when you’re in the store, he says.
– Therefore, it can be good that you don’t buy so much of the type of food that spoils. If you have bought too much bread, you can freeze it. You have to think about changing your behavior, bring a cool bag to the store.
Beyond that, he has just one final piece of advice.
– Avoid a bad buffet.