Salmonella food poisoning can be one of the most severe forms of food poisoning you can suffer on holiday. Salmonella can strike you down at home or abroad, but can be particularly distressing if you are thousands of miles from home. Ten simple ways to help avoid salmonella food poisoning on holiday include:
1. Wash your hands with hot water and soap after handling raw poultry or eggs.
2. If you are self-catering, keep raw meat and fish away from cooked foods in the fridge to avoid salmonella poisoning. Raw food should be stored on the bottom shelf of the fridge and well away from any cooked food or dairy products.
3. Never eat food in a holiday package hotel or on board a cruise ship that has been left out at room temperature for hours on end. All inclusive buffets are one of the main sources of food poisoning and salmonella on holiday.
4. Hot food needs to be piping hot and cold food needs to be properly chilled to prevent salmonella poisoning on holiday. If you think this is not the case in your holiday hotel or on board a cruise ship, refuse to eat the food to avoid salmonella poisoning and report it to the holiday representative.
5. If you are eating food on the beach or outdoors when the weather is hot, make sure it is kept properly chilled before you eat it. Salmonella can be caused by food being left in picnic bags in the back of a hot car, and then eaten. Take a cool box and only open it when you are ready to eat.
6. Food handlers should never handle money in between serving food, as bank notes are one of the biggest carriers of bacteria there is. If you suspect this is happening, report it to the hotel manager or the holiday representative.
7. Never eat from a salad bar if the food is not on ice, and avoid mayonnaise and salad dressing that has been left out at room temperature.
8. Only eat buffet spreads if the food is bought out fresh every so often, and not presented in large batches which can affect its temperature. Avoid salmonella poisoning and the spread of bacteria by making sure each dish has a separate clean serving spoon.
9. Avoid hotel barbecues if the food is not properly cooked and presented. Raw food should not be left uncovered before cooking, where it could be open to the elements and flies. Also, food needs to be thoroughly cooked before serving, which is not always easy to see if you are sitting outside in the evening. Hamburgers, sausages and poultry that is undercooked can cause salmonella food poisoning on holiday.
10. Clean plates and cutlery are a must in your holiday hotel, and food handlers must adhere to strict health and safety rules. More holidaymakers than ever are now suing tour operators who flout these rules. Tour operators who continue to send people to hotels and cruise ships which fail to meet even basic standards of health and safety are gambling with your health and well-being, and you could end up with salmonella food poisoning.
Adrian vultur writes for
holiday illness and accidents abroad compensation claims solicitors
