Late-Summer Heat Continues During Chuseok... Holiday Food Poisoning Alert

Detection Rate of Pathogenic E. coli Was 15.8–18% During Chuseok Months Over Past Two Years
Salmonella Detected in 9% of Cases; Salmonella Identified as Cause in Three Food Poisoning Incidents in Gwangju This Year
Avoid Leaving Holiday Foods at Room Temperature; Refrigerate Promptly and Prevent Cross-Contamination

With midday heat continuing even during the Chuseok holiday, extra precautions are needed when preparing and storing holiday foods. In the months that included Chuseok during the past two years, there was a relatively high detection rate of pathogenic E. coli and Salmonella, and in Gwangju this year, there have already been three cases of food poisoning caused by Salmonella.

On September 25, the Gwangju Institute of Health and Environment for Jeonnam-Gwangju Metropolitan City urged people to pay close attention to food handling and personal hygiene to prevent the proliferation of foodborne pathogens during the preparation and storage of holiday foods.

On the morning of the 17th, one week before Chuseok, multicultural family women participating in the traditional food experience event hosted by Buk-gu Saemaul Association at Duam 3-dong Administrative Welfare Center in Buk-gu, Gwangju, Jeollanam-do, are preparing the ancestral rites table. Provided by Buk-gu, Gwangju, Jeollam-do, Yonhap News Agency

According to the Gwangju Institute of Health and Environment’s surveillance of waterborne and foodborne infectious disease pathogens over the past two years, the detection rate of pathogenic E. coli—a leading cause of diarrheal diseases—was 15.8–18% during the months that included Chuseok, while Salmonella was detected in 9% of cases.

Pathogenic E. coli and Salmonella can proliferate more actively as temperatures rise. In September and October, when Chuseok typically falls, the mornings and evenings may be cool, but midday heat can persist, so it is important not to leave cooked foods and ingredients at room temperature for extended periods.

After handling raw meat, chicken, or eggs, it is also crucial to thoroughly wash your hands and clean cooking utensils such as knives and cutting boards. This helps prevent cross-contamination of bacteria to other foods.

Since people often cook larger quantities of food than usual during holidays, cooked dishes and ingredients should be refrigerated as soon as possible. Avoid leaving them out at room temperature for long periods and try to consume them promptly whenever possible.

Seo Jeongmi, head of the Gwangju Institute of Health and Environment, stated, "As the late-summer heat persists, please exercise caution when preparing and storing Chuseok holiday foods," adding, "During the holiday period, we will implement emergency work systems so we can respond quickly to outbreaks of infectious diseases and food poisoning."

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