Hot‑weather health risks: food safety and wet‑swimwear infection alerts

Health experts warn that many common foods stored in refrigerators lose quality or spoil faster. Items such as tomatoes, potatoes, onions, bananas, honey and olive oil should be kept at room temperature to preserve flavor and texture. Perishable foods—including meat, poultry, fish, dairy, eggs and mayonnaise‑based dishes—must not remain at ambient temperature for more than one hour when the heat exceeds 32 °C, and no longer than two hours otherwise, to prevent bacterial growth and food‑borne illness.

In addition, prolonged exposure to wet swimwear after swimming creates a moist environment that promotes bacterial and fungal growth in the genital area, leading to vaginal infections. Specialists advise changing out of damp swimwear immediately, using dry clothing, practicing front‑to‑back genital hygiene, wearing breathable cotton undergarments, and avoiding perfumed soaps or detergents. Pregnant women are urged to follow the same precautions and to consult a physician before swimming in the first and last trimesters.

Overall guidance emphasizes proper food storage, rapid cooling of leftovers, and strict swimwear hygiene to reduce the risk of food poisoning and gynecological infections during the summer months.