Turkey warns of rising food‑poisoning risk as summer temperatures soar

Health experts in Turkey caution that the summer heat creates ideal conditions for bacteria such as Salmonella, E. coli and Staphylococcus to multiply in food. Dr. Şirin Elmi of Memorial Antalya Hospital and dietitian Arya Lorin Öner of Diyarbakır stress that outdoor meals, picnics and long journeys increase the chance of food‑borne illness.

Key recommendations include keeping foods refrigerated below 4 °C, limiting the time cooked or raw foods remain at room temperature to two hours (or one hour when temperatures exceed 30 °C), avoiding cross‑contamination of raw and cooked items, thawing frozen meat in the refrigerator or cold water, and discarding food that shows signs of spoilage. Risky foods listed are meat, poultry, fish, dairy products, mayonnaise‑based salads and seafood. Symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, watery or bloody diarrhoea, fever and dehydration should prompt prompt medical attention.

The advice aims to prevent a spike in food‑poisoning cases during the hot season and to reduce potential hospital admissions.