What to Do to Avoid Food Poisoning and Infectious Diseases

The Ministry of Health of Armenia has issued a statement regarding the increased risk of infectious diseases and food poisoning during hot weather. To prevent intestinal infectious diseases and food poisoning, the Ministry advises the public to:

• Practice hand hygiene by washing hands frequently, especially before and after preparing or eating food, and after using the restroom.
• Thoroughly wash food items (fruits, vegetables, berries) with running clean water before consumption.
• Store food properly at appropriate temperatures in the refrigerator.
• Choose fresh, non-expired food products.
• Avoid purchasing food prepared and sold outdoors where it can be exposed to environmental factors such as sunlight, precipitation, dust, and vehicular emissions, particularly for foods that require specific preparation and storage conditions like meats, dairy, cream pastries, eggs, fish, fresh seafood, canned goods, cakes, pastries, barbecues, and kebabs.
• Keep food stored in closed containers to prevent contamination from flies and ensure proper temperature conditions are maintained.
• Separate raw food from cooked food, and use separate utensils for raw and cooked foods, such as knives, plates, and cutting boards during meal preparation.
• Be cautious to prevent juices from raw meats and other raw products from contaminating prepared dishes (salads, fruits, vegetables, etc.).
• Ensure food is cooked or fried adequately at a minimum of 70°C.
• Avoid purchasing mushrooms from random vendors and be cautious when washing bought mushrooms, ensuring not to use those with partially or fully altered appearances.