Salmonella – A Very Dangerous Bacteria

In Australia, salmonella is more prevalent in the warmer months. By allowing food to be kept in the temperature danger zone (5⁰C – 65⁰C) for too long, the bacteria proliferate and this is often the cause of illness once the food is consumed. However, even minor amounts of salmonella can cause disease so fastidious food safety practices combined with an effective cleaning and sanitation regime need to be followed.

Salmonella Symptoms

When salmonella bacteria invade the gut in sufficient numbers, very unpleasant effects are often felt by the afflicted. These include –

·       Fever

·       Loss of appetite

·       Stomach cramps

·       Headache

·       Nausea and vomiting

·       Diarrhoea

Dehydration often accompanies the disease so care must be taken during treatment to ensure fluids are kept up. Highly susceptible people such as the elderly, young children, pregnant women and people with compromised immune systems are more prone to becoming ill after consuming only a small number of salmonella cells.

Foods Commonly Linked to Salmonella

Salmonella food poisoning is commonly linked to high protein foods such as meats, eggs and dairy products. In particular, raw or undercooked eggs and meats are common breeding grounds for the bacteria as is mayonnaise and custard.

Infamously, the Langham Hotel in Melbourne created a stir in 2015 by causing a salmonella outbreak. The source was traced back to its raw egg mayonnaise. The incident resulted in 90 people contracting the disease and 16 were hospitalised.

How is Salmonella Transmitted?

Salmonella is naturally present in the faeces of most animals. People may inadvertently spread the bacteria by patting animals and not washing their hands before preparing food. In addition, people who do not wash their hands after going to the toilet are another common cause of spreading the disease.

Consequently, it is essential for chefs and restaurant managers to train staff on the dangers of salmonella, how it may be spread and how to prevent incidents of this scourge. There is no substitute for safe food handling techniques combined with an effective cleaning and sanitation regime.

In kitchens with poor food handling practices, other foods such as vegetables and fruits may also be compromised when unsafe kitchen procedures are tolerated and cross-contamination occurs.

Preventing Salmonella Outbreaks

As always, prevention is better than cure. Follow these simple steps to greatly reduce the likelihood of your kitchen being involved in a salmonella outbreak.

·       Thoroughly cook all meat and egg dishes.

·       Do not leave food in the temperature danger zone.

·       Clean and sanitise all your kitchen equipment.

·       Ensure staff wash hands at the beginning of every shift and after toilet breaks.

·       Instigate a colour coded chopping board and knife use system to prevent cross contamination.

·       Cool cooked meats rapidly and refrigerate meat and poultry when not in use.

·       Do not use dirty eggs.

·       Ensure staff are trained in the techniques above.

In Summary

Salmonella outbreaks devastate the lives of the afflicted and those of chefs, restaurant managers and staff. Some establishments have closed their doors after episodes of salmonella have been linked to their unsafe food handling practices. Do not take any chances. Ensure your professional kitchen upholds safe food handling standards backed up by a robust cleaning and sanitation schedule.