By Bae Ji-sook
Staff Reporter
Vacationers are being warned about food poisoning during the summer vacation.
About 86 percent of vibrio enteritis, one of the most common forms of food poisoning, occurs between July and September. If left out under the hot sun, food can become dangerous for consumption in just four hours, experts say.
The Korea Food and Drug Administration has released some advice to help people avoid food poisoning.
In high temperatures, foods easily go bad. Therefore, if eating outside, keep food in an icebox, only removing that which is to be consumed immediately.
Only use clean water when cooking.
Always try to boil food before consumption: Sushi may sound tempting, but you should boil fish and other marine products. Raw fish can cause vibrio enteritis poisoning.
The vibrio virus is found on the skin and in the intestines of fish. Washing these parts thoroughly with tap water can reduce the risk of infection. Also, try to keep food under 5 degrees Celsius and wash or sterilize cooking tools before and after use. Boil drinking water, too.
Be careful where you purchase food. Ice creams and other snacks sold by unauthorized venders offer an increased risk of food poisoning.
Watch what you eat at highway resting place. In a recent crackdown on these sites, authorities found contamination in hamburgers, gimbap and other snacks.
Symptoms of food poisoning include high fever, stomachache, vomiting and in severe cases, dehydration.