Gimbap poses potential health risk during heat waves
Citizens look up at the sky at the National Museum of Korea in Yongsan District, Seoul, Aug. 5, as an extreme heat warning, the highest-level heat alert, remains in effect across the capital. Yonhap
Proper storage is key, especially for food that can easily spoil in summer
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Many people pack gimbap, a seaweed roll stuffed with rice, for hiking trips or summer outings because it is convenient and easy to carry. However, gimbap is one of the leading causes of foodborne illness during the summer when stored improperly. Even if it looks and smells normal, bacteria can multiply rapidly, making extra caution necessary during heat waves.
Why gimbap is particularly vulnerable
Gimbap is a food made with cooked rice and other ingredients like egg, ham, imitation crab, spinach and pickled radish. Because preparing it involves handling multiple ingredients by hand and it is usually eaten without reheating after it is made, it provides favorable conditions for bacterial growth.
Protein-rich ingredients such as egg, ham, fish cake and imitation crab are especially susceptible to bacterial growth in hot weather. Combined with moisture-rich cooked rice, they create an ideal environment for foodborne pathogens to multiply.
Even two hours can be risky in extreme heat
Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency recommend that cooked food should not be left at room temperature for more than two hours whenever possible. During heat waves, when temperatures exceed 35 degrees Celsius, bacteria can multiply much more quickly.
Common foodborne bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus can proliferate rapidly as food cools or while it is being stored. Some strains produce toxins that cannot be completely destroyed even if the food is reheated later.
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Smelling normal doesn't mean safe
Many people assume food is safe if its smell or appearance has not changed. However, harmful bacteria cannot be detected by sight or smell. Food may still taste and smell normal even after bacterial levels or toxins have reached unsafe levels.
Eating contaminated gimbap can cause abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting and fever within a few hours. Infants, older adults, pregnant women and people with chronic illnesses are particularly vulnerable because dehydration can develop quickly. Anyone with severe symptoms should seek medical attention immediately.
Proper storage is the key
The safest approach is to eat gimbap as soon as possible after it is prepared. If it must be carried for an extended period, it should be kept refrigerated at 5 degrees or below using ice packs and an insulated cooler bag.
During travel or outdoor activities, gimbap should never be left inside a parked vehicle or shelter exposed to direct sunlight. Once it has remained at room temperature for an extended period, simply returning it to the refrigerator does not make it safe again. If there is any doubt about how it has been stored, discarding it is the most reliable way to prevent food poisoning.
This article from Kormedi.com, Korea’s top health care and medical portal, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.