3 surprising vegan foods that may make you ill this summer

It is a common myth that only foods of animal origin, such as meat, seafood, eggs and dairy, can cause food poisoning.

However, many plant-based products, such as hamburgers, salads and desserts, can also contain pathogens and still look great.

As we head into the warmer months, here’s what you need to think about to protect yourself and your party guests from foodborne illness if you serve plant-based foods.

With a little preparation, you can make your next summer barbecue or picnic memorable for all the right reasons.

It’s a risky time of year

Summer means meetings with family and friends, at the beach, in the park and at home – in the heat, sometimes without access to a refrigerator or with food left on the table.

The menu will also likely include plant-based products such as burgers, salads and fruit.

It is often not effortless to tell whether a food is safe and sound to eat. It does not have to appear spoiled if there are clear signs of deterioration, such as unpleasant changes in smell or consistency. So even if the food doesn’t look or smell good, it could still make you or your guests ill.

Depending on the food’s available nutrients, acidity, water content, and how it is processed and stored, plant-based foods may still provide appropriate conditions so that pathogens can thrive and still look perfect.

So let’s take a look at Australian barbecue, whose spread includes plant-based burgers, salads and fruit.

1. Hamburgers

Featuring vegan grilled items such as lentil burgers and plant-based processed patties high levels of protein and moisture. This can encourage bacterial growth if they are not cooked or stored properly.

For example, studies in Finland tested vacuum-packed vegetarian sausages and found that they contained a high proportion of Clostridium botulinum spores. This is the organism that causes botulism, a uncommon disease of the nervous system that can be fatal if left untreated.

2. Salads

Starchy salads, such as those containing potatoes, pasta or rice, are susceptible to contamination Bacillus cereusa species of bacteria widely distributed in the environment. It produces heat-stable spores that survive cooking. The bacteria then multiply when food is stored at high temperatures.

Leafy vegetables and raw sprouts such as alfalfa also often cause disease outbreaks caused by Escherichia coli (Or E. coli in brief) i Salmonella because these foods are usually eaten raw.

Salads and other dishes that require regular preparation can also become contaminated with pathogens in the kitchen.

For example, many people naturally carry Staphylococcus aureus in the nose. These bacteria can leach into food and produce toxins if the cook does not wash his or her hands properly before handling food.

Food handlers are also often linked to foodborne illnesses norovirus epidemics due to indigent hand hygiene.

These pathogens typically cause intestinal symptoms such as vomiting and/or diarrhea, which disappear within approximately a few days to a week. However, some people will develop solemn or life-threatening complications. For example, shiga toxin produced by E. coli is a common cause hemolytic-uremic syndromea solemn condition that may lead to constant kidney damage or death.

3. Fruits

While many people are familiar with the food safety hazards of desserts containing custard or custard, fewer may be aware of the dangers associated with the humble fruit platter.

Fruit plates can be risky because cutting the fruit can transfer bacteria naturally found on the rind to the interior surfaces.

In 2018 22 cases of listeriosis were linked to eating melons provided by an Australian farmer. Last year in the United States deadly salmonellosis epidemic has also been linked to the consumption of contaminated melons.

Frozen berries are also linked to many factors outbreaks of hepatitis A virus in Australia and overseas in recent years.

What can I do?

If you’re preparing plant-based meals for a barbecue or picnic this summer, here’s how to minimize the risk of you or your guests getting ill:

• wash your hands thoroughly before handling food, separate raw food from cooked food, and work with immaculate utensils and surfaces. This is to avoid self-contamination of food and to avoid cross-food contamination

• cook items such as plant-based burgers and veggie sausages until heated

• After cooking starchy foods like rice, pasta and potatoes, transfer them to a shallow container to frosty on the counter. Then put the container in the refrigerator. Do not put heated starchy foods in the fridge as this increases the temperature inside the fridge, which may allow microorganisms to grow more quickly

• avoid buying damaged or bruised fruit and vegetables, and store cut fruit in the refrigerator

• transport food to the party in an insulated bag or cooler containing ice cubes and only remove it when it’s time to serve

• After serving the meal, cover any leftovers and return them to the refrigerator or insulated container. If food has been out of the refrigerator for a long time four hours or more (including storage, preparation, transport and serving), throw them away.

It is also worth considering how much food we really need. It’s effortless to overdo it, creating leftovers that can make you ill if not stored properly.