Summer heat raises risk of food poisoning

MUSCAT: Food poisoning cases in Oman have seen an uptick, with recent data highlighting an 82 per cent rise compared to 2023, according to data released by the National Center for Statistics and Information (NCSI) quoting the Ministry of Health (MoH).
Experts in food safety cite the major causes as bacterial contamination such as salmonella, shigella, bacillus cereus, or viruses in children like rotavirus from poor handling, improper food storage, and sudden changes in temperatures.
Speaking to the Observer, Haitham Khamis al Kahaly, chief microbiologist and food inspector with Muscat Municipality, said that there has been a rise in violations which were dealt with suitably.
“We have found an increasing threat of food poisoning mostly with 2nd class restaurants and coffee shops where poor personal hygiene of food handlers is seen. Additionally, the contaminated surfaces of the food outlets, storage issues such as inadequate refrigeration, particularly leaving cooked food at room temperature which allows bacteria to grow,” he said.
Dr Mansour bin Mahfoudh al Qasmi, CEO, Oman Logistics Academy, said that while many people focus on restaurants or food handling at home, the real issue often starts much earlier — within the supply chain.
“In simple terms, how food is transported, stored, and delivered plays a major role in whether it remains safe to eat. Logistics covers the journey of food from its source to the consumer. In Oman, much of our food is imported and travels long distances. This makes proper handling especially important. If food — particularly items like meat, dairy, and seafood — is not kept at the right temperature during transport or storage, it can quickly become unsafe,” said Dr Al Qasmi.
One of the biggest challenges is maintaining a reliable ‘cold chain.’ This means keeping food at the correct temperature at all times. Even a short break in this chain allows harmful bacteria to grow. Unfortunately, gaps in temperature control still happen, whether during shipping, warehousing or delivery.
“Another issue is the complexity of the supply chain. Food often passes through several hands before reaching the consumer. Without clear systems to track and monitor these movements, it becomes difficult to identify where problems occur when contamination happens,” he adds.
Dr Neema Muhammed Ali, a dermatologist, flagged poor personal hygiene among food handlers and inadequate food safety training.
“Rapid urbanisation, increased reliance on eating out and food delivery services have expanded exposure to mass food preparation environments, where lapses can affect large groups simultaneously. Some food services offer refunds for delayed food delivery, which increases the risk of delivery of undercooked food to avoid losses,” Dr Neema said.
Dr Dilip kumar Singvi, an internal medicine specialist, highlighted ‘the four Cs,’ which are Cleaning, Cooking, Chills, and Cross-contamination to prevent food poisoning.
“Regular inspection of restaurants and supermarkets will ensure that these standards are maintained and food quality is not compromised, thereby enabling us to reduce the incidence of food poisoning, which usually happens during the peak summer months,” said Dr Singvi.
TIPS TO AVOID FOOD POISONING
- Ensure food is stored at the right temperature
- Avoid reheating food more than once
- Consult a doctor in case of nausea, vomiting, or high fever
- Make sure food, especially meat, is properly cooked
- Check the expiry date of ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook food