UAE: Some doctors see spike in food poisoning cases amid rising temperatures

Some medical facilities have seen a spike in cases of food poisoning as temperatures have soared in the UAE. Doctors say this is a seasonal trend and warned residents to be more careful with their handling of food during the summer months.

“During the peak summer months, we do tend to see a noticeable uptick in cases of foodborne illnesses,” said Dr Unni Rajasekaran Nair, Consultant Internal Medicine, Medcare Royal Speciality Hospital. “In our outpatient department and emergency units, there’s often a seasonal spike in complaints of nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and abdominal cramps that can be traced back to food contamination.”

His comments were supported by Dr Salma Khanam Patan, Internal Medicine Specialist from NMC Medical Centre, Buhairah Corniche, Sharjah. “We observe an increase in food poisoning cases every summer as temperatures begin to rise,” she said. “This is a recurring seasonal trend.”

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In May, UAE temperatures soared to 51.6°C, marking one of the highest temperatures recorded so far this season, signalling an early start to the intense summer heat that typically hits the country in the coming months. The country also saw the hottest April in over a decade. Astronomically, summer doesn’t begin until June 21. 

Precautions

With these soaring temperatures, experts are warning residents to be more careful in handling food. Dr Rohith said that high ambient temperatures create a conducive environment for bacteria like Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria to multiply rapidly, especially when food is not stored or handled properly.

Dr Jamaludeen Abubacker, paediatrician at Metro Medical Centre in Ajma, said he had also seen an increase in the number of food poisoning cases among children in recent times. He cautioned parents to be careful in handling food at home. “Temperatures between 4°C and 60°C is optimal for bacterial multiplications,” he said. “If food leftover at this temperature is consumed, chances of food poisoning is high.”

Dr Salma added that everyone should take precautions when cooking at home. “They must wash hands thoroughly before cooking and after handling raw meat or poultry,” she said. “It is also important to refrigerate leftovers promptly and not leave food at room temperature for more than two hours.”

Careful with packed lunches

According to Bobby Krishna, Dubai-based food safety expert, care should be taken during all stages of food preparation including shopping and packing. “Perishables must be consumed within one hour if they are not kept cold,” he said. “So, when shopping, pick items like meats, dairy and salads last from the store to reduce time out of refrigeration. After shopping, go straight home and refrigerate or freeze items immediately.”

He also advised to take care when transporting food. “When taking perishables home or packing lunch to work, use insulated bags or ice packs,” he said. “Items like salads, sandwiches, juices, milk, and cooked foods should be transported cold.”

He also cautioned people against overfilling their fridge. “This makes the fridge less efficient and cold air can’t circulate properly,” he said. “This means, food cools down slower, potentially spending longer in that danger zone when you first put it away.”

However, he added that in a place like the UAE, such food safety precautions must be taken all year around. “Winter temperatures can also reach 30°C at times in the UAE,” he said. “So, residents should practice safe food handling techniques even during winter. However, they must ramp it up during the extreme heat of UAE summers.”