Food handlers warned of new bug

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 11, Issue 521, 1 February 1994, Page 9

Food handlers warned of new bug

Food handlers in the Ruapehu District are being warned about a new bug to reach New Zealand. It is a food and water borne illness called E Coli 0l57:H7. Ruapehu District Council environmental health officer Sunny Feng said the most important preventative measures against the illness are thorough cooking, proper food handling and avoiding cross contamination of foods. The bacteria is now the second-most commonly isolated pathogen-caused gut disease in the US A. It can cause bloody diarrhoea, severe abdominal cramps, vomiting and fever. Hospitalisation is often needed for the victims and , severe cases can lead to death, said Mr Feng. The health department asks food handlers to: □ Ensure minced meat is thoroug"hly cooked to an internal temperature of 70°C. □ Ensure high standards of personal hygiene. □ Ensure there is no cross contamination between raw and cooked foods. The majority of cases overseas have been linked to consumption of undercooked minced beef, but other foods such as roast beef and unpasteurised milk have been implicated.The elderly and young children are the most susceptible.