“Letting your guard down because it feels cool can spell trouble”: Food poisoning alert amid autumn temperature swings

[Financial News] With the arrival of autumn—a season when outdoor activities such as fall foliage outings and local festivals surge—food poisoning has become a pressing food-safety concern. Although cooler weather can make people less vigilant about food storage, daytime temperatures rise and day-to-night temperature swings are wide, raising concerns that a moment's carelessness could lead to a large-scale food poisoning outbreak.
On the 19th, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said an analysis of seasonal food poisoning cases over the past five years, from 2021 through last year, found that autumn (September–November) averaged 73 cases a year, or 24% of the total.
That was the second-highest figure, after summer, when heat waves persist (an annual average of 107 cases). Food poisoning occurs more frequently in autumn than in spring (65 cases) or winter (55 cases).
The main factors behind autumn food poisoning include wide day-to-night temperature swings, food left at room temperature, and lapses in personal hygiene. Temperatures fall in the morning and evening, making it cool, but rise to 20°C or higher around midday, creating favorable conditions for food-poisoning bacteria to multiply.
There is a significant risk that food-poisoning bacteria such as Salmonella will multiply rapidly if lunch boxes, gimbap, marinated meat, and other foods prepared for outdoor events or group outings are left in a car or outdoors at room temperature for several hours or more.
Recently, health authorities launched an epidemiological investigation after about 800 people who visited the Gimje Horizon Festival in Jeonbuk showed symptoms suspected to be food poisoning. Most of those with symptoms reportedly ate gimbap sold at a booth at the festival site.
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety urged people to follow the food-poisoning prevention rules known as “Sonbogugase” and pay close attention to personal and food hygiene to stay safe during autumn outings. “Sonbogugase” refers to handwashing, storage temperatures, keeping items separate, heating and cooking, and cleaning and disinfection.
When buying lunch boxes or packaged food, people should buy only as much as they will eat, check that the container or packaging is not contaminated or damaged, and eat the food as soon as possible. If it cannot be eaten right away, it should be kept refrigerated (at 0–5°C) and not left at room temperature for a long time.
Cooked food can become a breeding ground for food-poisoning bacteria if stored in a hot place, such as the interior of a car in direct sunlight, so care should be taken not to leave it there. During outdoor activities, food should be stored safely using a cooler or similar equipment.
An official from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said, “We will continue to provide useful information on preventing food poisoning and promote the everyday practice of prevention guidelines, striving to ensure that the public can enjoy safe food.”

[email protected] Kim Seo-yeon Reporter