It’s estimated that more than 4 million cases of food poisoning happen in Australia each year (results in over 30,000 hospitalisations and 80+ deaths). It’s a serious problem which can severely affect those who are pregnant, older and with compromised immune systems.
How safe is food in Australia?
If handled and prepared improperly, food can be potentially dangerous. Food poisoning can be caused by contamination (bacteria, toxins and even bugs). It can even get worse if there’s food mishandling (e.g. during transport and storage) or that it’s cooked improperly. It’s especially the case with certain food groups such as meat, raw or uncooked poultry, raw or lightly cooked eggs, seafood, prepared salads and dairy products.
Symptoms of food poisoning such as diarrhea can start or appear within the hour or even after three days. As a result, the last food you ate might not be the cause (it could be something you ate yesterday). It will be hard to pinpoint which is the real culprit behind your gastrointestinal cramps and other symptoms and illness.
As mentioned earlier, it’s estimated that there could be 4 million cases of food poisoning each year here in Australia. With that number we’ll immediately realise that we’re always at risk. It’s true that the risk is always present. It’s also true that we can lower that and better protect ourselves. To accomplish that, we have to pay attention in both the handling and preparation of food.
When it comes to food handling (including production, harvest, packing, transport and storage), all the surfaces should be clean and that the entire process should be fast. Aside from cleanliness, time is also a huge factor here. More hours in the transport and storage also mean more things can go wrong (such as microbial growth, exposure to unsafe temperature levels).
Another important factor is temperature control. This plays a huge role in maintaining the food’s safety, quality and integrity. Unsafe temperature levels can accelerate microbial and enzymatic activity, which can then affect the food’s flavour, appearance and overall safety. This can mean huge financial losses to food suppliers and vendors and more importantly, it compromises the customers’ health.
Here at Cooltrans, we help prevent those scenarios from happening by ensuring tight temperature control in all our frozen and refrigerated deliveries. We regularly inspect and maintain our equipment and vehicles to ensure proper operation and prompt delivery. Since 1997 we’ve been helping food suppliers, distributors, vendors and businesses ensure the quality and integrity of their food products.
