KUALA LUMPUR: Many people often underestimate food poisoning, thinking that symptoms such as stomach pain, vomiting, and nausea will disappear after drinking coconut water or taking pills.
However, consciously or not, food poisoning due to the consumption of contaminated food with bacteria, viruses, or parasites, and spoiled food, can be fatal if a person delays receiving proper medical treatment.
According to Medical Officer Dr Syed Aliff Fauzan Syed Mohamad, death due to food poisoning can occur due to dehydration and complications from the related bacterial infection, which can subsequently lead to organ failure.
"Food poisoning usually occurs due to bacteria, parasites, toxins, and germs spread from contaminated sources such as dirty water, urine or rat faeces, flies and cockroaches, or heavy metals like insecticide and so on.
One common bacterial infection is Salmonella, and when it enters our digestive system, we call it Salmonellosis. The symptoms of food poisoning are usually stomach pain, diarrhoea, vomiting, nausea, and fever, but the most dangerous is when dehydration occurs due to a lack of water in the body," he told Bernama.
He explained that all these symptoms can be observed within six hours after consuming contaminated food, and the symptoms can worsen within 12 to 24 hours, leading to overall weakness.
He made these comments in response to a viral issue on social media about a 54-year-old woman who died after suffering from food poisoning due to consuming a spoiled sandwich purchased at the Rest and Service Area (R&R) Perasing, East Coast Expressway 2 Kemaman, Terengganu, on Dec 19.
The victim, from Johor, along with her niece, reportedly experienced symptoms of vomiting and diarrhoea after consuming the food, leading them to seek treatment at the Intensive Care Unit of Sultanah Nur Zahirah Hospital.
Following the incident, Dr Syed Aliff Fauzan advised those experiencing food poisoning to seek early treatment without delay and should not let the symptoms deteriorate.
"When it comes to food poisoning, early treatment is necessary to ensure that our bodies do not become dehydrated. If left untreated for a long time, dehydration can occur, and if dehydration symptoms start to appear, such as paleness, a white tongue, and the whites of the eyes turning pale as if lacking blood, seek treatment immediately before the condition worsens," he said.
He added that in preventing food poisoning, the public and food handlers each have their responsibilities, and individuals can make their assessments when buying food outside.
"Especially now, during the school holidays, many people will go out and eat, and there will certainly be a risk of food poisoning. So, what we can do is to ensure that the restaurant environment is clean.
"Observe three steps: look, smell, and taste before eating. If there is an unusual smell, taste, or texture, it is better to avoid the food. As for food handlers, do not leave exposed ingredients or ready-made food.
"Avoid selling food that is not finished, and consider it as if you are preparing food for your family, not just thinking about profit. Who would have thought that a pack of sandwiches could take a life," he said.
Meanwhile, Malaysian Food Safety Association president Sazly Azizuddin Sahami, said that food poisoning trends usually occur during festive seasons and school holidays, so the public needs to be more vigilant in choosing the food they want to buy. - Bernama
