Geriatric Care - Care of the Aged

Foodborne Illness Peaks in Summer! "I have very recently come across a very informative article on food safety during the summer months. I reproduce the same in toto for everyone's benefit." Year after year, we hear and read the same advice: Handle food carefully in the summer because foodborne illness — also known as "food poisoning" — is more prevalent in warmer weather. Do foodborne illnesses increase during the summer months? If so, why? Yes, foodborne illnesses do increase during the summer, and the answer appears to be twofold. First, there are the natural causes. Bacteria are present throughout the environment in soil, air, water, and in the bodies of people and animals. These microorganisms grow faster in the warm summer months. Most foodborne bacteria grow fastest at temperatures from 90 to 110 °F. Bacteria also need moisture to flourish, and summer weather is often hot and humid. Given the right circumstances, harmful bacteria can quickly multiply o