Preventing food poisoning from jellyfish

Jellyfish is a favorite dish during hot summer days. However, if not processed properly, jellyfish can be toxic to consumers. The Food Safety Department (Ministry of Health) has issued instructions for people to prevent food poisoning caused by jellyfish in the summer.

Jellyfish salad is a favorite dish on hot summer days, but if not prepared properly, it can be toxic to consumers - Illustration photo

The Food Safety Department said that recently, fishermen in coastal areas such as Quang Ninh, Hai Phong, Thanh Hoa, and some central provinces are entering the jellyfish harvesting season.

Jellyfish are invertebrates that live in the sea or saltwater. Live jellyfish contain many toxins and when touched, people will have allergic reactions.

Jellyfish toxins are usually concentrated in the tentacles, they use stinging cells called nematocysts. These cells are very small and poisonous. Some jellyfish have millions of nematocysts in their tentacles, which are used when jellyfish catch prey and protect themselves. When bitten by a jellyfish, these toxins will penetrate the human skin and enter the body. If mild, the victim will only have a skin reaction, burning, redness and itching at the site. The whole body only feels uncomfortable, do not worry too much.

In severe cases, it can cause headache, chest tightness, cyanosis, sweating, difficulty breathing, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhea many times, rapid, weak pulse, low blood pressure... In the acute form, the accident occurs immediately after the jellyfish toxin enters the victim's blood. The victim feels nauseous, has a headache, chest tightness, cyanosis, sweating, rapid breathing, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhea many times, rapid, weak pulse, low blood pressure. The victim goes into a state of drowsiness, sometimes convulsions, can be comatose and needs to be taken to the hospital immediately to prevent anaphylactic shock. In the acute or subacute form, after about 15 minutes of touching the jellyfish, the victim feels itchy on the hands and feet, red rash appears on the skin in areas, hives all over the body, Quinineke edema in the eyes, lips, face, larynx causing suffocation, rapid, weak pulse. The heart beats rapidly and regularly, blood pressure drops, dry cough, difficulty breathing, wheezing. Laryngeal edema causes difficulty breathing. The victim has nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea, watery eyes, runny nose, and sweating. These are signs of anaphylactic shock and need to be taken to the hospital immediately for shock treatment.

Jellyfish is commonly used by people to prepare a number of dishes such as salad, jellyfish salad, hot pot, soup, jellyfish noodles... To ensure the health of the community and prevent food poisoning in the summer due to jellyfish, the Food Safety Department recommends that people do not use fresh jellyfish (unprocessed) as food, make salad to eat raw, especially do not use jellyfish (including processed jellyfish) as food for children.

According to the Food Safety Department, only properly processed jellyfish should be used. Fresh jellyfish must be soaked three times in salt and alum water. Only when the jellyfish meat turns light red or light yellow can it be used for food processing.

According to Chinhphu.vn