It is primarily norovirus, which also causes winter vomiting disease, that was behind most reported cases of food poisoning during the period. In total, the virus caused 2,308 cases of illness.
Sushi, sandwich cake, shellfish, and oysters are some of the foods pointed out as usual causes of food poisoning. In most cases, the spread of infection is believed to have been caused by infected persons handling food.
Other cases are linked to the occurrence of more outbreaks of cryptosporidiosis and lectins in vegetables such as fruit, vegetables, and legumes during the period.
In 45 percent of the reported cases, the cause of the infection could not be traced. Most food poisonings are never reported, so what we see is just the tip of the iceberg. It is important to report to your municipality if you believe you have been food poisoned. Even if you got sick from something you ate at home. Then the municipality can investigate and, at best, prevent more people from getting sick, says Jonas Toljander, risk assessor at the National Food Agency, in a press release.
The number of reported cases has decreased overall compared to the previous five-year period, something that the National Food Agency attributes, among other things, to the restrictions during the pandemic.
Put refrigerated foods such as fresh meat, fish, and dairy products in the refrigerator as soon as possible. The refrigerator should ideally keep around 4 degrees.
Be careful to wash your hands before cooking and immediately after handling raw meat.
Make sure to keep clean where you cook. Wash knives and cutting boards thoroughly if you have cut raw meat.
Put cooked food in the refrigerator as soon as possible. Divide larger quantities of food into smaller containers to cool faster or cool food outdoors if it is cold outside.
Fresh fish, for example, to be eaten raw or marinated, should first be stored in the freezer for at least three days.
Use sufficient vinegar and salt when pickling fish and store the pickling in the refrigerator.
Be careful to cook through, for example, minced meat and poultry.
Source: National Food Agency.
