Deliciousness and threats coexist, beware of the “number one killer” in seafood - Vibrio parahaemolyticus!

Summer Night

Of course, midnight snacks are indispensable.

Beer, seafood, barbecue

Oysters are fresh and plump

But when everyone is eating all kinds of delicious seafood

Be careful about food poisoning caused by Vibrio parahaemolyticus

Where does Vibrio parahaemolyticus come from?

In October 1950, Vibrio parahaemolyticus was first isolated from the intestinal excrement and food of patients with salted sardine food poisoning in Osaka, Japan. In 1958, the Shanghai Municipal Epidemic Prevention Station also isolated this bacterium from patients with food poisoning caused by roast duck. In 1966, the International Vibrio Nomenclature Committee officially named it Vibrio parahaemolyticus. Subsequently, food poisoning incidents caused by Vibrio parahaemolyticus occurred from time to time.

Earlier this year, a provincial food testing center randomly sampled oysters from local vegetable markets to test for Vibrio parahaemolyticus. The test results showed that the overall sample positivity rate was 25%, and the detection rate of Vibrio parahaemolyticus in oysters sold in vegetable markets was even higher.

What is Vibrio parahaemolyticus?

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a halophilic bacterium that exists in a variety of shapes, such as arcs, rods, and filaments. It exists naturally in seawater, coastal environments, seabed sediments, and seafood such as fish and shellfish. It has strong vitality and can survive for more than one month on rags and cutting boards , and can survive in seawater for 47 days. This bacterium is sensitive to acid and temperature, and will die if it stays in 90°C water for one minute.

Eating raw seafood, not cooking seafood thoroughly, and contamination of cooked food due to improper storage or operation can easily cause Vibrio parahaemolyticus poisoning.

What are the symptoms of Vibrio parahaemolyticus infection?

The average incubation period of Vibrio parahaemolyticus infection is 15 hours, with a minimum of 1 hour and a maximum of 4 days.

Typical symptoms of infection are acute gastroenteritis, which manifests as severe abdominal pain, paroxysmal umbilical colic, diarrhea, jet-like watery stools, which may be mixed with mucus or pus and blood, 5-6 bowel movements a day, and up to more than 10 times a day, accompanied by upper gastrointestinal manifestations such as nausea and vomiting, and may also cause headaches, fever, etc. In severe cases, dehydration, shock, and even death may occur.

How should we prevent it in daily life?

1. Keep clean and wash your hands frequently .

2. Keep raw and cooked food separate .

3. Cook and steam the seafood thoroughly. Vibrio paralyticus can be killed by heating it at 56°C for 5 minutes or at 90°C for 1 minute.

4. Try to finish eating seafood on the same day. If there is any leftover overnight, it should be heated thoroughly before eating the next day.

5. If you experience suspected food poisoning symptoms after a meal, stop eating the suspected food immediately and seek medical attention in a timely manner to avoid delaying the treatment.

The best way to prevent Vibrio parahaemolyticus

Heat the food thoroughly before eating

Current weather is changeable

Intermittent rainfall and hot weather alternating

Bacteria can easily breed and multiply

We must not ignore the safety of our tongue!