Just over 780 people were reported to have suffered from food poisoning last year, nearly 300 more than the numbers reported in pre-pandemic years, according to official statistics.
In 2022, a total of 781 food poisoning cases were reported to the health authorities, a major increase from the 486 registered in 2019.
The figure last year includes 357 people impacted by 71 outbreaks, up from the 232 people involved in 63 outbreaks of food poisoning in 2019.
Many European countries saw a drop in such cases during the COVID pandemic, which is probably linked to COVID-19 control measures- Health ministry spokesman
Food-borne disease is caused when a person consumes food or beverages containing a bacteria or a virus. Eating raw or undercooked meat, poultry, eggs and seafood can lead to food poisoning.
Data shows that the number of food poisoning cases dropped in 2020, the year the first case of COVID-19 was detected in Malta. The pandemic sparked two partial lockdowns and measures that ranged from compulsory masking to social distancing and a drive towards hand washing.
In 2020, there were 432 individual reported food poisoning cases, out of which 301 individuals were involved in 31 outbreaks.
The following year, the cases shot up drastically with the health authorities notified of 705 sporadic food-poisoning cases. Yet, the number of people (75) affected by outbreaks (32) was below the previous year’s.
According to a health ministry spokesperson, the drop in food poisoning cases during COVID-19 was experienced throughout Europe.
“Many European countries saw a drop in such cases during the COVID pandemic, which is probably linked to COVID-19 control measures that include increased hygienic measures such as handwashing,” he said.
As with previous years, he said most cases were sporadic and linked to households.
The spokesperson added that trends in food-borne illness increase during the summer months as warm weather facilitates the growth of these pathogens.
Salmonella and campylobacter are most common food-borne bacteria
The most common food-borne bacteria are salmonella and campylobacter, according to the list provided showing the food and water-borne diseases reported by the local health authorities.
The bug campylobacter is caused by different bacteria and symptoms can range from fever to abdominal pain and diarrhea, between one and 11 days after infection.
Last year, there were 36 sporadic cases of campylobacter and 39 cases involved in 12 outbreaks.
Salmonella is a bacterial food poisoning caused by a different bacterium and is found in poultry, eggs, unprocessed milk, meat and even water.
Infection results in the swelling of the lining of the stomach and intestines and can lead to diarrhea, constipation, headaches, nausea, fever and, possibly, even blood in the stool.
According to the health authorities, 188 sporadic cases of salmonella were reported last year. Twenty eight people were involved in 10 outbreaks.
The spokesperson said that such outbreaks could have also been transmitted directly from person to person and not necessarily via contaminated food.
How to reduce the chances of food poisoning
■ Frequently wash your hands while preparing and handling food.
■ Use separate cutting boards and utensils for raw meat and ready-to-eat food like vegetables and bread.
■ Separate raw food from cooked food. Do not reuse plates or utensils that touched raw food to serve cooked food.
■ Keep food at safe temperatures.
■ Cook food thoroughly.
■ When purchasing meat, poultry and seafood, these items should be picked last before checkout and should be separated from other foods in the shopping cart to prevent cross-contamination.