Cape Town - Health expert Dr Fundile Nyati says regular power cuts may affect the safety of food in refrigerators and can result in food poisoning.
The expert believes that perishable foods such as fresh meat, fresh fish, milk and cheeses are among those that are most susceptible to spoilage and food safety concerns.
Speaking to eNCA, Nyati said that load shedding and power outages are seriously affecting pockets of businesses.
Nyati said if food that is supposed to be stored in refrigerators or freezers at a certain temperature warms up, it could lead to the growth of poisonous bacteria.
“The bacteria that may be found on that food grows really fast and it exposes people to danger and causes illnesses.
“So there isn’t really a clear answer as to what to do with our food whenever stage 6 of load shedding is being implemented. When it happens it puts us at a huge risk of consuming poisonous food, and it is something that most South Africans are battling with,” he said.
Nyati said that it is not easy to see with the naked eye if food has expired and is unsafe to consume.
He said load shedding makes it difficult for people to keep food safe at temperatures below 5ºC. Temperatures between 5ºC and 60ºC are a danger zone where germs can multiply quickly and cause harm to those who buy or use it.
“For stuff that is frozen that is supposed to be below 18ºC there could be some defrosting of that food and that process can mess up food and some of the germs can multiply, resulting in danger to consumers,” Nyati said.
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