Gwangju Institute of Health and Environment Urges "Food Poisoning Alert" During Chuseok Holiday

58% of Patients Occur Between July and October
Strict Hygiene Management Urged

Photo of waterborne disease test materials. Provided by Gwangju Health and Environment Research Institute

On October 1, the Gwangju Institute of Health and Environment urged citizens to pay special attention to food storage and hygiene management during the Chuseok holiday. This is because the risk of bacterial food poisoning remains high in autumn, when daytime temperatures are still elevated.

According to data compiled by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, 19 out of 40 cases (47.5%) of food poisoning in Gwangju over the past five years (2020-2024) occurred between July and October. Of the 1,376 food poisoning patients, 803 (58.4%) were reported during this period.

The Gwangju Institute of Health and Environment emphasized that the main cause of food poisoning in autumn is bacterial pathogens. The institute highlighted the importance of washing hands after handling raw meat, raw chicken, or eggs; thoroughly cleaning cooking utensils such as knives and cutting boards; and preventing cross-contamination. In particular, it advised that when preparing large quantities of food in advance for the holiday, all food should be refrigerated and consumed as soon as possible.

The institute conducts not only investigations into the causes of group food poisoning outbreaks but also year-round surveillance of waterborne and foodborne infectious diseases. According to surveillance results, the detection rate of bacterial pathogens has steadily increased since June, reaching 53.7% in September. The main detected bacteria were pathogenic Escherichia coli, Salmonella, and Staphylococcus aureus, in that order.

Jung Hyuncheol, Director of the Institute, stated, "Although mornings and evenings are cool, daytime temperatures remain high, making it easy for food poisoning bacteria to multiply." He added, "We will operate an emergency work system during the Chuseok holiday to ensure that all citizens can have a safe holiday."