Risky money-saving shortcuts could be behind food poisoning increase
Risky money-saving measures such as eating out-of-date food, turning off fridges and failing to heat up meals may be behind a sharp rise in food poisoning cases.
More than 10,000 people tested positive for salmonella in 2024, up 17 per cent from 2023 and the highest annual total since 2007, official figures have revealed.
Around one in four cases were in children under 10, with London being the most affected area, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said.
There were also more than 70,000 cases of campylobacter, a similar bacterial illness, amounting to a 17.1 per cent rise on the year before.
The gastrointestinal illnesses cause similar symptoms, including diarrhoea, stomach pains and cramps, vomiting and mild fever.
Infections can be caused by eating contaminated food such as chicken, meat, eggs, unpasteurised milk products, and raw fruit or vegetables, as well as close contact with infected people and kitchen cross-contamination.
Health officials said the reason for the rise in cases was 'likely multifactorial' and that improvements in testing could have led to more cases being identified.
Hygiene concerns
However, another possible cause is people storing and cooking their food in unsafe ways to save money, according to a UKHSA report.
A survey by the Food Standard Agency (FSA), which is working with the UKHSA, found that one in eight adults demonstrated risky behaviours while storing and preparing food in response to cost-of-living pressures.
This includes cooking food on a lower heat or not for long enough, turning fridges and freezers to less frigid settings, eating food cold instead of hot, and eating out-of-date food.
Around 5 per cent of people also admitted to turning their fridge off to save money, while one in eight did not cook their food properly.
Potential contamination from environmental sources such as raw dog food in kitchens could also be partly responsible for the increase in salmonella infections, the report added.
The UKHSA said children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems were particularly vulnerable and should take extra care.
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