Are Foods Sorely Occupied Can Be Eaten? Know The Risks To Health

YOGYAKARTA Imagine that you are enjoying a warm rice portion with your favorite side dishes, then suddenly a fly arrives for a while and then leaves. Is the food that flies are still safe to eat? Questions like this often appear in the mind.

Based on scientific research, there are many factors that turn out to make food eatable after being fed by flies. When flies land on food, there may be microbial contamination and at a certain time it is better if the food is thrown away.

The fly is called a mechanical vector because it is able to move pathogens from dirty environments to human food. Flies are used to living in dirty places, carcasses, and waste, so that the body and feet are exposed to various microorganisms. Some studies reported by IFL Science, Thursday, October 2, show that flies can carry hundreds of bacteria, viruses, and parasites, including those that are already resistant to antibiotics.

This fact makes a small-looking fly actually can be an intermediary for dangerous diseases when it touches your food. Even though flies do not have teeth, these insects must dissolve solid food first before absorbing it. The process is done by removing digestive fluids in the form of enzymes or saliva on the surface of food, which then dissolves the solid part so that it can beabsorbed again.

Unfortunately, this liquid can bring as well as microbes from the food or previous places that were touched by flies, so that foods that appear intact are at risk of being contaminated with bacteria. Not to mention that fly eggs that stick to food can hatch for 8-24 hours and a female fly can lay eggs as much as 100-150 eggs. According to insect experts, this is the reason why one touch of flies is often considered more disgusting than just the upturn of another insect.

Food contamination due to flies can last within minutes. Research shows that Escherichia coli bacteria can move to food as soon as flies reach, and in some cases it only takes five flies to contaminate burgers within 15 minutes. The level of contamination increases if flies stick longer or have more numbers, and moist food conditions will increase the risk. This means that even though it looks trivial at first glance, one or two flies can be enough to change the safety of the food you consume.

One fly that touches short food is generally considered a low risk, especially if the new food is cooked and the person who consumes is in good health. However, if the food is open for a long time and lots of flies, the potential for microbial exposure increases dramatically. Launching Reader's Digest, flies can spread E. coli, salmonella, and even parasitic causes of the dysenter. So, the decision to be safe or not for food depends on the length of contact, the number of flies, types of food, and environmental cleanliness.

Various studies say the flies are capable of carrying more than a hundred types of pathogens, including Salmonella, E. coli, Shigella, as well as viruses, fungi, and parasites. Some of these microbes are dangerous because they can cause diarrhea, food poisoning, to other serious diseases. Worse, some bacteria carried by flies have resistance properties to antibiotics, making them more difficult to treat in case of infection. This fact makes flies not just a minor disturbance, but a real threat to food safety.

Simple steps such as covering food with a serving hood or a closed container can prevent flies from crossing. Food should also be consumed immediately after serving, because the longer it is left open, the higher the risk. Maintaining environmental cleanliness, disposing of garbage regularly, and reducing moist areas will make flies reluctant to come. If the food has been reached by flies for a long time, reheating can help lower the risk, but when in doubt, throwing it away is the best option.

A fly that traps on food does not always make food dangerous automatically, but the risk is real and should not be underestimated. In clean conditions and short times, the danger may be small, however, if food is left open with many flies above sea level, the chances of contamination increase sharply. With simple steps such as closing food, keeping clean, and throwing away suspicious foods, you can stay safe without having to worry too much.