Roskoshestvo: how to choose safe products on the market in the heat

If perishable products, for example, meat, are lying on a market counter in the open sun, then it is better to refuse the purchase, recommended Elena Spetsenko, director of the Roskachestvo Competence Center for Food Safety.

In a conversation with Lenta.ru, the specialist gave Russians some advice on choosing safe products at bazaars.

Spetsenko said that in the summer season, spontaneous and stationary markets are in high demand, but high air temperatures can negatively affect the quality of products if stored improperly.

When choosing meat and poultry, the specialist advised to pay attention to color and smell. The surface should not be sticky or unnaturally shiny, she added. The presence of dark spots, foreign sour or ammonia odor is a direct sign of incipient deterioration.

“In hot weather, it is recommended to buy fish whole or in large pieces on an ice bed. The gills of fresh fish are bright red or pink, the eyes are transparent and convex. Cloudy eyes, sunken sides and gray gills indicate that the product has spent several hours without cold,” Spetsenko said.

According to the expert, berries, fruits and herbs require special attention.

“At the market they are often dusty and may contain helminth eggs, especially if sold from the ground. Before use, such products should be thoroughly washed with running water, and greens should be soaked for an additional 10–15 minutes in salted water. Tasting unwashed berries right at the counter is unsafe: not only bacteria, but also traces of fertilizers can remain on the peel,” she warned.

Spetsenko also reminded that you should not buy pre-cut watermelons, melons or pumpkins wrapped in film at the market. The surface of the pulp is quickly contaminated with bacteria, and at high temperatures this process goes even faster, the specialist concluded.

Previously, the chief physician of the city clinic No. 220 of the capital's health department, Anna Kosenkova, recommended excluding fatty, fried and smoked foods from the diet during hot weather, since heavy food creates additional stress on the body. Sweet carbonated drinks, according to her, in such weather will only increase thirst, and strong coffee and alcohol lead to dehydration.

The doctor noted that in hot weather it is better to give preference to clean water, mineral water or green tea, as well as vegetables and fruits rich in moisture and potassium - especially cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce, spinach and other greens. Light protein foods and fermented milk products are useful: chicken, fish, low-fat kefir or cottage cheese, she added.