The festive season in Nigeria is a time of immense joy, family reunions, and, most notably, lavish feasting. However, this period of culinary abundance also brings a significant and dangerous increase in the risk of food poisoning, a global health issue that hits close to home with severe consequences.
The Global and Local Scale of a Hidden Threat
Globally, festive celebrations often lead to a surge in foodborne illnesses. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that one in ten people worldwide falls ill each year from contaminated food, leading to hundreds of thousands of deaths. Children and populations in low- and middle-income nations suffer the most.
While countries in the West see spikes around holidays like Christmas due to challenges with cooking large turkeys or managing leftovers, the core problems are universal: inadequate cooking, poor chilling, and cross-contamination.
In Nigeria, this global trend is amplified by local realities. The festive rush of travel, large family gatherings, and intense catering creates a perfect storm. Reports indicate food poisoning is a major public health issue here, with tens of thousands of cases and hundreds of thousands of deaths annually from foodborne diseases. The economic toll runs into billions, even trillions, of naira in healthcare costs and lost productivity.
Why Nigerian Kitchens Face Unique Risks
The standard global food safety rules—the "4 Cs" of Cleaning, Cooking, Chilling, and avoiding Cross-contamination—are severely tested in many Nigerian homes during Christmas. The risks go beyond just undercooked meat.
Key challenges include:
- Unreliable power supply, leading to refrigerator and freezer failures.
- Dependence on local markets where proper food handling and cold-chain storage are often inconsistent.
- The preparation of complex, traditional dishes in large quantities, which require careful cooling and reheating.
Symptoms of food poisoning strike without warning: sudden nausea, violent vomiting, severe diarrhoea, and painful abdominal cramps, often with fever. These signs, caused by pathogens like Salmonella, can appear hours or days after eating contaminated food.
While healthy adults may recover in a few days with rest and fluids, for vulnerable Nigerians—the young, elderly, and those with existing health conditions—it can quickly lead to life-threatening dehydration, straining holiday healthcare services.
Essential Steps for a Safe Celebration
A conscious effort to improve food safety is non-negotiable. Applying adapted global standards is crucial:
1. Hygiene First: Wash hands thoroughly with soap and clean water before and after handling food, especially raw meat. Use separate cutting boards and utensils for raw and cooked items.
2. Cook Thoroughly: Ensure all meat and poultry are cooked to the correct internal temperature, with no pink meat left.
3. Master the Chill: This is critical for large pots of rice, stews, and soups. Leftovers must be cooled rapidly—within two hours—and stored in a functioning, uncrowded refrigerator.
Given Nigeria's frequent power outages, a specific "power cut plan" is vital:
- Keep it Chilled: Limit opening fridge/freezer doors. Use cooler boxes with ice packs for highly perishable items.
- Cook and Eat Promptly: If power returns, cook food thoroughly and consume it immediately. Reheat leftovers only once, until steaming hot throughout.
- Prioritise Clean Water: Use safe, clean water for washing hands and utensils, regardless of the electricity situation.
Exercise caution with food from street vendors or external caterers during the festive rush. Be wary of salads, dairy-based sauces, and poorly heated meats. Choose vendors with clean premises, proper staff attire, and visible temperature control for hot and cold food.
What to Do If Poisoning Strikes
If symptoms appear, focus immediately on hydration. Sip clean water or an oral rehydration solution to replace lost fluids and salts. Rest is essential.
Seek urgent medical help if there is blood in stool or vomit, or signs of severe dehydration like dizziness, sunken eyes, or very little urine, especially in children or the elderly.
The joyous rush of the season is no excuse to compromise on food safety. From European banquets to a Nigerian family compound, the rule is universal: a safe meal is a well-prepared meal. Let us prioritise clean, properly cooked, and promptly chilled food this Christmas. Give the gift of health and ensure precious memories are made around the table, not in a hospital ward.
Sylvester Ojenagbon, a health communication expert and certified management trainer and consultant, lives in Lagos.
