In 2025, at least 232 cases of food poisoning were registered in Kyrgyzstan, affecting 580 people. The Republican Center for Health Promotion and Mass Communication reported.
According to the center, 11 cases of mass poisoning (involving more than five people) were registered, five of which occurred in fast food establishments.
Experts say fast food is made from products with a high epidemiological risk.
Such dishes consist of many ingredients—meat, vegetables, herbs, and sauces. This significantly increases the risk of infection if sanitary standards are not observed.
Sauces and fresh herbs, which are often uncooked, are particularly dangerous.
Medical professionals emphasize that owners and employees of food service establishments are required to strictly adhere to sanitary regulations:
- proper food storage technology;
- sufficient heat treatment of meat and semi-finished products;
- prevention of cross-contamination, when bacteria are transmitted through dirty hands, clothing, knives, and cutting boards.
The area for washing and cutting food must be clearly separated from the area for heat treatment.
A mandatory requirement is the availability of clean running water for washing food, equipment, and staff hands. In addition, food must not be prepared in an open manner. The food preparation area must be separated by glass or transparent plastic, and ready-made meals must be handed over through a special window.
Customers and waiters must not have free access to the food preparation area. Equally important are the personal hygiene of employees and their basic knowledge of food preparation technology.
To prevent food poisoning, doctors recommend customers:
- to pay attention to the overall sanitary condition of the fast food outlet;
- to be wary of suspiciously low prices and excessively large portions;
- do not buy food in places where there is no water, cleanliness, and order.
In general, experts do not recommend regular consumption of fast food, as it does not contain the vitamins and minerals necessary for the body.
On the contrary, such dishes are often rich in carcinogens and trans fats, especially French fries and fried meat, which carries risks not only of poisoning but also of long-term damage to health.
