‘Tan’ Yogurt Drink But Without Kebab: What to Eat and Drink When it’s Hot Outside

Taking into consideration the summer heat, when the risk of infectious diseases is high, the population has to be attentive to quickly perishable food, head of the legal matters division at the RA Ministry of Healthcare’s State Hygiene and Anti-Epidemic Inspectorate Nune Bakunts told Epress.am today.

Bakunts mentioned that dairy and meat products perish quickly in hot weather. She advised to particularly be wary of food prepared outdoors — kebab, barbecued meat and so on.

“If food is prepared in a closed area where all the [right] conditions exist, that’s a different issue, but if it’s prepared outside in a small kiosk, where there’s no water and the food isn’t subject to the appropriate heat preparation — you should avoid such food as much as possible. That’s risky food. The same refers to [soft serve] ice cream and juices poured [out of a machine]. And I advise to consume only closed container and factory-produced juices and ice cream,” she said, adding that soft serve ice cream and juices sold outdoors can contain intestinal bacteria, staphylococcal and dysentery diseases.

According to the expert, in warm weather conditions, people should be careful even with food prepared at home. When heating food that’s been place in the fridge for a second time, it’s necessary to cook it for some time. Also, cooked food shouldn’t be kept in the same area as raw food.

“During hot weather, you have to also be careful not to consume indigestible food and eat little by little. Indigestible food at least should be consumed during the cooler hours [of the days],” said Bakunts.

The healthcare ministry representative also mentioned that more than 2–3 liters of liquid can be consumed daily in warm weather — however, these shouldn’t contain caffeine and sugar.

Naturally, Bakunts advises the public to drink regular water, as well as mineral water, natural juices and of course, the popular salty yogurt drink known as “tan” in Armenia, which, according to Bakunts, is a very hygienic drink — especially when it’s particularly hot outside.

“During hot weather, salt and protein leave the body through sweat and the body feels their loss. Tan supplements the loss of these materials in the body,” she added.