Four ways to keep your food safe
There is an old English saying: “Food cooked with passion and served with love tastes divine.” Trust me, it’s true even today! All foodies (like you and me) know very well that the soul of any good recipe lies in the right combination of spices and fresh natural ingredients. But sometimes we can overlook an even more important ingredient when cooking food, and that most of the time alters the soul of our recipe. Yes, I’m talking about food safety and hygiene. You have to be very careful when handling food and maintain the highest level of hygiene and food safety in our kitchen and home.
Food contamination can occur at any stage, be it during harvesting, processing, preparation, storage, or transportation. Foodborne illnesses are often common when low hygiene standards are applied. According to data published by the World Health Organization, each year foodborne illness causes nearly one in ten people to become ill. These diseases can be deadly, especially in children.
There are some basic rules that must be followed when handling food:
Clean: Wash hands and surfaces frequently.
Separate: Do not cross contaminate.
Cook: Cook to the proper temperature.
Chill: Refrigerate promptly.
Clean: Wash hands and surfaces frequently.
One should wash their hands thoroughly with soap before coming into contact with food. This eliminates the transfer of germs from your hands to the food. All vegetables and fruits should be washed in cold water before using. Kitchen counters and surfaces are key places that, if dirty, can contaminate food. These places must be thoroughly sanitized along with the equipment used to prepare food.
If you are sick or have a cold and flu, you should avoid cooking and handling food. When someone has the symptoms of diarrhea, vomiting, or jaundice, they should stay away from the workplace. And if they have a sore throat and fever, they should be restricted from preparing and serving food. Martin Bucknavage, extension food safety specialist, says, “Foodborne pathogens such as norovirus, hepatitis A, and Shigella are often transmitted by sick workers to restaurant customers through food.” These recommendations are not just for food service or retail food establishments, but also for people who cook for their families and those who work in child care or nursing homes. The use of hand sanitizers and tissue paper should be encouraged in all age groups.
Separate: Do not cross contaminate.
To avoid cross contamination, keep raw and cooked foods separate when storing and preparing. Food should be stored in covered containers in the refrigerator and raw meat and poultry should be placed in the bottom of the refrigerator so juices do not contaminate food on lower shelves. Do not put the cooked meat back on the plate where the raw meat was.
Cook: Cook to the proper temperature.
If you eat poultry, seafood, and meat, you should be careful when cooking them. They must be fully cooked to the proper temperatures before eating. To confirm, insert a skewer into the center of the meat and check for any pink meat. The juices should run clear. Those are the signs of well-done meat. In case raw meat is consumed, it can lead to food poisoning.
In recent years microwaves are being used in our kitchens to cook and reheat food. You can cover your food with good quality wrapping paper, which prevents the food from drying out when reheating. Make sure the reheated food is very hot and steam is escaping. This means that you have eliminated the risk of bacteria and other pathogens.
Chill: Refrigerate promptly.
If you are going to store your raw food in the refrigerator, wrap it with food wrapping paper that can absorb moisture and prevent juices from dripping, and keep it below 5 degrees Celsius. You can help keep your family safe from food poisoning at home. Low temperatures slow the growth of disease-causing bacteria. Therefore, it is important to cool food quickly and properly. Refrigerate perishable foods within two hours.
Healthy and hygienic eating habits can prevent many foodborne illnesses. These habits should be instilled in your daily lifestyle and should be taught to children as well. It’s the small steps that go a long way and make a big difference in your holistic well-being.
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