Food Safety

Food Safety

Why Food safety?

There is always a chance of contamination, though we maintain cleanliness. This often takes place as a cause of incomplete cleaning or in appropriate cleaning resulting in minor to major health hazards. This article on FOOD Safety will probably guide on the measures to be taken for foods to avoid contamination.

In appropriate food safety often results in health issues and this is potentially dangerous especially for babies & Kids whose immune systems are not fully developed.

With increased levels of pollution across the globe, food safety has become a primary safety measure where one can put a check to contaminants to enter the human body. This can happen only when the awareness about food safety is spread.

The aspects of Food safety are as follows:

Cleaning

Clean: Washing Hands and Surfaces often

Contaminants in various forms like Bacteria, Virus, Fungi etc can be spread throughout the kitchen and get onto hands, cutting boards, utensils, counter tops, and food.

• Washing the hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds before and after handling food and after using the bathroom or changing diapers is essential.
• Washing the hands and feet after playing with pets or visiting petting zoos.
• Washing the cutting boards, dishes, utensils, and counter tops with hot soapy water after preparing each food item and before you go on to the next food is essential to avoid contamination.
• Consider using paper towels to clean up kitchen surfaces. If you use cloth towels wash them often in the hot water mixed with detergents.
• Rinse fresh fruits and vegetables under running tap water (preferably with luke warm water), including those with skins and rinds that are not eaten.
• Avoid keeping books, backpacks, or shopping bags on the kitchen table or counters where food is prepared or served.

Avoid Cross Contamination

Cross-contamination is the major culprit for bacteria or any living micro-organism to spread. When handling raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs, keep these foods and their juices away from ready-to-eat foods. Always start with a motto of clean scene ― wash hands with warm water and liquid soap. Wash cutting boards, dishes, countertops, and utensils with hot soapy water, followed by proper cleaning with water to ensure that the detergent is completely removed from the surfaces.

• Separate raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs from other foods in your grocery shopping cart, grocery bags, and in your refrigerator.
• Use one cutting board for fresh produce and a separate one for raw meat, poultry, and seafood.
• Never place cooked food on a plate that previously held raw meat, poultry, seafood, or eggs.

Cooking to Proper Temperatures

• Food is safety is ensured when cooked to a temperature which is high enough to internal temperature to kill the harmful bacteria that cause food borne illness. Use a food thermometer to measure the internal temperature of cooked foods.
• Use a food thermometer, which measures the internal temperature of cooked meat, poultry, and egg dishes, to make sure that the food is cooked to a safe internal temperature.
• Cook beef roasts and steaks to a safe minimum internal temperature of 145°F. Cook pork to a minimum of 145°F. All poultry should reach a minimum safe internal temperature of 165°F throughout the bird, as measured with a food thermometer.
• Cook all ground meat to 160°F, eating undercooked ground beef with a higher risk of illness.
• Cook fish to 145°F or until the flesh is opaque and separates easily with a fork or knife.
• Cook eggs until the yolk and white are firm.
•  Make sure there are no cold spots in food when cooking in a microwave oven, because these cold spots are mostly favored by where bacteria. For best results, cover the food, stir and rotate for even cooking.
•  Always ensure that the sauces, soups and liquid curries to attain boiling when reheating.
•  The utensils for microwave should be of microwave safety.