Prevent food borne illnesses

Food borne illnesses account for nearly 5,000 deaths and more than 300,000 hospitalizations every year. According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), steps to prevent food borne ailments starts from the time you buy your food. After that you can take the necessary precautions concerning, storing, cooking, serving and eating your food.

You can protect yourself from food borne illnesses when you shop by:

Checking that the shop, supermarket, or grocer you are buying from maintains a high level of hygiene. The shop and its produce should look clean and fresh.

If you are buying cans and tins of food, make sure that that these are not dented or swollen.

Dented or bulging cans may mean that the product could be contaminated, as the vacuum keeping it sterile has been lost. Food items with open seals or tampered seals should also be avoided.

When buying frozen foods, avoid any packaging that is damaged or crushed. Packages that are frosted over or full of ice could mean that there have been in storage for a long time or even refrozen. Choose another packet if this is the case.

Select frozen produce last when shopping. Along with perishables such as fresh fish, poultry, meats and eggs, frozen products should be added last to your card. Pack them in separate carrier bags as well so that they do not defrost and drip over other items. Raw food items should also be packed individually so that their juices do not contaminate other foods. Buy eggs with care. Check the cartons to see that no eggs are cracked and only buy eggs that are refrigerated.

When transporting your shopping home try and refrigerate all perishables as soon as possible. The longer you keep such food at room temperature (in a car boot or outside), the higher the chances of harmful bacteria developing and causing illness.

Experts suggest that perishables should not be left for more than 2 hours at room temperature and not more than one hour if they are kept in a place that is hotter like a car that is parked in the sun.

In case your journey home takes more than an hour, store your shopping in a portable freezer or ice chest to keep frozen and perishable foods cold. Also, when the weather is warm and you are using your car’s air conditioner, keep your groceries in the passenger compartment, not the trunk.

When it comes to storing and cooking your food, you must:

Cook foods to the proper temperatures before eating them. Poultry needs to be cooked at 165°F and beef and pork to 155°F for at least 15 seconds. Use a cooking thermometer if you are not sure of how long to cook food for. Different foods have to be heated to different temperatures and for long enough to kill any harmful illness-causing bacteria present in them.

When preparing the food, use different knives and cutting boards for different raw meats and vegetables. This prevents cross contamination where bacteria can spread from one item to another. Wash hands thoroughly in warm soapy water after handling any raw meats, seafood, and eggs. Wash your hands well before preparing your food as well. Only use utensils and cooking implements that have been sanitized and washed with hot water. Clean your kitchen surfaces and towels with diluted bleach and hot water as well.

Store cooked food as soon as possible in your refrigerator. Divide food into smaller containers and store for faster cooling.

Even when marinating food, do not leave it outside at room temperature but in the fridge instead. When placing food in the refrigerator, make sure there is enough space for the cold air to circulate. Do not overstock your refrigerator.

Wash all fruits and vegetables well before using them. If they have not been marked ‘pre-washed’ scrub them with a clean brush to get rid of any dirt or remnants of fertilizers or pesticides that can cause adverse reactions when consumed.

Reheat all leftovers to proper temperatures. Most of the times we tend to just warm up food and not heating it to high enough temperatures to kill any bacteria that may have developed. If you are reheating liquids such as soup, bring it to boil before consuming.
Food borne illnesses are also spread when the person handling the food is unwell. To prevent this from happening:

Do not handle food if you have not washed your hands thoroughly. Use sanitizers for the hands in between handling raw meats and other produce.

If you have a fever, cold, or diarrhea, do not handle or cook any food. Wash your hands after sneezing, coughing, or blowing your nose.

If you have any cuts or lesions that are infected on your hands and arms, avoid handling any food as well.

If you are eating out, ensure that the restaurant has been inspected and approved for hygiene and safety levels.

Bear in mind that food on display should be stored at the proper temperature and the serving must be handled carefully.