Food Safety Tips

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World Health Organization (WHO) is an International agency concerned with public health. Every year, WHO selects a priority area of global public health concern as the theme for World Health Day, which falls on 7^th April.  The theme for World Health Day 2015 is Food Safety, a theme of high relevance for all of us.

Food safety is an area of public health action to protect us from the risks of food poisoning and food borne diseases as unsafe food can lead to many health problems like diarrhoeal diseases, viral diseases, developmental problems, reproductive problems and not to forget cancers.

So let’s ensure that the food on our plates is safe to eat. #safefood

Buy quality food

• Always make sure the food you buy is fresh and from clean premises.
• Don’t forget to check expiry dates of raw material and processed food.
• Do not buy products in damaged, puffed or leaking cans and tetra packs.

Keep Clean

• Wash your cutting boards, utensils, gas stove and kitchen station with hot water before and after cooking. Try using separate cutting boards or knives for your vegetables and meat products.
• Clean the refrigerator regularly.
• Before you open canned food make sure you clean the lids.
• Wash kitchen cloth towels daily with soap and hot water and dry them under sun.
• Clean kitchen sink drains thoroughly, as they could harbour harmful bacteria.
• Keep kitchen free of pests and pets.

Correct storage of food

• Try not to leave cooked food at room temperature for more than two hours.
• Use covered containers while storing food in the refrigerator or freezer.
• Make sure your refrigerator is not over-stuffed as it will affect airflow inside the refrigerator which is important for effective cooling inside and keeping food safe.
• Refrigerator temperature should be kept at or below 5 °C.
• Refrigerate vegetables, eggs, meat, poultry and other perishable food items within 2 hours of cooking or purchasing and in summers, even sooner.
• Keep raw and cooked food separate.

Defrosting right way

• Never thaw food at room temperature. Defrost inside the refrigerator, cold water or use microwave for same.
• Cook food immediately after thawing and do not refrigerate after thawing.
• Try keeping meat and seafood in the refrigerator while marinating.

Cook food thoroughly

• Always use safe water and fresh raw materials to cook food.
• Always cook food thoroughly so that you kill germs that cause food poisoning.
• If the quality of drinking water is not good, rolling boil water for at least 5 minutes.

When food is cooked

• Serve food while it is hot.
• Refrigerate leftover cooked food within two hours.
• Reheat thoroughly above 75 °C, once food comes out of refrigerator.

Maintain personal hygiene

• Always wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds before and after handling food. Dry with a paper towel or clean cloth.
• Try wearing disposable gloves to protect you from disease transmission, if you have a cut or sore on fingers.