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Don't Let Your Cooking Make Your Family Sick
Every year, millions of people are affected by cases of food borne illness which can be very distressing and, in some cases, fatal. Most of us know th
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Every year, millions of people are affected by cases of food borne illness which can be very distressing and, in some cases, fatal. Most of us know these illnesses as food poisoning. The problem is caused by food that is high in bacteria levels because of improper food handling procedures or improper cooking practices.
Generally, we as consumers trust that food handling techniques are correct. When we purchase food, we tend to take it for granted that we are buying food of good quality and that is safe for our consumption. However, E Coli is a potent virus which has been found in cases where meat has been undercooked. Proper cooking practices completely destroy this virus and render the meat safe for consumption.
It is up to us as consumers to take a proactive approach to the buying, storage and preparation of our meat and poultry products. Ultimately, it is the responsibility of the consumer and other food handlers such as delivery persons to keep the food safe after leaving the point of purchase.
It is believed that around 85 percent of food poisoning cases could be avoided if consumers employed effective food handling techniques. Most of these illnesses are caused by a combination of bacteria that are common within the environment and poor food handling techniques used by the consumer. In actual fact, the use of proper cooking practices could prevent these illnesses.
When you do your grocery shopping, take it straight home so that you can put the cold and frozen items straight into the refrigerator. Ensure that refrigerated food feels cold to the touch and frozen food should be rock solid before purchasing.
Avoid items that are near their use by date unless you are sure you will eat it prior to that date. If you purchase canned foods, make sure there are no bulging tops, cracks or dents in the cans as this can be a sign of a potentially harmful food poisoning threat.
Many pople overlook the importance of the refrigerator itself. It is crucial to keep track of the performance of your refrigerator and to keep it properly maintained. Buy yourself a couple of appliance thermometers and put one in your refrigerator and one in your freezer to keep an eye on any potential problems.
To keep bacteria at bay, the refrigerator should run at 40 degrees F; the freezer unit at 0 degrees F. In general, keep your refrigerator as cold as possible without freezing your milk or lettuce.
Another consideration is the cooking environment itself. Don't put frozen meat out on the bench to defrost. Take it from the freezer in advance and let it defrost in the refrigerator on the bottom shelf. This way it is not dripping onto other foods in the refrigerator and contaminating them.
Keep your food preparation area clean and always wash your hands in hot soapy water before handling any food. Remember also that bacteria can live and breed in your kitchen towels, dishcloths, and sponges. Wash these regularly and replace the sponges every couple of weeks.
Be certain to keep all raw meats, poultry and fish and their juices away from other food. Ensure that you wash your hands, your cutting board and knife in hot soapy water after cutting up meat or chicken and before preparing salads or other vegetables.
Plastic cutting boards are preferable to wooden ones because wood allows bacteria to hide in grooves. Keep different colored plastic boards for different types of food.
By following high food handling standards, you can keep your family safe from these food borne illnesses.
Generally, we as consumers trust that food handling techniques are correct. When we purchase food, we tend to take it for granted that we are buying food of good quality and that is safe for our consumption. However, E Coli is a potent virus which has been found in cases where meat has been undercooked. Proper cooking practices completely destroy this virus and render the meat safe for consumption.
It is up to us as consumers to take a proactive approach to the buying, storage and preparation of our meat and poultry products. Ultimately, it is the responsibility of the consumer and other food handlers such as delivery persons to keep the food safe after leaving the point of purchase.
It is believed that around 85 percent of food poisoning cases could be avoided if consumers employed effective food handling techniques. Most of these illnesses are caused by a combination of bacteria that are common within the environment and poor food handling techniques used by the consumer. In actual fact, the use of proper cooking practices could prevent these illnesses.
When you do your grocery shopping, take it straight home so that you can put the cold and frozen items straight into the refrigerator. Ensure that refrigerated food feels cold to the touch and frozen food should be rock solid before purchasing.
Avoid items that are near their use by date unless you are sure you will eat it prior to that date. If you purchase canned foods, make sure there are no bulging tops, cracks or dents in the cans as this can be a sign of a potentially harmful food poisoning threat.
Many pople overlook the importance of the refrigerator itself. It is crucial to keep track of the performance of your refrigerator and to keep it properly maintained. Buy yourself a couple of appliance thermometers and put one in your refrigerator and one in your freezer to keep an eye on any potential problems.
To keep bacteria at bay, the refrigerator should run at 40 degrees F; the freezer unit at 0 degrees F. In general, keep your refrigerator as cold as possible without freezing your milk or lettuce.
Another consideration is the cooking environment itself. Don't put frozen meat out on the bench to defrost. Take it from the freezer in advance and let it defrost in the refrigerator on the bottom shelf. This way it is not dripping onto other foods in the refrigerator and contaminating them.
Keep your food preparation area clean and always wash your hands in hot soapy water before handling any food. Remember also that bacteria can live and breed in your kitchen towels, dishcloths, and sponges. Wash these regularly and replace the sponges every couple of weeks.
Be certain to keep all raw meats, poultry and fish and their juices away from other food. Ensure that you wash your hands, your cutting board and knife in hot soapy water after cutting up meat or chicken and before preparing salads or other vegetables.
Plastic cutting boards are preferable to wooden ones because wood allows bacteria to hide in grooves. Keep different colored plastic boards for different types of food.
By following high food handling standards, you can keep your family safe from these food borne illnesses.
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