Adhering to the highest food hygiene standards is vital, as negligence in this area can lead to more than 200 different health problems, from gastrointestinal disorders such as diarrhea, to serious illnesses such as viral infections, and even the risk of tumors. Our measures focus on raising community awareness of the important role of food hygiene practices.
By creating an environment of awareness, we can better prevent, identify and neutralize the spread and impact of food-borne pathogens. To enable you to ensure the edibility and safety of your meals, we are pleased to share with you a compilation of five simple strategies for committing to food safety:
cleanliness
Always make sure food preparation surfaces and cooking utensils are kept clean. Choose to use a specialized food sanitizer or simple clean water to clean fruits and vegetables. Hands must be scrubbed with warm, soapy water for no longer than 20 seconds, especially when in contact with food.
Use hot water to sanitize cutting boards, plates, utensils and kitchen counters after handling each type of food. It is recommended to gently rinse produce, but not meat, poultry, fish or eggs, to avoid the spread of bacteria through water droplets in the sink. Always make sure to sterilize the top of canned food before opening it.
Proper handling, storage and transportation
Incorporate food safety measures during handling, storage and transportation stages. This is true both for receiving goods and sending products to consumers. You must also consider the importance of weighing your food correctly.
Some foods are much higher risk than others, such as high-risk foods like cooked rice or raw fish dishes. During these critical stages, several factors must be carefully managed to avoid food contamination. These factors include:
- Maintain appropriate temperature, humidity and cleanliness at the job site, inside vehicles and containers;
- Implement safety and risk prevention strategies in food packaging;
- Securing digital software used to organize, track and manage logistics activities.
The FDA publishes guidance on the sanitary transportation of food that serves all areas of the food industry. It provides a comprehensive overview of recommended practices for establishing controls to eliminate the risk of food safety issues during transportation.
Separate raw and cooked food
For food safety, store raw meats separately from “ready-to-eat” foods such as fruits, vegetables and pre-cooked meats. Make sure consumables that are ready to eat without further cooking are not stored with raw products as this will prevent any potential bacterial contamination that cooking would normally eliminate.
When raw food is cooked, harmful bacteria are destroyed. However, if these produce products come into contact with ready-to-eat foods, bacteria can remain and pose a health risk.
Defrost, freeze and refreeze
Securing frozen meat and fish is easy, but these items must be frozen before they expire for optimal food safety. Properly packing raw meat and fish into freezer-safe bags or wrappers will help prevent freezer burn and maintain their quality and eatability.
When cooking, make sure meat and fish are completely thawed. This can be done effectively by setting the amount of liquid released. Placing them on a plate prevents potential bacteria in the liquid from contacting and contaminating other items in the refrigerator.
It is recommended not to refreeze raw meat or fish that has been thawed. Once defrosted, these items should be cooked, reheated once, and eaten immediately. However, cooked meats can be frozen again, provided they are properly cooled before being returned to the refrigerator.
Manage your waste
Check your inventory regularly to make sure there is no expired food in the kitchen as it could be dangerous. Also, be sure to use lidded bins to separate waste from food to prevent flies and mitigate other food-related risks.
endnote
In essence, ensuring food security is not only critical to improving health and ensuring food supplies, but also plays an important role in supporting livelihoods, promoting economic growth, facilitating trade and improving countries’ global standing.
