FOOD SAFETY FACTS

very year, millions of people suffer from food related illnesses. These people do not usually know that it was food that caused their illness. Therefore, it is essential to know simple food safety rules. If you know them, you can stop foodborne illness.

1. ......... If you are not planning to eat food immediately after you cook it, you should keep it hot. However, bacteria can grow at temperatures between 10°C and 40 °C, so don’t keep it at these temperatures for more than two hours if you want to prevent illness.

2. ......... Cold foods, such as salad, dairy products and meat, need refrigeration. You should always keep them cold (below 10°C) because if they warm up, bacteria may grow quickly to deadly levels.

3. ......... Our hands carry bacteria on them. If we transfer those bacteria to the food, they will rapidly grow there. Similarly, some raw foods also contain some bacteria, so do not let the bacteria from raw foods stay on your hands when you handle (touch or hold) food. In other words, if we do not clean our hands properly, we may transfer bacteria.

4. ......... Never thaw frozen, raw meat or poultry on the counter at room temperature. The proper way is to thaw them in the fridge or in the microwave.

5. ......... Because we grow vegetables and fruits outside, they may come in contact with different kinds of bacteria. Most of these bacteria are not harmful, but do not forget to wash fresh fruits and vegetables well under running water before you consume them.

6. ......... Never leave eggs at room temperature, since they may contain bacteria called Salmonella. This type of bacteria begins to multiply and grow at room temperature. Also, you should always cook eggs well before eating them.

7. ......... Never taste food that has gone bad. If you think that a food is dangerous to eat, do not eat it. Reheating it will not destroy the toxins in it. Never eat canned food that has a leak in it. The consequences of spoiled food are not worth the money you have spent on it. Throw it away!