Practising food hygiene and safety plays a significant role in sustaining good quality of life and promoting excellent health. Foodborne illnesses caused by bacteria such as salmonella found in contaminated food items can lead to severe symptoms that might be life-threatening if you don’t receive immediate medical care. Read on to learn more about food hygiene and safety for better healthcare practices.

Maintain Hygiene

Proper cleaning and sanitising of your kitchen and equipment is important to maintaining good hygiene. Preparing healthy meals for your loved ones requires a degree of cleanliness to avoid stomach infections and food poisoning. This includes ensuring that the food is washed and handled correctly.

Research suggests that infectious organisms and toxins may be present in raw foods such as fruits and vegetables. Your kitchen should stay clean to prevent exposure to potentially harmful germs. Other practices you can consider:

• Wiping the counter regularly.
• Disinfecting your scrubbers and dishcloths.
• Cleaning the kitchen cabinets and refrigerator.

Prevent Cross-Contamination

Bacteria, chemicals, and food allergens can transfer from one food source to another. Cross-contamination may occur at different points, like when preparing your food. This is why it’s important to prevent any potential transfer of harmful substances when you handle food.

Foodborne diseases such as listeriosis can cause mild to severe complications. Side effects like diarrhoea, stomach cramps and nausea can appear within 24 hours after consuming contaminated food. However, these symptoms may worsen and risk your health if you don’t receive medical attention immediately.

Follow Food Temperature Guidelines

Did you know that meat could be exposed to harmful bacteria from the slaughter process when it’s packed and even when it reaches the fridges at the grocery store? Proper cooking and following food temperature guidelines can help destroy pathogens in your meat that can cause illness. Ensure you follow these recommendations when you are cooking meat:

• Make sure you store cold meat at a temperature below 8 degrees.
• When cooking, the temperature should be above 63 degrees.
• Regularly maintain your fridge temperature to ensure it cools food at the ideal internal temperature.
• Consume food within 2 hours of cooking.
• Ensure a consistent temperature to reheat food evenly.

Use Safe Water

Industrial waste and minerals such as lead and mercury might contaminate your cooking water. Moreover, chemicals are added to water during the treatment process, which can increase your exposure to chlorine, which is used to disinfect water reserves. Ensuring you use clean water when cooking is important to maintaining food safety.

Cooking with contaminated water can have health consequences and impact the quality and taste of food. Consider adding a countertop filter to improve the quality of your tap water. A filter in your home is an affordable way to ensure access to clean water, improve the quality of your food, and prioritise your and your loved ones’ health.

Store Food Carefully

High-risk foods like eggs, dairy products, seafood and raw meat increase the chances of bacteria growth, leading to food poisoning. Preventing foodborne illnesses depends on how you store your food in the refrigerator, freezer or cupboards. These are practical food storage tips you can consider:

• Refrigerate chilled and frozen foods when you get home from the grocery store.
• Read the storage instructions on food labels.
• Be on the lookout for expiry dates on food items.
• Wash your hands and cooking utensils before you handle food.
• Clean your fridge regularly to prevent the growth of bacteria that can spread to other food items.

Promoting safe habits when you handle food is important for preventing harmful bacteria that may cause life-threatening illnesses. Following simple tips such as cleaning your kitchen, washing your hands before touching food and correctly storing food items are some things you can do to reduce the potential risk of food poisoning. An Affinity Health plan is reliable health insurance that manages and treats common daily illnesses even if you have been exposed to contaminated food.