Every year, thousands of people all over the world get sick from food poisoning or other food illnesses that bring them down. Most times, they could lose their lives.
Find below a number of food safety tips that you should follow in order to stay healthy and to keep you and your family safe:
- Always go for a variety of foods so you will be able to get a better variety of nutrients.
- Buy fruits and vegetables in season when you can. You should also get the freshest farm produce from your local farmers’ market.
- Remember to read food labels carefully. That way, you can tell if the products you buy are high in sugar, salt, fat or calories, contrary to what is written on the labels.
- Make sure to wash and scrub fresh fruits and vegetables well under running water. Washing them thoroughly helps to remove dirt, germs and chemical traces from their surfaces.
- Throw away the outer leaves of leafy vegetables in order to lessen contamination.
- Form the habit of washing your hands in warm soapy water for at least 20 seconds. Do this before and after touching food.
- Wash your cooking utensils, dishes, forks, spoons, knives, and countertops with soapy water often.
- Avoid washing meat, poultry, fish, or eggs in the sink. If you are not careful about the way you wash these food items, you can unknowingly spread bacteria.
- Always clean the lids on canned foods thoroughly before opening them.
- Keep raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs far away from other foods to avoid contamination. Mind how you keep them in your fridge.
- Buy and use a special cutting board for raw foods only.
- Foods need to get hot and stay hot. Heat kills germs.
Cook to safe temperatures:
- Beef, Pork, Lamb 145 °F
- Fish 145 °F
- Ground Beef, Pork, Lamb 160 °F
- Turkey, Chicken, Duck 165 °F
- Put foods in the fridge or freezer within 2 hours after cooking or buying from the store. Do this within 1 hour if it is 90 degrees or hotter outside.