What Is The Way To Choose Clean And Safe Food?

Ensuring that the food you consume is clean and safe is vital for preventing foodborne illnesses and maintaining overall health. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), here are essential guidelines for choosing clean and safe food:

Ensure Food Hygiene:

Cleanliness: Always wash your hands, utensils, and surfaces thoroughly before handling food. This helps prevent cross-contamination.

Rinse Produce: Wash fruits and vegetables under running water to remove dirt, pesticides, and bacteria. Scrub items with thicker skins, like potatoes, to ensure cleanliness.

Separate Raw and Cooked Foods:

Avoid Cross-Contamination: Use separate cutting boards and utensils for raw meat, poultry, and seafood to prevent their juices from contaminating ready-to-eat foods.

Store Properly: Keep raw and cooked foods in separate containers and store them at appropriate temperatures to avoid cross-contamination.

Cook Foods Thoroughly:

Temperature Control: Cook foods to the recommended temperatures to kill harmful bacteria and parasites. For example, cook poultry to an internal temperature of 75°C (165°F).

Avoid Undercooking: Ensure that foods are cooked evenly and completely, particularly meats, seafood, and eggs.

Safely Store Food:

Refrigeration: Store perishable items in the refrigerator at or below 4°C (39°F). Keep the freezer at -18°C (0°F) or lower.

Check Expiry Dates: Adhere to "use by" and "best before" dates on food products to ensure they are safe to consume.

Be Cautious with Water and Ice:

Safe Drinking Water: Use clean, safe water for drinking and food preparation. If the safety of your water source is uncertain, use bottled or filtered water.

Safe Ice: Use ice made from safe drinking water. Avoid using ice from questionable sources.

Observe Food Packaging:

Inspect Packaging: Choose products with intact, undamaged packaging. Avoid buying items with torn or compromised packaging as this could indicate contamination.

Check Labels: Read labels for information on storage instructions and expiry dates. Ensure that the food has been stored properly.

Use Safe Food Handling Practices:

Thaw Food Safely: Thaw frozen food in the refrigerator, in cold water, or in the microwave, rather than at room temperature, to reduce the risk of bacterial growth.

Avoid Risky Foods: Be cautious with foods known for higher risks of contamination, such as raw seafood, unpasteurized dairy products, and undercooked meats.

By following these WHO-recommended practices, you can significantly reduce the risk of foodborne illnesses and ensure that the food you consume is safe and hygienic.