A critical part of eating healthy is keep food in good condition. It is possible to reduce contaminants at home and keep the food that is going to be eaten safe through proper food handling.
Cleaning, separating, cooking and refrigerating are the four key areas to avoid foodborne illnesses at home, according to the United States Department of Agriculture’s Center for the Promotion of Nutrition website.
we collect ten tips that specialists of this American center for the promotion of public health offer for the correct handling of food in these four spheres:
1. Wash your hands with soap and water
Wet hands with clean running water and apply soap. Use warm water whenever possible. Rub your hands together to make a lather and clean all areas of your hands for 20 seconds. Rinse your hands well and dry them using a clean paper towel. If possible, use a paper napkin to turn off the faucet.
2. Sanitize surfaces
Surfaces should be cleaned with hot soapy water. A solution of one tablespoon of unscented bleach per 1 gallon of water can be used to sanitize surfaces.
3. Clean out the food fridge once a week
At least once a week, refrigerated foods that are not going to be eaten should be thrown away. Cooked food scraps should be thrown away after 4 days, raw chicken and minced meats after a day or two.
4. Keep appliances clean
Clean the inside and outside of appliances. Special attention must be paid to buttons and handles where cross-contamination of hands can occur.
5. Clean food
Clean fresh vegetables and fruits under running water before eating, cutting, or cooking. Even if you plan to peel or cut them before eating, it is important to rinse them thoroughly first to prevent microbes from moving from the outside to the inside of the product.
6. Separate food when shopping
Sea products, beef, pork or poultry must be placed in plastic bags. Better to store them in the refrigerator under the foods that are going to be consumed before.
7. Separate food when preparing and serving it
Always use a clean cutting board for fresh produce and a different one for raw fish and meat. Never put cooked food back on the same plate or cutting board that previously contained raw food.
8. Use a food thermometer when cooking.
A food thermometer should be used to ensure that food is cooked safely and that cooked food is held at a safe temperature until eaten.
9. Cook food to safe internal temperatures
An effective way to prevent foodborne illness is to check the internal temperature of seafood, meat or poultry, and egg dishes. Cook all raw beef, veal, pork and lamb in fillets or slices to a minimum internal temperature of 62.7 degrees Celsius.
For safety and quality, let meat rest for at least three minutes before cutting or eating it. Cooks all ground beef, pork, lamb and veal to an internal temperature of 71.1 degrees Celsius. Poultry, including ground chicken and turkey, should reach an internal temperature of 150 degrees Fahrenheit when cooked.
10. Keep food at a safe temperature
Keep cold food at 4.4 degrees Celsius or below. Hot foods should be kept at a temperature of 60 degrees Celsius or above. Food is no longer considered safe to eat when it has been kept in the danger zone (between 4.4 and 60 degrees Celsius) for more than 2 hours (1 hour if the temperature is above 32.2 degrees Celsius).