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Pick up newspapers from Goa, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, and New Delhi, you will see reports of crackdowns on many food joints. The food and health departments in many many states are currently running campaigns to identify eateries across cities that are functioning under unhygienic conditions, using chemical dyes, or exposing food to the sun and pollution. They are prioritising public health, but you cannot live healthily if you are not practising food safety practises at home.
Video Credit: The Stay At Home Chef/ YouTube
A few tips can help you avoid foodborne illnesses, keep contamination at bay, and ensure that your family members lead a healthy life. While the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) won’t come to check how you are cooking at home and what you are adding to your recipes, it is important for your overall well-being to step up your game. Below mentioned are a few food safety measures that will help you cook healthy food.
Separate Cooked And Raw Foods
Whether you are cooking raw eggs, meat, vegetables, or fruits, you must keep them aside in a bowl. They should not come in contact with any of the cooked food items. Cross-contamination can lead to health ailments. You should always store raw meat, fish, and poultry separately in the fridge so that no liquid from them leeches into your food and contaminates other dishes.
Refrigeration Is The Key
Whether it is poultry, seafood, dairy, vegetables, fruits, meat, or other perishable food products, you should refrigerate these two hours after purchasing or cooking. The temperature should be below 4°C because it slows down the growth of bacteria. You can thaw these food items in the refrigerator, cold water, or microwave. If you are using water for the process, you must keep changing it every 30 minutes.
Store Leftovers
Another crucial aspect of food safety is how you store leftovers. Whether it is meat or vegetables, you must store the food in shallow containers. This will ensure quick reheating on the gas stove or microwave. You should also consume leftovers within 3-4 days to avoid foodborne illnesses.
Also Read: Over 800 Food Outlets Inspected In Kerala
Cleanliness Is The Key
Experts recommend thoroughly washing hands with soap and water at least 20 seconds before handling foods. If you have recently used the bathroom, touched pets, or defrosted meat, you must always sanitise your hands. Once you have prepared raw meat, seafood, poultry, and eggs, you should clean all the utensils, cutting board, and knife before starting the process of cooking.
Wash Produce
One of the most crucial food safety practices you should follow is washing the produce. Whenever you buy vegetables and fruits, you must clean them by running them under cold water before cooking or eating. The process will remove pesticides. When you are handling meat, you should only take out and wash the amount as much as required for cooking.
Cook Food Thoroughly
Cooking food thoroughly is the key. Subjecting any food items to an optimum amount of heat helps you kill bacteria. You can also use a thermometer to ensure every item is cooked thoroughly. If you are planning to reheat leftovers, you must only take out the amount that you can consume in one sitting.
