Food Safety involves the process of food preparation, storage, and how food is handled in order to prevent food spoilage, deterioration, and food poisoning which could lead to food-borne diseases.
This practice is a major part of our lives. We eat food daily so it is compulsory to ensure that your food is safe before consumption.
The major importance of food safety is to prevent food from becoming contaminated . In addition to this, food safety also helps to preserve the food, thereby extending the shelf-life of the food through various preservation methods before and after cooking.
PLEASE FOLLOW THESE SIMPLE INSTRUCTIONS TO PRACTICE FOOD SAFETY
- Always clean your kitchen/cooking surfaces, equipment and utensils before use
- Wash your hands before you start cooking( Hands play an important role in the transfer of microbes. Hand washing can reduce the number of microbes on them to a safe level)
- Do not cook when you have a communicable disease such as cough( this will prevent the transfer of such illness to those eating the food). Most food companies carry out the food handlers test, this was an experience I had during my work at Standard organization of Nigeria SON, it was part of the standard for all food companies in Nigeria.
- food must be appropriately e.g meat and meat products should be stored in the refrigerator. Store all raw and perishable foods in the refrigerator or freezer immediately. Freezers should register 0 °F or below and refrigerators 40 °F or below.
- Thoroughly cook raw food from animal sources, such as beef, pork, or poultry.
- Rinse fresh fruits and vegetables under running tap water or soak in a bowl of water using vinegar or salt to wash them.
- Separate raw meat, poultry, and seafood from other foods after buying and during storage in your refrigerator to avoid cross-contamination.
- Wash hands, knives, and cutting boards immediately after handling uncooked/raw foods.
BENEFITS OF FOOD SAFETY
- It allows you to enjoy the nutritional benefits of food to the fullest
- Food safety encourages practices that most likely help to preserve food’s peak quality
- This prevents illness such as food poisoning, and other food-born diseases.
- This will save cost(especially spending money on food-borne illness)
whether you cook professionally or at home, it is important to always apply the proper food safety instructions..
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