Food poisoning can be a nuisance at best and fatal at worst. Here are some important things to keep in mind, when eating at home or out, that will reduce the chances of being poisoned.
Steps
Step 1. Understand what causes food poisoning
Food poisoning is caused by ingesting food or drink contaminated with: (1) chemicals such as insecticides or poisonous foods (such as fungi) or (2) gastrointestinal infections caused by bacteria, viruses or parasites. When it comes to food poisoning, many refer to those causes.
Step 2. Food contamination can be caused by a variety of events:
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Cultivation: The use of chemicals, fertilizers, fertilizers etc. it can contaminate food as it grows. Never assume that a product has been washed prior to sale.
Avoid Food Poisoning Step 2Bullet1 - Environmental factors: bacteria, parasites etc. they move happily with the wind, float in the water, are moved with the dust and are found in the dirt on the ground. They are part of the vital network of nature and represent a constant source of contamination if we do not work with the right amount of prevention and hygiene.
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Food processing: whether it takes place in a large establishment or in your kitchen, the preparation and processing of food can lead to its contamination. The areas used for this practice must be kept clean or could be contaminated by crossing, especially with meat (bacteria naturally present in the intestines of animals are a very relevant source of cross-contamination if not treated correctly).
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Storage: If food is not stored properly (for example a raw chicken next to grapes) it can lead to the transfer of bacteria and other contaminants from one food to another. This is a very sensitive area because people often do not consider certain foods as sources of cross-contamination.
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Food preparation: Much food contamination occurs during the preparation phase. A sick person can pass germs, from the flu to gastroenteritis. A cutting board used for meat, which is not washed, and is then used for vegetables is another possible source of contamination. Dirty hands, unclean corners, insects and rodents in the kitchen are all possible sources of food contamination.
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Step 3. Learn what to do to prevent food contamination
Handling, storing and preparing food are the most important actions on which to intervene to reduce the possibility of food contamination. If you eat out, check that the minimum conditions of food safety and hygiene are respected.
Method 1 of 3: Part 1: Preparation
Step 1. Shop Carefully
Check expiration dates, keep red and white meats in separate bags, and do not put raw meat in contact with other foods.
Step 2. Don't break the cold chain
Keep cold and frozen foods as cold as possible - wrap them in pieces of paper or use a cooler to carry them home. If possible, take frozen foods at the end of the shopping. Put away all products correctly and quickly.
Step 3. Always wash your hands before and after preparing food
Wash them with warm soapy water. Keep your hands and kitchen towels clean at all times.
Step 4. Keep the kitchen clean
Use a mild solution of soapy water to clean kitchen counters, cutting boards, and utensils.
Step 5. Use different cutting boards to cut the meat and vegetables
Keep these cutting boards separate and avoid possible cross-contamination of bacteria. If you can't do this, make sure you have properly disinfected the multi-purpose cutting boards (check the bleach recipe in the "Tips" section).
Step 6. Keep foods separate
Always keep raw red and white meat and eggs away from fruits and vegetables.
Step 7. Cook everything right, paying particular attention to red meat, white meat and eggs
This way you will destroy all dangerous germs. Read a cookbook and use a meat thermometer if you are unsure of how long it will cook.
Step 8. Keep hot food (65 ° C) warm and cold food (4 ° C) cold
You should set the fridge to a temperature of 4 ° C or less.
Step 9. Reheat leftovers thoroughly before serving
If they are heated little, they could contain pathogens. Also, if the leftovers have gone bad, no cooking will make them safe. Any signs of discoloration, stickiness, mold etc. they are signs to be understood and with which to react. Don't keep leftovers too long before consuming them. Do not reheat them more than once and do not refreeze them without changing their status (e.g. you can freeze raw food, defrost it, cook it and refreeze it from cooked, and then re-freeze it and reheat it. If the reheated food is leftover, throw it away. if there is a high chance of getting sick!)
Method 2 of 3: Part 2: Food Storage
Step 1. Store foods according to their nature
The type of preservation depends on the type of food. Dry foods such as pasta, rice, lentils, beans, canned foods and cereals should be kept in a cool, dry place (such as a kitchen cabinet). Other foods can be more problematic and require a higher level of attention:
- Put frozen foods in the freezer within two hours of purchase (the sooner you do, the better).
- Red and white meat, eggs, fish, prepared meals, dairy products and leftovers should always be frozen.
- Many foods should be kept frozen or in a cool, dark place such as a cellar after being opened. Read the storage information and related instructions. If you have doubts, always try to make a mistake "towards the cold".
- All foods, however stored, should be consumed before the expiration date. Dried spices and herbs also lose their properties and taste if they are kept too long without being used and many products can become dangerous if consumed beyond their expiration date.
Step 2. Protect your food from insects and animals
This is also important during preparation and service.
Step 3. Be very careful during hot spells
Bacterial contamination occurs faster in heat. If you eat outside, make sure everyone eats quickly and that any leftovers are brought back within an hour to be put back in the cool.
Method 3 of 3: Part 3: Eating
Step 1. Always wash your hands before eating
Step 2. Avoid unpasteurized milk and fruit juices
Pasteurized foods have undergone a process that kills germs. If milk and fruit juices have gone through this process, it should be labeled.
Step 3. Try to eat immediately after cooking
This way, any harmful germs will have less time to develop.
Step 4. Rinse and scrub raw foods
Those that are not cooked before eating, such as fresh fruit and vegetables, should be rinsed and mashed carefully.
Step 5. Be especially careful with fish and raw meat
Sushi, tartar meat etc. they are delicious dishes when prepared correctly. In any case, we must always try to put the maximum level of hygiene into it. Only consume these foods in places with a good reputation! Avoid sushi, seafood, or anything else if they've been on a buffet table for no telling how long. If you make them at home, use the freshest and best quality ingredients, follow the hygiene rules here and consume them immediately afterwards. Note that fresh does not mean "straight from the animal" as well frozen fish is much safer than freshly caught fish. It is very difficult to prepare raw meat dishes well and safely, so if you have any doubts, avoid preparing and / or consuming them. Never and never keep raw meat as leftovers.
Step 6. If in doubt, don't eat it
Trust your senses! If it looks weird, smells bad, or doesn't convince you, don't consume it.
Step 7. Don't eat raw shellfish
This type of food is very risky, although seafood and fresh oysters are considered a delicacy in many countries. There are many risk factors related to shellfish that make them much more dangerous than raw fish. Red algae and other naturally occurring microbes can contaminate shellfish, creating toxins in their meat. The risk of hepatitis is very high: alcoholics and people with liver damage are at higher risk. If you eat raw shellfish, be sure to buy them live: this means that the mussels, oysters and clams must have the shells closed or must be closed if touched. If the shell is open they are to be thrown away.
Step 8. Pay close attention to other signs when eating out:
- Check the premises - compliance with hygiene rules should be clear.
- Be careful with buffet food. Check that hot food is kept warm and not lukewarm. Rice can be the carrier of food contamination if it has been out in the open for too long. Salads that are no longer fresh can also cause problems.
- Be careful when using certain salad sauces such as mayonnaise, Dutch, Bernese or others that contain raw eggs.
- Trust your senses as stated above. Most importantly, after following these steps, if the food doesn't taste good or makes you nauseous, stop eating it and spit out the rest (politely).
Advice
- It can help if you put a label on the boards "Per Carne", "Per Verdura" etc. It will be very useful for anyone who wants to help you in the kitchen.
- Know the possible symptoms related to food poisoning:
- Stomach cramps or pains
- Nausea
- He retched
- Diarrhea
- Increased body temperature, fever
- Headache, sore throat
- Symptoms generally associated with the flu
- Sudden fatigue, low energy and / or a desire to sleep
- If you consume non-pasteurized products, make sure they come from a safe place, that they have been stored correctly and consume them quickly. For example, if you drink your cow's milk, maintain very high hygiene levels during milking, through the feeding period and the settling period of your animal.
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Bleach recipe for cutting boards:
Mix 5ml of bleach with 1 liter of water. Wash the cutting boards in warm soapy water and then disinfect them with this solution.
- Many restaurants have to adhere to a minimum temperature for cooking meat and poultry. For example in the USA, beef, pork, veal or lamb must have a minimum temperature of 63 ° C; fish meat 74 ° C and eggs 63 ° C; turkey and chicken 74 ° C. In the UK, on the other hand, hot food is cooked to a temperature of at least 72 ° C.
Warnings
- The fact that it is "organic" or "naturally grown" does not mean that it does not need to be washed before consumption! These are just cultivation methods or marketing messages, so you have to keep washing and scrubbing the products as you usually do.
- While the clean salad is an excellent source of vitamins and fiber, the buffet salad is also a major vector of food poisoning. Packaged, well-washed salad is a safer alternative
- You can get seriously ill as a result of a food infection. Seek immediate medical attention if you think you have been poisoned.
- During picnics try to avoid salads with mayonnaise that have not been frozen.
- Contrary to popular belief, wooden cutting boards are no more dangerous than plastic ones. Although the former may hold bacteria inside cracks and cuts, research has shown that bacteria tend to die faster on a woody surface than on a plastic one. Whatever type of cutting board you use, remember to keep it clean.
