Dangerous germs in contaminated food and water can enter your body and make you sick. These germs survive in many places around your kitchen, including your food, hands and utensils. Let’s see steps you can take to keep your food safe from germs.
Wash Your Hands Thoroughly
Health experts recommend that before you prepare food, wash your hands with soap and water. Rub your hands together for at least 20 seconds. Scrub the backs of your hands as well as between your fingers and under your fingernails. Rinse and dry your hands well
Wash Food and Cooking Utensils
Use soap and water to wash cutting boards, dishes, and anything else that will touch food. Additionally, avoid using the same board for food that will be cooked and food that will not be cooked.
Separate Raw and Cooked Foods
Germs from raw food such as meat and its juices will contaminate other food. Separate all raw foods—especially meats—from prepared foods when you carry them home from the market and store them. After cutting raw meat, thoroughly wash your hands, the knife, and the cutting board before cutting any other food
Make Sure Food That Needs to be Cooked is Cooked Thoroughly
Harmful germs are killed only if the food reaches a high enough temperature. To eat previously-cooked food, reheat it until it is hot and steaming.
Keep Food at Safe Temperatures
Cool food down within a short time after cooking or consuming it to 4 degrees Celsius. Avoid keeping food outside of the refrigerator for more than an hour. Cooked food should be cooled down by various means, such as by immersing in a container with cold water, within two hours of cooking it, to the temperature of the refrigerator. If raw meat is not stored at safe temperatures, some bacteria can produce toxins that are not destroyed by cooking. Health experts recommend we keep food hot or cold, not lukewarm, to slow or stop germs from multiplying.
