As we all know, eating food that has not been safely prepared can cause diarrhoea, vomiting, stomach pain and other more serious symptoms of food borne illnesses. Raw foods, especially meats, like chicken, may contain organisms that could make us ill and these organisms are destroyed when the food is cooked. Unsafe food handling can make us sick and without realising it, we may contaminate our food by using methods that are not safe.

We all know the basics of safe handling, but I thought we could all do with a simple refresher to help us guard against illness.

Tips for Buying, Storing, Handling and Preparing Food

Avoid mixing raw and cooked products to prevent cross-contamination. Use a separate chopping-board and utensils for preparation of raw foods that will be cooked and another one for fresh food like salad, fruit or bread that will be eaten as is. Otherwise, clean and disinfect the chopping-board and utensils thoroughly before they are used for different foods. Plastic, glass or marble chopping-boards are more hygienic than wood.

Cover meat, poultry or fish with a clean cover and keep separate from other foods to avoid contamination.

Defrost frozen meat overnight in a refrigerator and cook it as soon as it has thawed. Frozen fish and vegetables do not have to be thawed before cooking.

Thawed products should not be frozen again.

Cooked rice, potatoes, pasta and beans should be cooled rapidly and stored in the refrigerator.

Once food has been cooked it should be eaten as soon as possible. It is not safe to store foods that have cooled down at room temperature.

Disinfect kitchen cloths, sponges and scourers with bleach regularly and allow to dry thoroughly.

Wash your hands after touching pets and other animals, after visits to the toilet, after changing a baby’s nappy and after sneezing or blowing your nose, especially if you are about to prepare food.