Food hygiene and safety at home? Millions of people get sick each year from food borne illnesses that can make you feel like you have the flu. They can also cause serious health problems and most commonly affect the immune-compromised. Good personal hygiene can help prevent food poisoning. The bacteria that cause food poisoning can be on everyone, even healthy people. You can spread bacteria if you touch your nose, mouth, hair or your clothes, and then on food.
Follow these four steps to help keep you and your family safe.
CLEAN
Wash hands in warm soapy water for at least 20 seconds. Do this before and after touching food. Wash your hands with soap and warm water, and don’t forget to put them on the backs of your hands, wrists, between your fingers, and under your fingernails.
Dry your hands thoroughly immediately after washing them. Always dry your hands with clean towels, disposable paper towels, or under an air dryer. The important thing is to make sure that your hands are completely dry. Never use tea towels or your clothes to dry your hands.
Wash hands after: After going to the toilet; handling raw food; blowing your nose; garbage handling; touching your ears, nose, mouth, or other parts of the body; smoking; handling animals.
Wash your kitchen appliances and countertops with hot soapy water. Do this after you’re done with each food item.
Wash fruits and vegetables.
SEPERATE
Keep raw foods separated from cooked. Germs can spread easily from one to another.
COOK
Foods need to be warm and stay warm, heat itself kills germs. Different food require different cooking temperatures to destroy harmful bacteria.
PERSONAL TIPS for Food Hygiene
- Wash and dry your hands thoroughly before handling food, and wash and dry them frequently.
- Dry your hands with a clean towel, disposable paper towels, or under an air dryer.
- Never cough or sneeze on food, or where food is being prepared or stored.
- Wear clean protective clothing such as an apron.
- Keep your personal belongings (including mobile phones) away from where food is stored and prepared.
- Tie back or cover long hair.
- Keep fingernails short so they are easy to clean.
