World Food Safety Day: There has been a heightened concern around food safety due to the onset of the Coronavirus epidemic. People are refraining from ordering food from restaurants, and venturing out solely for the purpose of eating. There is an increased preference for eating food that is home-cooked, and seemingly safer. Keeping the epidemic aside, unsafe food in general can cause over 200 diseases as per the WHO. According to the World Health Organisation, 1 in 10 people fall ill every year from eating contaminated food and 4,20,000 die each year as a result across the globe.
In a bid to debunk the myths associated with food safety and to ensure that the food we are eating is safe, the WHO has shared five keys to safer food. These come ahead of World Food Safety Day being celebrated on 7th June. These are easy guidelines that can be adhered to in these testing times. With these five practices by your side, the safety of your food can be rest assured and you do not have to worry about contracting infections or diseases through your food.
Here Are Five Keys To Safer Food By WHO:
1. Keep Clean
Before we enter the kitchen, it is vital to wash hands and ensure cleanliness and hygiene at all times while cooking.
2. Separate Raw & Cooked Food
It is a good idea to keep raw food in different containers vis-a-vis the cooked ones. This will prevent any risk of contamination for either of the two.
3. Cook thoroughly
Food must be cooked thoroughly and properly before being served, in order to kill any germs and enhance the nutrition too.
4. Keep food at safe temperatures
Different kinds of foods need to be stored differently, location and temperature-wise too. Make sure you follow these practices to ensure safety of food.
5. Use safe water and safe raw materials
The cooking processes should spic and span, as should the raw ingredients and materials. Use safe water and raw materials at all times. Take a look at the full video here:
Apart from the guidelines for food safety by WHO, a number of safety measures can be ensured in the process of producing food as well. The Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) tweeted about the food safety process, which begins right at the farm and ends with the consumption of the food. It is vital to maintain good standards of food safety at all stages of this process.
Here's working towards better food safety by ensuring our food and kitchen stays clean and healthy at all times!