Take care of food, it will reciprocate !. Review on Useful Healthy Eating Habits

Friends, I know, you carefully select healthy foods to serve your family, such as fresh vegetables, fresh fruits, sweets, meats, poultry, fish. But are you also careful in how you store, prepare and serve these foods? Check it out.

Food-borne illness, also referred to as food poisoning, is a digestive infection caused by eating contaminated food. Most often, the food is poorly handled, improperly cooked or inadequately stored. Perishable foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables, salads, eggs, meats, poultry, fish and milk products are most susceptible to bacterial contamination. Food supplies are most often subject to inspection and are generally safe. But it's impossible to keep the entire food supply completely free of potentially dangerous bacteria.

How do you make sure that the food you eat is safe? You can ensure these eight steps to help prevent food-borne illness in your home.

1. Wash your hands, utensils and food surfaces often. You might be knowing that keeping your hands, utensils and food surfaces clean can prevent cross-contamination, the transfer of harmful bacteria from one surface to another. If harmful bacteria spread to your hands, knives, cutting boards and other foods, you and your loved ones stand a greater possibilities of ingesting those bacteria and becoming ill. Wash your hands thoroughly with warm/soapy water before and after handling or preparing food, especially raw meat, poultry, fish, muddy vegetables from farms, mushrooms and eggs. Then use hot/soapy water to wash the utensils, cutting board and other surfaces you used.

Here are other tips for preventing cross-contamination: Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly in running tap water, especially those that won't be cooked. Don't place washed produce back in its original container. Wash your hands after using the bathroom, changing diapers or playing/cleaning pets.Wash dishcloths and towels often. Use the hot cycle of your washing machine.

2. Keep raw foods separate from ready-to-eat foods.When shopping, preparing food or storing food, keep raw meat, poultry, fish, vegetables separately. This prevents cross-contamination from one food to another. Tightly wrap raw food packages in plastic bags so leaking juices won't drip onto other food. .

3. Cook foods to a safe temperature. Cook your food thoroughly since contaminated food often looks and smells normal. Reheat leftovers. Heat sauces, soups and gravies to a boil. Cook eggs until the yolks and whites are firm. Cover, stir and turn foods when cooking them in the microwave. This helps ensure that no cold spots remain in which bacteria could survive.

4. Refrigerate or freeze perishable foods promptly. Harmful bacteria can grow rapidly if foods aren't properly cooled. Refrigerate or freeze perishable foods within two hours of purchasing or preparing them. You can keep vegetables, fruits, poultry and fish in your refrigerator loosely wrapped and in its store package. Put leftovers into normal containers for quick cooling in the refrigerator or freezer. Use refrigerated leftovers preferably within a day.

5. Defrost food safely. Bacteria can grow rapidly on meat, poultry and fish at room temperature. So, to defrost food safely, use microwave if you have it or just put in hot water preferably with salt. Once defrosted, use within one or two days for cooking. If you use cold water, then put food in a sealed package or plastic bag and then keep in cold water, changing the water every 30 minutes. I use this method for milk bags and preserved green peas kept in refrigerator. Or place the sealed food package under cold, running water. Again, remember to cook food immediately after defrosting.

6. Use caution when serving food. Harmful bacteria can grow rapidly when prepared food is kept without proper heating or cooling, especially during buffets or outdoor parties. Here are tips for serving foods safely. Avoid letting food sit out on the table after meals. When serving large quantities of food, bring out small batches at a time. If cold food needs to sit out for longer than two hours, use a tray of ice under the food to keep it cold. Replace the ice as it melts. If hot food must sit out for longer than two hours, use warming trays, slow cookers to keep the food hot.

7. Throw it out when in doubt. If you aren't sure if a food has been prepared, served or stored safely, discard it. Food left at room temperature too long may contain bacteria that can't be destroyed by cooking. Don't taste food that you're unsure about, just throw it out. Even if it looks and smells fine, it may not be safe to eat e.g. Ice-creams, milk shakes are more sensitive food items even when kept in refrigerators, mostly due to electricity failures.

8. Know when to avoid certain foods altogether. Food-borne illnesses are especially serious and potentially life-threatening for young kids, pregnant women, older adults and people with a weakened immune system. These individuals are at greatest risk of developing severe food-borne illnesses and should take extra precautions.

So, friends, remember - Keep hot food hot. Keep cold food cold. And keep everything, especially your hands clean. If you follow these basic rules, you'll be less likely to be affected from troublesome bacteria. One more thing, if I have forgotten some tips, you welcome to put your ideas, experiences in comment section.

Happy eating!

© Mrs.Medha.