How can you avoid a food poisoning at home?
Today we will talk about food security. The risk of poisoning in Spain is nearly inexistent. In spite of this, we understand that you can be worried. According to experts from the Spanish Food Health Agency, only a 1.4% of food products inspected in Spain are 'infected' and then, those foods are immediately removed.
In the European Union the protocols that companies have to comply with, the internal and external controls to the company and standards established by the EU that the food have to overcome are the strictest in the world. In addition, compliance with them is monitored by regular inspections of the Administration at all stages of food production (it is true that the company can commission 'private inspections' and hide its results, but, we insist: the law establishes Administration inspections to all food production equipment). Even so, zero risk does not exist. Tips for reducing the danger at home:
1. Always wash your hands before and during food handling: personal hygiene is the first.
2. Always clean carefully all the utensils that you will use for cooking: personal hygiene is a necessary condition but it is not enough to ensure the cleanliness of: cutting tables, knives, forks, containers, plates, etc.
3. Avoid 'cross-contamination': this means, if you have previously used utensils that you had cleaned in the beginning and, then, you have to cut raw food clean it twice.
4. Pay attention to the food external aspect : sometimes to discard food is enough to take care in the headquarters bad aspect, bad smell or bad taste. Our senses (including the common one) have to be the first barrier.
5. Use the thermometer to cook: to kill bacteria we have to keep the food at less than five degrees centigrade and cook it at more than one hundred (equivalent to 30 minutes of cooking) explains the article we have "linked". The most dangerous thing is to leave food at room temperature (between 5 and 60 degrees).
6. Pay attention to eggs, seafood, poultry, milk, mayonnaise, sauces of all kinds and fruit: as we have said before, an uncooked food is more susceptible to contamination. In the case of eggs and birds, these may contain salmonellosis.
7. One use sauces: the sauces are easy to degrade we must know the origin, expiration, care storage and use them little.
8. Always wash vegetables and peel the fruit: do it with cold water and remove the skin that is a refuge for bacteria.
9. Make sure that the food has been pasteurised: we are referring to dairy products and fruit juices.
10. Honey must have been heat-treated and can never be given to children under the age of one.
11. Be especially careful with foods that you don't eat immediately: cover them well to protect them from insects and remember to refrigerate them at less than 5 degrees.
12. Never buy excessively: you can lose control over the state of conservation of some of the foods. In addition, is necessary to combat the waste of food.
Do you know how to distribute the food in the refrigerator?. As general rules the article establishes the following:
1. Put in first place the products that expire before.
2. Dairy: on the top shelf
3. Meat and fish: at the top and coldest part of the fridge
4. Potatoes, rice and legumes: in aerated containers without light
5. Butter and some preserves: use glass jars
6. Empty and clean the fridge once a week: ensure disinfection and you will be more and more tidy.
Bon appétit!