5 keys to safer food

Friends, have you ever sick? I mean, sick caused by eating something. You have to read this information in order to find the right way consuming your meals. People always love to eat, I mean we always need foods. That’s why people also love to create many kind of foods  today. We can find a lot of menu being served in many restaurant, cafe, etc, even in our home. But how pity we are. They’re also another kind of creature, eating our foods everyday. They always try to eat our food before us. We call it microorganisms.

Finding that it becomes important to guide many people to be safer in consuming their foods, WHO creates a simple way to guide people consume their food safely. WHO named it as 5 keys to safer food. So, what is it?

1.  Keep clean
2. Separate raw and cooked
3. Cook thoroughly
4. Keep food at safe temperatures
5. Use safe water and raw materials

The five keys guide people to serve food using safer ways in order to prepare food, so the food can be consumed safely. 

  

      1. Keep clean

• Wash your hands before handling food and often during food preparation
• Wash your hands after going to the toilet
• Wash and sanitize all surfaces and equipment used for food preparation
• Protect kitchen areas and food from insects, pets, and other animals

Why we have to keep our food, utensils, processing areas, and even ourselves clean? While mot microorganisms do not cause disease, dangerous microorganisms are widely found in soil, water, animals, and people. These microorganisms are carried on hands, wiping clothes and utensils, especially cutting boards, and the slightest contact can transfer them to food and cause foodborne disease. Foodborne disease is kind of diseases that are caused by contaminated foods. Foods that are contaminated by microorganisms can cause disease. The disease can be caused by the microorganism itself, or by toxin or something that are excreted by the microorganism. 

  

2. Separate raw and  cooked

• Separate raw meat, poultry, and seafood from other foods
• Use separate equipment and utensils such as knives and cutting boards for handling raw foods
• Store food in containers to avoid contact between raw and prepared foods

Why we have to separate the raw materials and the food we already cooked? Raw food, especially meat, poultry, and seafood, and their juices, can contain dangerous microorganisms which may be transferred onto other foods during food preparation and storage. Do not forget that sausage, beef cornets, nugget, etc are meat products too. So the handling must be the same. Meat and meat products are the example of perishable food. It means that meat and meat products are easier to spoilage. These kind of foods are rich of nutrition and waters that make microorganisms can grow and ‘eat’ meat easily. So, it can be found widely in raw meat many species of microorganisms.

3          3. Cook thoroughly

•  Cook food thoroughly, especially meat, poultry, eggs, and seafood
• Bring food like soups and stews to boiling to make sure that they have reached 70°C. For meat and poultry, make sure that juices are clear, not pink. Ideally, use a thermometer
• Reheat cooked food thoroughly

Why we have to cook our food thoroughly? Proper cooking kills almost all dangerous microorganisms. Studies have shown that cooking food to a temperature 70°C can help ensure it is safe for consumption. Foods that require special attention include minced meats, rolled roasts, large joints of meat, and whole poultry. Cooking is not only for killing the microorganism, but also it is needed to make the change of flavor related to our appetite. We have to make a deal with the fire right now. :D. So, we can eat the delicious food without any black burnt and microorganisms.

4          4.  Keep food at safe temperatures

• Do not leave cooked food at room temperature for more than 2 hours
• Refrigerate promptly all cooked and perishable food (preferably below 5°C)
• Keep cooked food piping hot (more than 60°C) prior to serving
• Do not store food too long even in the refrigerator
• Do not thaw frozen food at room temperature

Why we have to keep our food at safe temperature? Microorganisms can multiply very quickly if food is stored at room temperature. By holding at temperatures below 5°C or above 60°C, the growth of microorganisms is slowed down or stopped. Some dangerous microorganisms still grow below 5°C. The range of 5-60 °C is called the danger zone. It is unsafe if we keep our food at the range of the danger zone. At these temperatures, microorganisms can grow easily.

            5. Use safe water and raw materials

• Use safe water or treat it to make it safe
• Select fresh and wholesome foods
• Choose foods processed for safety, such as pasteurized milk
• Wash fruits and vegetables, especially if eaten raw
• Do not use food beyond its expiry date

Why we have to use safe water and raw materials? Raw materials, including water and ice, may be contaminated with dangerous microorganisms and chemicals. Toxic chemicals may be formed in damaged and moldy foods. Care in selection of raw materials and simple measures such as washing and peeling may reduce the risk. That’s why it is important to use cooked water or drink water-like water to wash fruits and vegetables that are eaten raw. Because all foods come from raw materials and water is widely used in food-makings, it must be considered as an important  step to prepare safer food.

These knowledge can be shared to everyone. Remember that knowledge makes preventions. And for health purposes, preventions is always better than medications. 

Good luck! 

-Widyanto-