Essential Tips for Food Safety

Essential Tips for Food Safety

Food poisoning also sends more than 100,000 Americans to the hospital each year, according to the website, which is administered by the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Drug Administration and Foods from the US (FDA) and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). These agencies play key roles in ensuring food safety in the United States.

Americans are now concerned that the partial government shutdown could affect the safety of food products sold in supermarkets and elsewhere. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA), which monitors the nation’s producers of meat and poultry products, has reported that 90 percent of their employment remains at their jobs. The FDA announced last week that it will restart inspections of high-risk foodslike “안전놀이터

“Our Office of Human and Animal Operations has more than 200 food inspectors (not counting support staff and supervisors) out of a total of about 550 professionals when the agency is operating at capacity,” said the Commissioner of Foods on Twitter. The FDA, Scott Gottlieb, MD last weekend.

The commissioner stated that products classified as “high risk” include, but are not limited to: “acidified and low acid canned goods; seafood, pastry products filled with cream; dairy products including soft and semi-soft cheeses, soft-ripened cheeses, and cheese products; unpasteurized juices; ready-to-eat bean sprouts; fresh fruits and fresh vegetables and processed fruits and processed vegetables; species; shell eggs; sandwiches; prepared salads, baby formula and medical foods”.

Meanwhile, consumers can take certain steps at any time to help prevent food poisoning. And in warmer climates like South Florida, these steps are even more important, says Deepa Sharma, D.O., a family medicine doctor with Baptist Health Primary Care.

“Bacteria are everywhere,” says Dr. Sharma. “That is why it is recommended that if raw meat is used, that the same dish is not used for cooked meats.”

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Here are steps to food safety according to the USDA:

Wash your hands and surfaces often

Wash your hands with soap and warm water and wash them for at least 20 seconds, ”says Dr. Sharma. She adds that it is critical to wash food preparation surfaces, as well as all utensils, after each use.

Extreme hygiene of hands and utensils (knives, cutting boards, etc.) with which you are going to cook, especially after handling raw meat, poultry or eggs.

Separate raw meats from other foods

“Cross contamination can happen,” she says. “That is why raw meats should be kept separate. And that includes in the supermarket; keep them separate in grocery bags when you put them in the refrigerator.”

Preserve food with food-grade materials and containers. Thawing at room temperature has more risks because it allows bacteria to grow more quickly.

Cook to the correct temperature

“The color and texture (of the meat) are not sufficient indicators,” says Dr. Sharma. “Although it looks delicious, it may not be ready to eat.” Avoid cross contamination, separating raw food from cooked food.

Cooking heat destroys germs from 65º on, although the higher the temperature reached, the more effective the destruction, so it is recommended to cook food sufficiently.

Refrigerate food immediately

“If you’re outside and you’re grilling your food, the rule of thumb is that if the outside temperature is over 90 degrees, you have about an hour to put that food in the refrigerator,” she said. “If you are indoors and it is less than 90 degrees, you can leave the food outside for up to two hours before being refrigerated.”

Freezing at home must be done at temperatures below -18º, so for this, your team must have at least 3 stars. The temperature of the refrigeration is recommended to be between 4º and 0º for a conservation of between 1 and 3 days, 8º to keep a food around 24 hours. It is recommended not to store fresh products in the freezer for more than 3 months.

Choose establishments that guarantee the handling of food, both in its preparation and in its conservation.

 

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