Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 4: Proper Food Preparation
• Part 2 of 4: Storing Food Properly
• Part 3 of 4: Eating Safely
• Part 4 of 4: Understanding Food Poisoning
• Tips
• Warnings

Food poisoning is at least unpleasant and, at worst, can be fatal. Start with the first step below to learn important information about reducing your chances of getting food poisoning, both in the restaurant and at home, along with information on how to prepare food safely.

Steps

Part 1 of 4: Proper Food Preparation

1. 1 Buy groceries carefully. Food safety starts at the grocery store, so choose your foods carefully:
   • Check the expiration date on all purchases and try to determine if the food has been stored at the correct temperature.
   • Pack meat and poultry products in separate bags, and do not let raw meat touch any other food items while you shop and carry them home.
2. 2 Maintain temperature control. Keep chilled and frozen foods at low temperatures for as long as possible, especially on the way home from the store:
   • Wrap the food in a newspaper or buy a small cooler bag that you can use to bring chilled and frozen food home.
   • If possible, leave such products for the final stage of your purchases.
   • When you return home, arrange all food quickly and correctly.
3. 3 Always wash your hands before and after preparing food. Wash your hands thoroughly with hot water and antibacterial soap before and after cooking, especially after handling raw meat.
   • Wash kitchen towels and napkins regularly to avoid bacteria build-up on fabrics.
   • Always wash your hands after contact with animals (especially reptiles, turtles and birds), after using the toilet and cleaning animals.
4. 4 Keep your kitchen clean. It is very important that kitchen work surfaces are clean, especially when preparing high-risk foods such as meat, poultry and eggs.
   • It is not necessary to use disinfectants for this, hot water and soap will be enough to clean work surfaces, cutting boards and utensils.
   • Also, make sure you rinse the sink after rinsing raw meat products - you don't want bacteria to spread to any clean surfaces.
5. 5 Use separate planks for cutting raw meat, poultry and vegetables. Store them separately to prevent bacteria from spreading to other foods.
   • If you are unable to keep your cutting boards separate, be sure to thoroughly sanitize the board after use. (see the recipe in "Tips").
   • Plastic cutting boards are preferred over wooden ones as they are easier to clean.
6. 6 Be careful with defrosting. Do not defrost food (especially meat and poultry) at room temperature in order to speed up the process.
   • Food should always be thawed in the refrigerator because defrosting at room temperature heats the surface of the food too quickly, which encourages bacterial growth.
   • Alternatively, you can use the microwave setting by turning it on for “defrost” or “50% power”. You can also defrost food safely under cold running water.
   • Once the food has been completely thawed, it should be used quickly - however, you should never re-freeze food without first preparing it.
7. 7 Cook food thoroughly. This is especially important in the case of red meat, poultry and eggs, which are high-risk foods.
   • By preparing these foods to the end, you will completely get rid of harmful microbes. Check the cookbook for the correct cooking times (taking into account the weight of the food and the temperature of the oven).
   • Use a meat thermometer if you have any doubts about the duration of cooking, because this can be quite vague due to the specifics of cooking meat. Chicken and turkey cooked at 74 ° C, steaks 63 ° C, hamburgers cooked at 71 ° C.
8. 8 Maintain the temperature of hot and cold food. Bacteria multiply rapidly at temperatures between 4 ° C and 60 ° C, so it is important to keep temperatures below or above these levels.
   • Make sure your refrigerator is set at 4 ° C or less and that cooked food reaches at least 74 ° C.
9. 9 Reheat thoroughly cooked food before serving. Poorly heated food residues may contain active pathogens. In addition, if food leftovers are spoiled, no amount of heating will make them safe for health.
   • Do not store food for too long. Any signs such as discoloration, mucus, mold growth, etc. indicate that food needs to be disposed of.
   • Never reheat food more than once, and never re-freeze without changing state. (That is, you can safely freeze raw food, defrost it, cook it, then re-freeze the finished dish, and then defrost and reheat it. However, if something from the reheated food is spoiled, discard it, as there is a very high chance of poisoning!)

Part 2 of 4: Storing Food Properly

1. 1 Store food properly. The storage type depends on the type of food.
   • Dry foods such as pasta, rice, lentils, beans, canned goods, and cereals can be stored in a cool, dry place, such as in a pantry or kitchen cabinet.
   • Other products can be a little more complicated and you should take care to store them in proper conditions:
2. 2 Freeze or refrigerate as needed. Place frozen food in the refrigerator no more than 2 hours after you take it out (although this is best done as soon as you get home).
   • Meat, poultry, eggs, fish, prepared meals, dairy products should always be kept in the refrigerator.
   • Many foods need to be stored either in the refrigerator or in a cool and dark place, such as a basement or pantry, immediately after unpacking. When in doubt, always choose storage with cooling devices.
3. 3 Never store food in an open container. Food, especially raw meat and food leftovers, should never be stored in an open container.
   • Cover all food tightly with wrapping film or foil, then place in a container with an airtight lid or tightly resealable plastic bag.
   • Never store food in open cans, as this creates a breeding ground for bacteria. Transfer foods such as tomato paste and corn to a plastic container.
4. 4 Pay attention to the shelf life. All products, regardless of how they are stored, should be consumed as soon as possible, before the expiration date.
   • Spices and dried herbs lose their beneficial properties and taste if stored for too long, and many foods can even become harmful if stored beyond the specified expiration date.
   • Never eat food from crumpled and bloated cans or packages with broken lids, even if the expiration date is still valid.
5. 5 Store food separately. Always keep raw meats, raw eggs and poultry separate from cooked meals, fresh fruits and vegetables.
   • Store raw meat wrapped on the bottom shelf of your refrigerator. This will help prevent it from coming into contact with other foods.
6. 6 Protect your food from insects and animals. Food can spoil very easily if it is freely available to pets and harmful insects.
   • Storing food properly, in hermetically sealed containers, in the refrigerator, freezer or kitchen cabinet, will help keep insects and pets away from food.
   • However, food can become contaminated during preparation and serving. Do not leave food unattended during cooking and cover cooked food with lids or wrapping film until ready to serve.
7. 7 Be extra careful during the warmer months. Bacteria multiply much faster on food in warm weather.
   • If you're eating outdoors, make sure everyone eats quickly and leaves leftovers in a cool place for an hour.

Part 3 of 4: Eating Safely

1. 1 Always wash your hands before eating. Wash them with warm water and antibacterial soap and dry thoroughly with a clean hand towel.
2. 2 Try not to consume unpasteurized milk and juices. Pasteurized food has been processed to kill germs.
   • If milk and juices are pasteurized, this information is usually indicated on the packaging. Other foods made with unpasteurized milk, such as some cheeses, should also be avoided.
   • In any case, packaged juices and juice concentrates that are sold at room temperature have a long shelf life and must undergo a pasteurization procedure, even if there is no information on this on the label.
3. 3 Eat foods soon after they have been cooked. This way, harmful microbes will have no time to reproduce.
   • Follow the "2-2-4" rule when it comes to food leftovers - do not leave food out of the refrigerator for more than two hours after cooking, refrigerate food in containers no more than 5 centimeters deep, and throw away food leftovers if they are more than four days old.
4. 4 Wash and rinse raw vegetables and fruits well. Foods that are not cooked before eating, such as fresh vegetables and fruits, should be rinsed under water and cleaned as needed.
   • You should wash these foods anyway, even if you plan to peel them, because the dirt from the peel can get onto the pulp during peeling.
   • But you shouldn't wash the already pre-cleaned bundles of lettuce and other greens, because repeated rinsing can contaminate the food.
5. 5 Be very careful with raw fish and meat. Sushi, steak tartare, etc. - delicacies that can provoke poisoning if not prepared properly. The highest level of hygiene is required for these products. Eat such dishes only in trusted establishments!
   • Avoid eating sushi, raw shellfish, and similar foods that are on the pantry unless you know how long they've been without proper refrigeration. If you make them at home, use quality, fresh ingredients and follow all the hygiene guidelines outlined in this article. Such dishes should be eaten immediately after preparation.
   • Note that “fresh” does not necessarily mean “from a recently living animal,” as frozen fish is much safer for making sushi because deep freezing kills the spores of the parasites.
   • Raw meat and fish products are extremely difficult to cook properly and safely, so if in doubt, don't do it yourself. Never do not store leftovers of such raw food.
6. 6 Be careful with raw eggs. Raw eggs are one of the most common causes of food poisoning.
   • This is due to the constant development of the salmonella bacteria in the raw egg.
   • Avoid using raw eggs in smoothies or healthy shakes to increase the protein content, but rather replace the egg or use a protein mixture.
   • Beware of foods that contain raw eggs, as raw cookie dough or pie batter can make you sick.
7. 7 Don't eat raw shellfish. Eating raw foods is an extraordinary risk, although raw shellfish and oysters are considered a delicacy. There are several risk factors that make shellfish even more dangerous than raw fish:
   • Red algae and other organic bacteria can contaminate shellfish, which accumulates harmful toxins. The risk of getting hepatitis is very high, especially for alcoholics and people with liver problems.
   • If you do eat raw shellfish, make sure they are still alive at the time of purchase. Mussels, clams and oysters will have closed shells, or they will close them as soon as you knock on it. Discard the clam if the shell is open.
8. 8 Pay attention to additional details when going to any catering establishment. Every year, many people get poisoned in restaurants, grocery stores and canteens that do not comply with food safety and hygiene standards. Therefore, it is especially important to be vigilant about food safety, especially when going out to lunch.
   • Check the room. The level of hygiene is immediately apparent. Always pay attention to the washrooms before dining in the establishment - if it's dirty, it's reasonable to assume that the kitchen is the same.
   • Be careful with the buffet dishes. Make sure hot food is kept at the correct temperature, not just room temperature. Rice can cause food poisoning if left for too long. Salads can also cause problems if they are not fresh.
   • Be careful with salad dressings. This applies to mayonnaise, hollandaise sauce, bernaise and other sauces that contain a raw egg and meringue.
   • Send uncooked food back to the kitchen.If you were served undercooked meat or a dish with a raw egg, without a twinge of conscience, give it to the kitchen for finishing. Also, don't forget to ask for a new plate.
9. 9 Do not eat the dish if you have any doubts. Trust your feelings! If the dish looks unusual, smells bad, or is questionable for any other reason, just set it aside.
   • Even if you have taken all the precautions, but the food tastes strange or nauseous, stop chewing and gently remove it from your mouth.
   • Better to be healthy than polite!

Part 4 of 4: Understanding Food Poisoning

1. 1 Understand what causes food poisoning. It occurs due to food intake that contains:
   • Chemicals such as insecticides or food toxins, which also include fungi (eg poisonous).
   • Gastrointestinal infections of bacteria, viruses or parasites.
   • Most people associate food poisoning with one of these options.
2. 2 Understand the risks of growing food and environmental factors. The environment and method of growing food can play a role in the transmission of potentially contaminating bacteria.
   • Use of chemicals, fertilizers, pesticides, etc. All of this can contaminate food during the growing process. Never rely on the product to be washed before leaving the farm.
   • Bacteria, parasites, etc. are carried through the air, through water bodies, mix with dust and take root in the soil. They are part of the life cycle of nature and will therefore always be a possible source of contamination if a consistent ad hoc approach to food hygiene is neglected.
3. 3 Be aware of the danger in the food industry. Whether in a large factory or in your own kitchen, the food industry can be a major source of pollution.
   • Cooking surfaces must be kept perfectly clean, as contamination can occur very quickly and easily, especially for meat products.
   • Natural bacteria that live in the intestines of animals are a major source of contamination if not handled properly.
4. 4 Assess the risk of storing food. If the correct storage conditions are not followed, contamination can occur through the transmission of bacteria from one product to another.
   • This is a very insidious property, because most often people do not even assume that a certain product could have become a source of microbes, and do not even realize that an infection has occurred.
   • For example, leaving a raw chicken leg next to a bunch of grapes could cause contamination or food poisoning.
5. 5 Evaluate the potential risks when preparing food. Very often, infection can occur during the cooking process.
   • A sick person can transmit various germs, ranging from the flu to gastroenteritis.
   • A cutting board that is used for meat and then untreated for vegetables is another possible source of contamination.
   • Unwashed hands, dirty kitchen surfaces, insects and rodents in the kitchen are sources of food contamination.
6. 6 Recognize the symptoms of food poisoning. You will understand how unpleasant it is, as soon as it happens to you.
   • Symptoms can vary depending on the severity of the poisoning, but most people experience a combination of the following: nausea and vomiting, diarrhea (with potential bleeding), abdominal pain and cramps, and fever.
   • Symptoms can appear after a few hours or within a few weeks. Food poisoning usually lasts one to ten days.
   • See your doctor if you are too hydrated or dehydrated, or if you find blood in your vomit, have diarrhea for more than three days, have severe abdominal pain, or your body temperature is above 39 ° C.
7. 7 Take extra care if you are in a high-risk group. These groups include pregnant women, young children, people with weakened immune systems, and the elderly; they all need to be extremely careful to avoid food poisoning.
   • The consequences of food poisoning can be much more serious specifically for people in these risk groups, and can also lead to various abnormalities in the development of the fetus in pregnant women.
   • People in these risk groups should take extra precautions, such as avoiding soft cheeses (feta, brie, camembert), reheating any deli meats thoroughly, and paying special attention to hot food - do not serve it until steam appears.

Tips

• Be aware of the possible symptoms that indicate food poisoning:
  
  
  • Stomach cramps and pain
  • Nausea
  • Vomit
  • Diarrhea
  • Fever, fever
  • Headaches, sore throat
  • Common flu symptoms
  • Fatigue, loss of energy, drowsiness
• Cleansing Recipe for Cutting Boards: Mix 1 teaspoon (5 ml) bleach with 34 fl oz (1 L) water. Wash the board in hot, soapy water and then sanitize the board with this solution.
• It doesn't hurt to mark all your boards for "meat only", "vegetables only", "bread" and so on. This will benefit not only the one who cooks every day, but also those people who may accidentally end up in your kitchen.
• If you consume unpasteurized foods, make sure they are made in a safe place, stored properly, and not stored for too long. For example, if you milk a cow yourself, practice good hygiene throughout the process, from feeding and caring for the cow, to sterility during milking, and be sure to sterilize the equipment and milk containers you need.
• Many restaurants have their own minimum cooking temperatures for meat and poultry. For example, in the United States, beef, pork, veal, or lamb must have a minimum temperature of 63 ° C; turkey and chicken 74 ° C; fish 63 ° C; eggs 74 ° C. In the UK, hot meals are prepared at temperatures of 72 ° C.

Warnings

• Just because a product is labeled “organic” or “naturally grown,” doesn't mean you can consume it without rinsing first. These stickers do not mean "clean"! It's just a growing or marketing message, but you still have to clean and wash your food as usual.
• When hanging out with a picnic, try to avoid mayonnaise-based salads that have not been refrigerated (such as potato salad, egg salad, pasta salad).
• While natural greens are a great source of vitamins and fiber, salad bars are one of the most common sources of food poisoning. As a safe alternative, pack well washed herbs.
• You can get serious consequences from food poisoning. Contact your doctor if you suspect poisoning.
• Contrary to popular belief, wood planks are no more harmful than plastic ones. While wood can hold bacteria in small cracks, studies have shown that bacteria do not thrive on wood and are actually more prone to extinction than on plastic. Whichever option you use, keep your boards clean.