Reduce risk of food poisoning

[okarol]

Reduce risk of food poisoning

Cherie Hugo

October 15th, 2008

DEATH is a most unexpected and unwelcome visitor when he comes knocking at a dinner party in the classic comedy Monty Python's The Meaning of Life.

None of the urbane dinner guests are willing to accept he has the right house, refusing to believe they could possibly have all died at the same time and while having dinner.

Until Death points it out -- it was the salmon mousse.

As the weather warms up, so does the risk of food poisoning.

The salmon mousse scenario might be a bit extreme, but to reduce your risk over the warmer months, be sure to abide by the following tips:

    * Tip 1: Wash your hands thoroughly and frequently prior to, during and after preparing food. Your hands travel a great distance over the course of the day, be it handling raw meat, covering your mouth when you sneeze, closing and opening bathroom doors, clasping on to the shopping trolley, rubbing the dirt off potatoes, typing on the communal family keyboard or cleaning the toilet.
    * Tip 2: Wash your food thoroughly. Fresh fruits and veggies may look clean, but they've been handled by a great number of hands from the time they are plucked off the plant to the time they are fussed over by discerning customers in the supermarket. A knife effortlessly drags infinitesimal soil contaminants from the skin of a melon straight through the edible surface -- a specific danger for pregnant women, elderly people and weakened immune systems.
    * Tip 3: Invest in a fridge thermometer. Most bacteria love temperatures between five and 60 degrees Celsius. Aim to ensure the fridge is always under five degrees to help slow down bacterial growth and accelerated food spoilage. You can help keep your fridge running at an optimal temperature by minimizing opening the fridge door and regularly cleaning out old foods to avoid unnecessary overcrowding.
    * Tip 4: Observe expiry dates. Different from the 'Best Before' dates -- foods that have passed their expiry date pose health risks and should be discarded.
    * Tip 5: Defrost meats in the fridge or microwave rather than on the kitchen bench. Cook meats, fish and chicken thoroughly and consume soon after preparing. Allowing raw and cooked meats, fish and chicken (and salmon mousse) to sit at room temperature for extended periods of time increases the chances of bacterial contamination and food poisoning.
    * Tip 6: Package up leftovers immediately after a meal. Freezing leftovers in single serve portions ensures that the food freezes at a faster rate and helps eliminate risk of reheating portions larger than would be consumed immediately.
    * Tip 7: Avoid leftovers if you fall into the 'at risk' category. People who are immuno-compromised with treatments such as chemotherapy for cancer or immunosuppressant drug regimes for HIV, women who are pregnant and those who are elderly or frail should exercise extra care when it comes to risky foods. Leftovers, raw eggs, soft cheeses, processed meats and unwashed salad items should be avoided as they the harmful bacteria listeria.

http://www.goldcoast.com.au/article/2008/10/15/17471_more-health.html