The summer season or high temperatures can cause food contamination, so here are some ways to prevent it:
So what exactly is food contamination?
Food contamination is the presence of harmful chemicals and microorganisms in food that can cause illness to the person.And it is something that should not be in a person’s food, making it unfit for the human digestive system.
It can cause a lot of symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, fever, and even death.
There are so many ways that food contamination can occur, and one of the most common is through warm temperatures, which can cause bacteria to grow and multiply rapidly. This can happen both during the production and storage of food. For example, if food is left out in the sun for too long or at room temperature, it can become warm and moist, which provides an ideal environment for bacteria to grow. Similarly, if food is not stored at the proper temperature, it can become contaminated, so it is better to store your food in the refrigerator during the summer season, and if possible, try to make food fresh and eat fresh food in the summer season so there is less chance of food contamination.
Here are some tips to avoid food contamination:
1. Don’t leave food out for too long
In the summer, bacteria can easily enter our food, so if food is left out in the sun or at room temperature for too long, it can become warm and moist, which provides an ideal environment for bacteria to grow. Similarly, if food is not stored at the proper temperature, it can become contaminated, so don’t leave food out for too long.
2. Separate the raw food
It’s important to keep raw food separate from other foods to prevent cross-contamination. You should also use separate cutting boards and utensils for raw and cooked foods, and don’t forget to wash them thoroughly between uses.
3. Cook food at the proper temperature
Cooking food at the proper temperature can help kill harmful bacteria that may be present, and then it can prevent food contamination. You can also use a food thermometer to check that meats, poultry, and seafood are at a safe internal temperature before serving.
4. Refrigerate your food quickly
It’s important to keep your food, whether raw or cooked, refrigerated or on ice. Be sure to chill foods quickly after cooking to prevent bacteria from growing in the summer. Because of high temperatures, bacteria can get into the food and cause food contamination, so it’s important to keep your food in your refrigerator quickly if you want to store it.
5. The kitchen should be clean
Keeping your kitchen clean is also a crucial step if you want to prevent food contamination. Wipe down counters, cutting boards, and utensils before and after preparing food, and be sure to wash dishes and utensils in hot water so that if any bacteria were to be present anywhere, it would be wiped out or vanished.
6. Water sources should be safe
It is also important to know if the water source is safe or not for drinking or cooking purposes, and be sure to have it tested regularly to check that it is safe for drinking and cooking purposes.
7. Washing your hands is important
The CDC recommends using warm, soapy water for at least 20 seconds for washing your hands. This helps in removing harmful bacteria from your hands and reduces the risk of cross-contamination. In the summer, this is a very crucial step if you want to avoid food contamination, so wash your hands frequently before and after handling food or food items.
So these are the major and basic tips that one should follow if they want to ignore or avoid food contamination. So in the summer season, don’t forget to follow these important and proper safety measures to prevent food contamination. And it is also important to pay attention to your food and food items and properly dispose of them if you think they may be contaminated. So by using these steps, one can protect themselves from getting ill from food contamination.
Rashmi Rana is pursuing Masters in Journalism – Mass Media. She is a student with a strong communication and content writing skills. Rashmi is currently working as a journalist at The Shining Media.
