by Lorri B Smalls

Created on: September 26, 2008

Why is good food hygiene so important? The answer lies in the number of people that get sick and even die each year from a food borne illness. There are just a few simple steps that all of us can take to avoid or reduce considerably the frequency of food contamination.

(1)Hand washing.

Surprisingly,the failure of many to wash their hands is the number one cause of food illness outbreaks.It just takes 15 to 20 seconds of washing with warm soap and water or an alcohol based hand sanitizer to effectively disinfect your hands. When drying the hands use a disposable towel,which can also be used to open the door knob from a public restroom. For added protection,carry a bottle of hand sanitizer with you when you're on the go,to disinfect hands after shaking hands, touching door knobs,elevator buttons, stair banisters,for example;that are widely used by the public.

(2)Food storage at home.

I remember hearing a story while I was in cosmetology school,about a fellow classmate who's fridge was so dirty that live house roaches could be seen crawling around in there!

Regularly clean your refrigerator shelves and drawers to keep down food odor and food contamination. It is recommended that the refrigerator should be kept at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or lower to keep most foods from spoiling. Divide large cuts of meat and poultry into smaller portions and store in shallow containers. I have found this to be a helful tip when storing deli meats as well. I usually separate two or three slices each in doubled sandwich bags and put them in the freezer. That way I only use what I need and the rest of the deli meat can be thawed out and used for future sandwiches,without the meat most likely spoiling because it's sat too long in the meat tray.

(3) Food served for the public.

Restaurants and other institutions that serve food should maintain a clean environment for their patrons to eat in. The kitchen area should be free of rats, mice,their droppings and urine, as well as flies and cockroaches. Dented cans and food products that have a broken seal should be discarded. The kitchen staff should wear gloves, hair nets and short nails when preparing foods, and be educated as to how to store perishable foods.Patrons can do their part practice good food hygieneespecially at a buffet restaurant practicing
good food hygiene, by laying tongs on the outside of the food pan instead of letting them fall directly on the food, and using a fresh plate every time they go back to the food bar for additional helpings.

(4) Consumption of raw or undercooked foods.

While eating raw or undercooked foods may be a personal preference for many,it has been shown to considerably raise the risk of contracting a possibly fatal food borne illness. For safety's sake, it is best to cook meats, poultry and seafood thoroughly, and to check for the expiration date or shelf life of a particular food item.

Although every single step to prevention of food contamination cannot be discussed in this article, the basic steps can be used to avoid most food borne illness, by simply washing the hands after using the bathroom,or after any other contact with germs through the day, proper food storage in the home, sanitation and proper food handling at restaurants and other institutions responsible for cooking for the public, and cooking foods thoroughly as well as storing them at a temperature that will reduce the spread of bacteria and viruses.

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