How to avoid foodborne illnesses when preparing foods

2.2 million people die each year worldwide due to foodborne illnesses but very few people know how to avoid them. There are five groups at risk; people confined in an institution, elderly, preschool age children, sick people or the ones that are taking certain medications. Their bodies are developing, weak or compromised and there so their immune defense system cannot fight sicknesses as easily as a healthy person.

Foodborne illnesses affect people when they consume food that has not been properly handled, stored, cooked or served. They can be caused by bacteria, a virus, parasites, fungus, and toxins or by an allergic reaction.

There are simple rules to follow when preparing foods so we can avoid a foodborne illness or an allergic reaction. When purchasing, transporting and cooking foods that need time and temperature control it is important to maintain cold foods under 41F degrees and hot foods over 135F degrees, also avoid cross-contamination which happens when there is contact between raw and cooked foods through equipment, hands or spills.

The items that need time and temperature controls are milk and all of its derivatives, eggs, meats in general, fish and seafood, soy products, cooked rice and beans, cut tomatoes and melons. When kept cold these items must stay at a temperature of 41F degrees or under and when kept hot they must be cooked at least a temperature of 165 F degrees and kept at a temperature of 135f degrees to avoid the growth of bacteria.

Washing hands with warm water and soap for 10 to 15 seconds, drying them with a paper towel and avoiding the direct handling of cooked foods with bare hands are ways of preventing the transmission of viruses and cross-contamination of other potential hazards.

This basic knowledge must be shared with everyone after all is not something that we usually learn in school or at home.

When purchasing, storing, cooking and serving foods it is easy to follow these guidelines to avoid a potential foodborne illness, doing so will help to avoid possible scenarios such as vomiting, diarrhea, fever, a trip to the hospital or even worst the death of a loved one.