Buzz
1. Choose Safe Food
Food is essential for providing nutrients to the body. However, if food safety is not ensured, it can be a source of illness. Eating fresh, nutritious food not only provides nutritional value but also helps reduce the risk of illness and death from food. Fresh and nutritious food always go hand in hand. Therefore, when we want a delicious and healthy meal, we need to know how to choose good quality, fresh food because when food is fresh, it contains the most nutrients. Avoid using spoiled or expired products. Also, experts recommend washing vegetables thoroughly because even fresh produce can carry germs to the body if not cleaned properly. So, make sure to wash vegetables thoroughly before cooking.
Ensure food safety by cooking thoroughly and boiling water
Nowadays, one of the common habits that many people often fall into in their daily lives is consuming undercooked food such as blood pudding, raw fermented pork roll... However, using undercooked or raw food can harbor pathogens and always carries unforeseen dangers, such as digestive disorders, food poisoning (due to E.coli bacteria, Salmonella bacteria, Shigella bacteria, Clostridium Perfringens bacteria...), and in severe cases, it can lead to life-threatening diseases such as inflammation of the brain due to infection with Streptococcus suis, inflammation of the brain due to pig tapeworm, or even death due to complications of the disease... Therefore, it is imperative to practice eating thoroughly cooked and boiling drinking water, avoiding the use of raw or undercooked food.
Properly storing food in the refrigerator is crucial to maintaining its freshness and safety. Failure to do so can create an environment conducive to bacterial growth and rapid spoilage. Specifically for fresh foods such as meat, fish, and seafood, they can be stored in the freezer compartment of the refrigerator for about 2 days. However, beef, veal, and lamb can last 3 to 5 days. Leaving them in the fridge for too long can lead to spoilage, impacting consumer health. Always remember to cook immediately after thawing. If immediate cooking is desired, you can use a microwave to thaw, otherwise, place it in the chilled compartment before bringing it to room temperature.
The freezer compartment is where the temperature is very low in the refrigerator. Here, you should store fresh foods that you want to keep for a long time, such as meat, fish, and seafood. You can also make ice cubes, ice cream, yogurt, and small tea bags in this small compartment to serve as refreshments. The door of the refrigerator is the least cooled area, so you should only store dry foods or condiments that can be kept for a long time in this position. On the bottom shelf, place heavier items. Place leftover food, beverages, or ready-to-eat foods in the top compartment, as this is the most suitable place to keep them fresher for longer, as it emits a slightly colder temperature.
When you want to keep food for more than 5 hours, you need to continuously keep it hot above 60 degrees Celsius or cold below 10 degrees Celsius. Whether you keep it hot or cold, you need to thoroughly cook it before consuming. Additionally, you should store food in airtight containers and avoid mixing cooked and raw foods or using common utensils, as it can easily cause cross-contamination. Especially for young children, you should not let them consume leftover food as their immune system is very weak and more susceptible to bacterial attacks. Do not put too much warm or hot food in the refrigerator.
Freezing is effective for almost any type of food. It is also one of the most commonly used processes in commercial and household settings to preserve a wide range of food. Freezers provide large capacity and long-term storage for food stockpiling strategies prepared in case of emergencies in many countries. The freezing process reduces the temperature of food to 0°C or colder. This low temperature temporarily stops microbial activity by slowing the growth of enzymes. Freezing does not sterilize food or kill microorganisms; it only halts negative changes to the quality of your frozen food.
Eat Immediately After Cooking
Consume Food Immediately After Cooking
Maintaining Clean Cooking Surfaces
Food always plays a crucial role in providing nutrients for human life. Fresh, clean food processed in the right way will help the body become healthier. Conversely, if food is not properly selected and carefully processed, it can lead to loss of nutrients and may pose health risks. To minimize the risk of food poisoning, we need to pay attention to all stages of food processing and storage, including maintaining cleanliness of surfaces during cooking. Food is highly susceptible to contamination from the environment and external bacteria. Therefore, for cooking utensils, you need to first wash with soap and warm water at 45°C - 50°C, then rinse again with warm water. Even surfaces that hold food need to be thoroughly cleaned and regularly wash dishcloths and towels. You can sterilize cloths with boiling water to ensure safety.
Wash hands thoroughly before cooking
Ensure proper hand hygiene to prevent foodborne illnesses
Use clean water sources
Water is termed as clean when it meets criteria such as being clear, colorless, odorless, free from pathogens, and harmful substances. It is essential for human life as it constitutes not only 70-75% of body weight but also necessary for daily activities like laundry, dishwashing, and cooking... However, water can also serve as a medium for disease transmission, weaken health, and lead to death. According to the World Health Organization, 80% of diseases in developing countries are related to water and environmental sanitation. Please use common and safe water sources, especially in food-related matters.
Cover to prevent insects
Did you know that the presence of flies signals poor hygiene conditions? Flies carry a lot of filth on their legs, bodies, proboscis... landing on food can transmit diseases because flies fly from organic matter found in garbage, soil rich in organic matter, waste of humans and animals. Diseases transmitted by flies are intestinal infectious diseases (such as dysentery, diarrhea, typhoid, dysentery, and some parasitic diseases), eye infections and some skin diseases such as herpes, acute dermatitis, fungus... Therefore, food must be covered tightly to prevent flies and insects from invading. Food needs to be stored in sealed containers, on shelves, in cabinets, or refrigerators to avoid other animals and insects. This is the best protection method that we should use. If you use cloths to store food, you need to wash them after each use. All types of family food need to pay attention to proper covering and storage methods. Depending on the type of food, different covering methods should be used to ensure the most appropriate one without losing the nutritional value of the product.
