Food poisoning is harmless and can be deadly in the worst cases. Start with step 1 below for some important information on how you can reduce your chances of food poisoning (at a restaurant or at home) with tips on how to prepare food safely.
Step
Method 1 of 4: Preparing Food Properly
Step 1. Shop carefully
Food safety starts at the market, so be sure to shop carefully:
- Check the expiration times of all products and use your judgment to determine if food is being stored at the right temperature.
- Store meat and poultry products in separate bags and don't let raw meat touch other foods when you shop or take them home.
Step 2. Keep the temperature cool
Keep frozen food as cold as possible, especially when moving from the store to your home:
- Wrap food in newsprint or buy a small cooler bag to keep food cool when you take it home.
- If possible, take frozen food products at the last minute.
- Store all food properly and quickly when you get home.
Step 3. Always wash your hands before and after preparing food
Wash your hands thoroughly with hot water and antibacterial soap before and after preparing food, especially after handling raw meat.
- Clean hand towels and cutlery towels regularly to prevent bacteria from accumulating on the fabric.
- Always wash your hands after handling pets (especially reptiles, turtles, birds) and after using the bathroom or cleaning animal waste bins.
Step 4. Keep your kitchen clean
It's important to keep cabinets and other cooking areas clean, especially when cooking high-risk foods such as meat, poultry and eggs.
- Using a disinfectant is not necessary, a mixture of soap and hot water will clean your counters, cutting boards and other utensils.
- Also be sure to rinse the sink after washing raw meat -- you don't want bacteria to transfer to clean dishes.
Step 5. Use a different cutting board when cutting raw meat/poultry and vegetables
Keep the cutting board separate to prevent cross-contamination of bacteria from meat to other foods.
- If you don't have two cutting boards, be sure to thoroughly disinfect the cutting board with each use (see bleach recipes under “tips”).
- Plastic cutting boards are recommended over wooden ones, as wooden ones are more difficult to clean.
Step 6. Carefully remove the freeze
Never warm food (especially meat and poultry) to room temperature to speed things up.
- Food should always be thawed in the refrigerator, as thawing food at room temperature will heat the food too quickly, breeding bacteria.
- Alternatively, you can defrost food using the “defrost” or “50% power” setting on your microwave. You can also safely defrost food by holding it in cold water.
- Once food has thawed, it should be used as needed -- food should not be refrozen without cooking it first.
Step 7. Cook the food thoroughly
This is especially important for red meat, poultry and eggs, which are high-risk foods.
- Cooking these foods thoroughly will destroy harmful germs. Look in cookbooks for the exact cooking time (depending on the weight of the food and the temperature of your oven).
- Use a meat thermometer if you're unsure how long to cook something - it can be confusing to cook meat. Chicken and turkey are cooked when they reach 165°F, steaks are cooked at 145°F and hamburgers are cooked at 160°F.
Step 8. Keep hot food hot and cold food cold
Bacteria grow most rapidly at 4°C and 60°C, so it is important to keep food temperatures above or below these temperatures.
You should make sure your refrigerator is set to 4°C/ 40°F or less and cooked food reaches a minimum temperature of 74°C
Step 9. Heat leftovers thoroughly before serving
Leftovers that are not thoroughly heated can contain active pathogens. What's more, if leftover food has gone stale, reheating it for any length of time will not make the food safe.
- Don't keep leftovers for too long. Signs of loss of color, mucus, mold growth, etc. is a sign to throw away the leftovers.
- Don't reheat leftovers more than once and never freeze food without changing its state! (For example, you can safely freeze raw food, thaw raw food, cook food, freeze cooked food and reheat cooked food. However, if reheated food is left over, throw it away or you will get sick!)
Method 2 of 4: Storing Food Properly
Step 1. Store food as needed
The type of storage container depends on the type of food.
- Dry foods such as pasta, rice, lentils, beans, canned foods and cereals can be stored in a cool, dry place such as a cupboard.
- Other foods can be more complicated and must be stored appropriately:
Step 2. Put the food in the refrigerator if needed
Place frozen foods after 2 hours after you buy them (ideally it should be done sooner - put them as soon as you get home).
- Meat, poultry, eggs, fish, livestock products and leftovers should always be refrigerated.
- Many foods should remain in the refrigerator or in a cool, dark place such as a cellar or cupboard, after opening. Read labels for warehouse details. If in doubt, always place it in a cooler environment.
Step 3. Never put food in open containers
Food - especially raw meat and leftovers should not be stored in open containers.
- Cover food tightly with foil, place in an airtight container, or store in a resealable plastic bag.
- Never store food in open cans, as this will become a breeding ground for bacteria. Transfer to a plastic container.
Step 4. Pay attention to the expiration time
All food, should be eaten as soon as possible and not past its expiration date.
- Even herbs and spices lose their usefulness and taste if stored for too long and in large quantities can be harmful if stored past their expiration date.
- Never eat from a can that has dented or protrudes or from a damaged package, even if it has not passed the expiration date.
Step 5. Keep food separate
At all times, keep raw meat, raw eggs and poultry separate from cooked foods, fresh fruit, and vegetables.
Store raw meat covered, in the bottom of your refrigerator. This will prevent the food from touching or dripping onto other food
Step 6. Protect your food from animals and insects
Food can be easily contaminated if it is easily accessible to animals and pests.
- Proper food storage -- storing food in sealed containers in the refrigerator or cupboard -- can keep insects and animals out.
- However, food can be contaminated from quadrupeds during preparation and serving. Do not leave food behind during the cooking process and cover cooked food with a lid until ready to serve.
Step 7. Be careful during warm weather
Food contamination from bacteria occurs more quickly during warm weather.
If you eat out, make sure everyone eats quickly and the sides are brought back within an hour to keep in the cold again
Method 3 of 4: Eat Safely
Step 1. Always wash your hands before eating
Wash with hot water and anti-bacterial soap and dry with a clean towel.
Step 2. Avoid unpasteurized milk and fruit juices
Pasteurized food has gone through a process that kills germs.
- If the milk and fruit juice have been pasteurized, it will usually be written on the label. You should also avoid foods made from unpasteurized milk, such as certain cheeses.
- However, the juice in the ad is pasteurized, even though there is no written label.
Step 3. Eat food as soon as it is cooked
This will ensure harmful germs don't have time to grow.
Follow the "2-2-4" rule for leftovers -- don't leave food out for more than two hours after cooking, put it in the refrigerator and throw away leftovers that are four days past
Step 4. Rinse and scrub raw food
Foods that are not cooked before eating, such as fresh fruit and vegetables, should be rinsed in water and even scrubbed and peeled if necessary.
- You should also wash raw food if you want to peel it, as contamination can transfer to your skin as you peel.
- However, you should never wash lettuce and other greens that have been washed, as additional washing can increase the risk of new contamination.
Step 5. Be careful with raw meat and fish
Sushi, steak tartar etc are great food if prepared properly. However, the place where it is served must be very clean. Eat these foods only in highly reputable places!
- Avoid sushi, raw clams and similar foods that sit on the buffet table if you don't know how long they've been there without proper refrigeration. If you make them at home, use the best and freshest ingredients, follow all the hygienic practices outlined here and eat immediately after manufacture.
- Remember that fresh doesn't mean straight from the animal, frozen sushi fish is safer than freshly killed fish, because frozen fish kills parasitic spores.
- Raw food is very difficult to prepare properly, so if in doubt, don't make your own. Never store leftovers raw.
Step 6. Avoid raw eggs
Raw eggs are one source of food poisoning.
- This is due to the high frequency of salmonella bacteria in raw eggs.
- Avoid using raw eggs in drinks for added protein -- use protein powder.
- Be careful when eating foods that contain raw eggs, such as undercooked cookie dough -- even a small amount can make you sick.
Step 7. Don't eat raw clams
Eating raw scallops carries tremendous risks, even though raw clams and oysters are considered delicacy. There are certain risk factors for shellfish that make it much more dangerous than raw fish:
- Red tide and other natural microbial outbreaks can contaminate shellfish, which build up toxins in their flesh. The risk of developing hepatitis is high and alcoholics and people with liver damage are particularly at risk.
- If you eat shellfish raw, make sure they are still alive when you buy them. This means that mussels and oysters will have their shells closed. If the shell is open, throw it away.
Step 8. Watch for other signs when eating out
Every year, people become sick after eating at restaurants, restaurants and eateries that fail to maintain basic food safety and hygiene standards. It is therefore important to be vigilant about food safety even (or especially) when eating out.
- 'Check the place.' Hygiene standards should be self-explanatory. Always look in the bathroom before eating - if it's dirty, it's a reasonable assumption that the kitchen is dirty too.
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Be careful with buffet food.
Check that hot food stays hot and not just lukewarm. Rice can be a source of food contamination if it has been left out for too long. Salads can also become contaminants if they are not fresh.
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Watch out for some of the salad dressings.
Mayonnaise, Hollandaise, Bearnaise and other sauces containing raw eggs, as well as meringues.
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Return uncooked food.
If you're served uncooked food, don't feel bad about returning it to the kitchen and asking for it to be cooked -- also remember to ask for a new plate.
Step 9. Don't eat it if you are in doubt
Trust your senses! If it looks weird, smells bad, or the bottom line makes you suspicious, don't eat it.
- Even if you've followed all of this, if a food tastes weird or makes you nauseous, stop eating it and (politely) get it out of your mouth.
- Better to stay safe than sorry!
Method 4 of 4: Understanding Food Poisoning
Step 1. Understand what causes food poisoning
Food poisoning occurs due to consuming food or drink that has been contaminated with:
- Chemicals such as insecticides or food poisons include mold (poisonous mushrooms).
- Or gastrointestinal infections from bacteria, viruses or parasites.
- Most people look at food poisoning and all the possible sources of it.
Step 2. Understand the risks of growing food and environmental factors
Environmental factors and the process of growing food can be a source of bacterial transfer.
- The use of chemicals, fertilizers, etc. all have the potential to contaminate food. Never assume that food from farms has been washed.
- Bacteria, parasites, etc. move through the wind, float in the water, are carried by dust and settle on the ground. They are part of the web of life and are always a source of contamination if left untreated.
Step 3. Understand the risks of food processing
Whether in a large factory or your own kitchen, food processing can become food contamination.
- The area used for processing must be kept clean or cross-contamination can easily occur, especially with meat products.
- Bacteria located in the genitals of animals are a source of cross-contamination if mishandled.
Step 4. Understand the risks associated with food storage
Improperly stored food can be a source of transfer of contamination to other foods.
- This is very complicated because people often don't think that certain foods can be a source of contamination and don't realize cross-contamination has occurred.
- For example, if raw chicken is placed next to grapes, it can become a food contamination and poison.
Step 5. Understand the risks of preparing food
Food contamination occurs while preparing food.
- Sick people can transmit germs, from the flu to gastroenteritis.
- Cutting boards used for meat that are not washed and then used for vegetables are another source of contamination.
- Unwashed hands, dirty kitchens, insects and rodents in the kitchen, are sources of food contamination.
Step 6. Recognize the symptoms of food poisoning
If you've ever had food poisoning, you know how uncomfortable it can be.
- Symptoms will vary slightly depending on the severity of the poison, but most people will experience some combination of: nausea and vomiting, watery diarrhea (can also be bloody), abdominal pain and cramps, fever.
- Symptoms may begin to appear as soon as a few hours after eating contaminated food, or a few weeks at the most. Food poisoning generally lasts about one to ten days.
- See your doctor if you are unable to drink fluids or are dehydrated, notice blood in your vomit, have diarrhea for more than three days, experience extreme stomach pain, or have a mouth temperature higher than 101.5 F.
Step 7. Be careful if you are in a group of people who are at high risk
People in certain high-risk groups, such as pregnant women, very young children, people with weakened immune systems and the elderly should be extra careful to avoid food poisoning.
- The consequences of food poisoning can be more severe for people in this group and can cause fetal abnormalities in pregnant women.
- People in this group should be given extra attention, such as avoiding soft cheeses (such as feta, brie and Camembert), avoiding or thoroughly reheating meats, and being extra vigilant about heating foods until they are steaming hot.
Tips
- Know the symptoms that indicate food poisoning:
- Cramps or stomach ache
- Nauseous
- Throws up
- Diarrhea
- Temperature rises, fever
- Headache, sore throat
- Common flu-like symptoms
- Sudden fatigue, loss of energy and/or desire to sleep
- Many restaurants have a minimum temperature for cooking meat and poultry. For example, in the US, beef, pork, lamb must have a minimum temperature of 145ºF; turkey and chicken at 165ºF; fish at 145ºF and eggs at 165ºF. In the UK, hot food is cooked at 72ºC or above.
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Bleach recipe for a cutting board:
Mix 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of bleach and 34 fl oz (1 liter) of water. Wash the board in hot soapy water first and then disinfect it with the bleach mixture.
- It can help to mark your cutting board "Meat", "Vegetable", "Bread" etc. This is not only for casual cooking purposes, but for anyone else who happens to want to help out in the kitchen].
- If you consume unpasteurized products, make sure that they come from a reputable source, are stored properly and consumed very quickly. For example, if you are milking your own cows, maintain very high standards of hygiene throughout the entire milking process, from the methods used to feed and shelter the cows to the methods used for milking, and sterilize milking equipment and milk containers.
Warning
- Just because a food is marked organic" or "naturally grown" doesn't mean you have to put it in your mouth without washing it at home first. This label doesn't mean "clean"! The label is just a growing method or marketing strategy and you still have to wash and scrub food as usual.
- When on a picnic, always avoid mayonnaise that hasn't been refrigerated (e.g. potato salad, egg salad, pasta salad).
- Although salads are an excellent source of vitamins and fiber, salad bars are one of the most common sources of food poisoning. Wrapping your own carefully washed salad is a safer alternative.
- You can get very sick from food poisoning. Seek immediate medical attention if you suspect you have food poisoning.
- Contrary to belief, a wooden cutting board is no more dangerous than a plastic board. While wood can contain bacteria in tiny crevices, studies have shown that bacteria don't breed in wood, and are, in fact, more prone to death than in plastic. Whatever type your cutting board is, remember to keep it clean.
