World Food Safety Day: Simple tips to avoid foodborne risks

Talking about the basic food safety practices, Varun Khanna, Co-Founder, Fast&Up GoodEatz said, “Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) lays down food standards in India to maintain quality and safety for food manufactured and sold in the country. Apart from mandate Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards that are present to maintain tamper proof packaging and quality, there are also other packaging and labelling guidelines to ensure nutrition guidelines like sugar, trans fat, calories and so on are mentioned.”

Adding to this, he said that shelf life for safety is one of the mandates. “On the basis of the type of product and moisture content, the shelf life is considered, which is normally 6-12 months with precise dates mentioned.”

The expert also noted that high quality ingredients, safety, shelf life, and no artificial or harmful ingredients are some other practices of food safety. “Food products should not have any artificial sweeteners or flavours or colours. Supplements may be added, but no adulterants should be present,” he said, stressing that adulteration is a common thing in commodities today, however food or drink adulteration or sale of such products is an offence punishable with an imprisonment that may extend to six months, include a legal fine or both.

Despite these practices and regulations, it also essential to adopt food safety at home. Here are some tips to ensure food safety at home:

Maintaining a clean kitchen environment is vital to ensure no germs or bacteria enter the food we consume. (Source: Freepik)

*Cleanliness of surroundings and hand hygiene: Maintaining a clean kitchen environment is vital to ensure no germs or bacteria enter the food we consume. Washing hands properly with soap and water before and after handling food, or touching any contaminated surfaces is also important.

*Cooking temperatures: Make sure the food is cooked throughout to kill harmful bacteria and prevent diseases. You can use a food thermometer to ensure that different food items reach the appropriate internal temperatures. Follow the advised temperature guidelines to prevent overcooking or undercooking.

*Food storage: Store perishable food properly at recommended temperatures and sealed containers. Also, pay attention to the expiration dates to avoid consuming old foods.

*Leftover handling: Handle leftover foods with precaution to avoid foodborne ailments.

*Separate raw foods: Keep raw meat, poultry, seafood and eggs away from other foods. Do this in your shopping cart, bags and fridge.

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