‘Health is wealth’; preventing of food from contamination is one of the major concern for every one because consuming contaminated foods and drinks causes food borne illness. This mean that contaminated foods and drinks are harmful for ones’ health and can cause illnesses like typhoid fever and bacillary dysentery. Some illnesses are enteric in that the symptoms are confined to the gastro intestinal tract with mild to severe nausea, vomiting, stomach ache and diarrhea. Other food borne diseases are systematic that is the organism invades the circulation and produce symptoms in organs and tissues. Almost all reported cases of food borne illnesses or diseases are caused by the followings:
- By bacteria - Bacteria multiply fast when food is kept at an unsafe temperature.
- By moulds - Moulds usually grow in humid area.
- By Fungi - This usually grows in lack of sunlight.
- By the presence of some natural toxicant in the food. The toxin is formed in the food before it is eaten and cannot be detected by taste, odor and colour.
- By contamination of food with toxin chemicals or sensitivity of a given individual to one or more food.
- Initially the “Big Three” are reported to be the main causes of food borne illnesses. These are:
o Salmonella
o Clostridurm
o Staphylococci
o Other microorganism known as germs is also one of the causes of food borne illnesses and diseases.
Germs that cause disease are spread by:- improper handling, preparing, and storing of food
- improper washing of hands and fingernails
- poor personal hygiene habits of food employees
- people who may seem well but who carry bacteria that can make other people sick
- improperly cleaned and sanitized eating and cooking utensils and equipment
- contamination of food, utensils, and equipment from flies, roaches, and other insects and pests
- use of foods from unapproved sources
- Plan for a minimum of leftovers.
- Throw away food that is cloudy, mushy, or has an off odor.
- Throw away food from a leaking can. DO NOT taste. This could be a possible source of Botulism.
- Throw away food that changes appearance, color, and/or Shape over a period of time.
- Cross-contamination: Cross-contamination is the contamination of a food product from another source. There are three main ways cross-contamination can occur:
- Food to food
- People to food
- Equipment to food.
- In a refrigerator, meat drippings from raw meat stored on a top shelf might drip onto cooked vegetables placed on lower shelf.
- Raw chicken placed on a grill touching a steak that is being cooked.
- Handling foods after using the toilet without first properly washing your hands.
- Touching raw meats and then preparing vegetables without washing hands between tasks.
- Using an apron to wipe your hands between handling different foods, or wiping a counter with a towel and then using it to dry your hands.
- Using unclean equipment, such as slicers, can openers, and utensils, to prepare food.
- Using a cutting board and the same knife when cutting different types of foods, such as cutting raw chicken followed by salad preparation.
- Storing a cooked product, such as a sauce, in an unsanitized container that previously stored raw meat.
- Wash your hands thoroughly between handling different foods or after using the toilet.
- Wash and sanitize all equipment and utensils that come in contact with food.
- Avoid touching your face, skin, and hair, or wiping your hands on cleaning cloths.
- Store foods properly by separating washed or prepared foods from unwashed or raw foods.
- Try preparing each type of food at different times, and then clean and sanitize food contact surfaces between each task.
