Photo: SCA Svenska Cellulosa… / Flickr

Fruits and vegetables are an essential part of any diet but the number of hands that have touched your fresh produce can transfer millions of germs onto your goods. Food poisoning can easily be avoided by cleaning your food thoroughly to get rid of soil and other chemicals before consumption. Protect yourself and your family from botulism and other foodborne diseases by following a few simple steps towards clean eating.

Understanding food poisoning

Food poisoning can be caused by ingesting harmful chemicals used in the growing of certain foods or it can be caused by certain parasites and bacteria that develop in rotting, bruised or off foods. Foods that are stored incorrectly, are damaged in processing or are not cooked properly can all cause food poisoning.

When purchasing

Purchase products that are not bruised or damaged and always check the use by dates on the products before you buy them. Make sure cut vegetables and fruits come straight out of the refrigerator and avoid leaving cold products sitting in a hot car for too long. When shopping keep your fruits and vegetables separate from your meats and if necessary wrap them up in shopping bags to prevent leakage which can contaminate other produce. Grow your own fruits and vegetables if you want to be sure they’re free of pesticides and other chemicals.

Preparing your foods

Make sure your hands, your clothes, your surfaces and your cooking utensils are all completely clean before you start cooking. Again, be sure to separate your meat from your raw vegetables, even using separate chopping boards for different products. Make sure meat products are cooked properly to avoid contamination and that any products not cooked, like vegetables, are washed well. Beans and seeds should be cooked or roasted as they can carry diseases that a simple wash won’t get rid of.

Leftovers

Leftovers always taste great the next day for breakfast or lunch but make sure you store them properly. Wait for them to cool and then store in the fridge and make sure you heat them well before eating – simply warming leftovers will only help the growth of harmful bacteria. Leftovers should not be kept for days at a time and should never be heated more than once – if you doubt the fact that they are good to eat, rather don’t eat them.

Tags: cooking, eating healthily, food