Things You Should Know About Food Safety

31 October 2017

Things You Should Know About Food Safety

Why Is Food Safety Important?

Foodborne illnesses are a preventable and underreported public health problem. These illnesses are a burden on public health and contribute significantly to the cost of healthcare. They also present a major challenge to certain groups of people. Although anyone can get a foodborne illness, some people are at greater risk.

Safer food promises healthier and longer lives and less costly health care, as well as a more resilient food industry.

Preparing and cooking your food doesn’t have to be a minefield once you know how to be safe about it! We would like to cover the primary and most important parts of food safety for those who are unsure about it or just beginning to prepare food for themselves. Cooking is an important life skill that’s well worth the learning, but it’s better to do the right way. Within next few weeks we will give you some food safety tips that will be handy for you to have.

So, let’s get down to the basics of food safety:

The Temperature Danger Zone

The temperature danger zone is probably an essential concept in food safety. It’s between 4C (40F) and 60C (140F), which is the temperature zone in which food-borne bacteria multiply rapidly.
Within four hours in this temperature zone, bacteria on food will likely have multiplied to dangerous levels and should be discarded.
Refrigerators need to be set below the minimum end of the scale – that is, they should be colder than 4C/40F, to ensure that bacterial growth is kept to a minimum. Refrigerating food extends its life considerably.
When being kept warm, the internal temperature of food must be above 60C/140F (this applies to refrigerated temperatures also, but it’s easier to cool food all the way through than heat it all the way through).
Freezing food slows bacterial growth almost to a complete halt, though frozen food does not remain safe indefinitely (more on that further down).

You can get more information about Food Safety certification here.