Food safety rules.

To protect against intestinal infections and eliminate the risk of food poisoning, the World Health Organization has developed five basic rules for observing food safety.

Rule 1 - Keep it clean

· Wash your hands with warm soapy water for at least 20 seconds before preparing food. It is also necessary to wash your hands after you have touched such products as eggs, raw meat, fish and seafood, because their surface may contain dangerous microorganisms, which after enough contact

heat treatment will die. Wash your hands every time after using the toilet, changing diapers, coughing or sneezing, after caring for the sick, after contact with animals or with garbage. Wash all kitchen utensils that have come into contact with food in warm, soapy water. These are, in particular, boards, dishes and countertops.

· Use disposable paper towels to clean kitchen surfaces. If you use cloth towels, wash them often at a high temperature.

· Wash vegetables and fruits thoroughly under running water, including those with inedible skin (bananas, oranges, melons, watermelons, etc.).

· Protect the kitchen and food products from insects, rodents and other animals. If you need to remove blood and bone remains from raw meat, this can be done with a paper towel.

Rule 2 - Separate the raw from the ready

To avoid so-called cross-contamination, separate raw meat, poultry, fish and seafood from other foods and prepared meals.

· For processing raw meat and fish, use separate kitchen utensils (knives, boards) than for processing other products. Thoroughly wash and dry dishes that have contained raw food before placing other food in them.

· Store foods in closed containers to prevent contact between raw and prepared foods.

· In the refrigerator, raw seafood and meat should be placed lower than vegetables, fruits and ready meals.

Rule 3 - Boil, bake or fry food thoroughly Most disease-causing bacteria die at temperatures above 60 degrees. That is why thorough heat treatment for meat and fish dishes is extremely important.

· Avoid consumption of raw or semi-raw meat, fish and

seafood

· Fry, boil and bake food well. The temperature during cooking should be equal to or higher than 70 degrees. Remember that the color does not always indicate the readiness of the product. It is recommended to use a special thermometer to check the cooking temperature.

· When cooking meat or poultry, their juices should be transparent, not pink.

· Cook the fish until the flesh is opaque and pulls apart easily with a fork.

It is preferable to cook eggs "hard-boiled" so that both the white and the yolk are firm. Avoid recipes that use raw or undercooked eggs.

· When preparing sauces, soups and roasts, bring them to a boil.

Prepared meals should be thoroughly heated.

Rule 4 - Store products at a safe temperature

Microorganisms can multiply very quickly if food is kept at room temperature. If you keep products in a chilled, frozen or very hot (above 60 degrees) state, the growth of microorganisms slows down or stops.

· Maintain a constant temperature in the refrigerator, not exceeding +5 degrees. The temperature of the freezer should be 0 degrees or below.

· Perishable foods should be placed in the refrigerator or freezer as soon as you bring them back from the store.

· Do not leave meat, poultry, eggs, prepared meals, cut-up fresh fruits and vegetables at room temperature for more than two hours (one hour if the ambient temperature is above 32 degrees).

· Keep prepared dishes hot (over 60 degrees) until serving.

· Do not defrost food at room temperature: Food must be kept at a safe temperature during defrosting to avoid the growth of harmful microorganisms. There are three methods of defrosting:

1. in the refrigerator;

2. in cold water;

3. in a microwave oven.

Foods thawed in cold water or in the microwave should be cooked immediately.

· Always marinate food in the refrigerator.

Leftovers of ready meals can be stored in the refrigerator for no more than four days. Raw meat or poultry can be stored for one or two days.

· Do not overload the refrigerator, the air in it must circulate freely to ensure the required temperature.

Rule 5 - Use safe water and fresh, unspoiled food

· Use safe clean water for drinking and cooking. If you are not sure of its quality, boil it or filter it.

· Choose fresh and unspoiled products. Choose products that have been processed to increase safety, such as pasteurized milk.

· Wash fruits, vegetables and leafy greens thoroughly, especially when they are served raw.