A Bit About Food Safety

The interconnectedness of things can be very strange at times. Here I've been writing about diet, stress, how the husband is a picky eater and a few other things and what happens? The fridge dies (but not the freezer thank goodness) which is stressful even under normal circumstances. Now I'm going to have to throw everything out that was in the fridge part because it's been too warm too long. This will make the husband happy because now, once the fridge is fixed, I'll be able to buy stuff that he wants. However, this brings me to the topic of food safety. 

Image: http://www.befoodsafe.ca

Believe it or not, you are more likely to get food poisoning at home rather than by eating out. Food safety is also very important if the the person you are caring for is immunocompromised such as those with cancer or has severe allergies. Proper food handling helps reduce risks of illness and trips to the hospital. 

So, here are just a few tips to keep your food and family safe.

• Designate a shelf in the bottom of the fridge for defrosting meats and use a plate underneath to prevent liquids from getting everywhere.
• Buy 2 thermometers, one for the fridge and one for the freezer. Keep the freezer at -18 C or below and the fridge at 4 C or below. Some thermometers also have alarms that let you know when the temperatures have gone beyond the safe range and for how long so you know when to toss. They are pricey and tricky to find in stores but they do exist. (I'm looking for one since my fridge keeps acting up.)
• If in doubt-throw it out!
• Have 3 cutting boards- one for meats, one for veggies and one for fruits.
• Don't let hot food sit longer than 2 hours on the counter to cool. Bacteria love warm temperatures.
• Avoid cross-contamination by keeping raw foods away from cooked. This includes things like cutting boards, plates and utensils. This is also useful if you have severe allergies - have separate utensils, cookware and plates etc. for those that have the allergy (or the other way around if the only people that are at the house without the allergy are guests and wash separately.) 
• Wash, wash, wash - hands, counters, utensils frequently while preparing food.
• Make sure to wash your reusable shopping bags frequently.

For more tips check out these two sites and the images below on how to sanitize.

http://www.healthycanadians.gc.ca/kids-enfants/food-aliment/storage-conservation-eng.php

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/securit/kitchen-cuisine/immune-sys-immunitaire-eng.php

http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/foodnut/kitchen-sanitize.pdf