Ensuring food hygiene and safety plays a crucial role in protecting health, reducing disease incidence, maintaining and developing the population, enhancing labor productivity and learning, promoting economic and cultural growth, and reflecting civilized living standards.
Despite significant advancements in scientific techniques for food safety and hygiene, as well as management and educational measures such as laws, regulations, and inspections, foodborne illnesses due to poor hygiene still remain quite prevalent.
Here are 11 tips to help you prevent food poisoning:
1. Choose Fresh and Clean Food
- For vegetables and fruits: Select fresh, undamaged produce without unusual odors.
- Meat must be inspected and meet fresh meat standards.
- Fish and seafood should be fresh, retain normal color, and show no signs of spoilage.
Processed foods must be canned or packaged properly, with labels containing complete information such as product name, weight, main ingredients, storage, usage instructions, and production location; they should have a production registration number and be within the expiration date. Avoid canned goods that are dented, bulging, or rusty.
- Do not use dried foods that have mold.
- Avoid unfamiliar foods (strange fish, unfamiliar vegetables, or mushrooms) whose sources are unclear.
- Do not use colorings or chemical sweeteners not approved by the Ministry of Health.
2. Maintain Hygiene in Food Preparation and Eating Areas
- The food preparation area should be free of standing water, away from smoke, dirt, toilets, livestock, and waste that can pollute the environment.
- All surfaces used for food preparation must be easy to clean and maintained in a clean, dry condition.
- The kitchen should have adequate light and ventilation.
- There should be enough clean water for food preparation and for regular cleaning of the area.
Prevent the movement of cockroaches, rats, and other animals in the food preparation area.
Using dirty utensils overnight for cooking can easily cause food poisoning.
3. Use Clean Cooking and Eating Utensils
- Do not leave dirty utensils overnight.
- Dishes should be washed immediately after use. Avoid using damp, moldy, or greasy towels to dry dishes. If utensils just washed need to be used immediately, rinse them again with boiling water.
- Utensils that come into contact with raw and cooked food must be kept separate.
- Avoid using chipped or rusty utensils as they are hard to clean.
- Leftover food and waste must be placed in sealed bins and disposed of daily.
- Only use soap and cleaning agents approved by the health authorities to prevent residues that could contaminate food.
- Avoid using utensils made of copper, aluminum, unprocessed glass, or colored recycled plastic for cooking or storing acidic liquids or alcohol as they can leach heavy metals like lead or copper into the food.
- Absolutely do not use packaging that previously contained toxic chemicals, pesticides, veterinary drugs, bleaches, or disinfectants to store food.
4. Prepare Food Cleanly and Cook Thoroughly
- Vegetables and fruits should be soaked in clean water and washed thoroughly under running water or in a basin, changing the water 3-4 times.
- Frozen foods must be completely thawed and washed before cooking.
- Boiling temperatures can kill most bacteria, but food must be cooked thoroughly to achieve uniform boiling. Pay attention to meat near the bone; if it’s still pink or red, it must be cooked thoroughly.
- Avoid eating raw foods such as fish salad, rare beef, or salads.
5. Eat Immediately After Cooking or Preparing Food
- Cooked food left to cool at room temperature is susceptible to bacterial growth. For safety, eat food while it’s still hot and freshly cooked.
- For foods that do not need cooking, such as bananas, oranges, melons, and other fruits, consume them immediately after peeling or cutting.
6. Store Cooked Food Carefully and Reheat Thoroughly Before Eating
- If food needs to be prepared in advance or left for more than 3 hours, keep it hot at 60°C or maintain cold conditions ≤ 10°C. For young children, food must be served immediately after cooling down, and this storage method should not be applied.
- Avoid putting too much warm or hot food into the refrigerator.
- Do not mix raw food with cooked food.
- Avoid using knives and cutting boards that have just been used for raw meat to chop cooked food without cleaning them first.
- Food must be covered properly to prevent flies and insects from contaminating it.
- Avoid using hands to pick up cooked food or ice for drinks.
- Do not store chemicals, pesticides, or other toxic substances in the food preparation area.
- Store packaged foods according to the requirements specified on the label.
- Reheat food to a uniform boiling temperature just before eating as the best method to prevent bacterial growth during storage.
Mixing raw and cooked food can easily cause food poisoning.
7. Maintain Good Personal Hygiene
- Caregivers must wash hands with soap and clean water before feeding children or handling food, after using the toilet, and after handling raw food.
- Wear clean clothes and keep hair tidy when preparing food.
- Avoid smoking, coughing, or sneezing while preparing food.
- Keep nails short and clean.
- If there are any wounds on the hands, they must be covered with waterproof materials.
- Avoid handling food when experiencing stomach pain, diarrhea, vomiting, fever, or symptoms of infectious diseases.
8. Use Clean Water for Drinking and Cooking
- Use common water sources such as tap water, well water, treated rainwater, or river water for washing food, preparing drinks, and cleaning utensils.
- Water must be clear, odorless, and tasteless.
- Water containers must be clean, free from algae, dirt, or debris, and have a lid.
- Use boiled water for drinking or for making beverages, ice cream, or ice.
9. Use Clean and Appropriate Food Packaging Materials
- Avoid using old newspapers or books to wrap cooked food.
- Packaging materials must be clean, retain the appealing qualities of flavor and color, and not leach toxins into food.
- Food labels must be truthful and contain all necessary information such as product name, weight, main ingredients, storage and usage instructions, production location, production registration number, and expiration date.
10. Implement Hygiene Measures to Prevent Disease and Maintain a Clean Living Environment
- Carry out measures to eliminate flies, cockroaches, rats, etc., and follow hygiene guidelines to prevent diseases as directed by health authorities.
- Waste must be placed in covered bins, disposed of at the designated times and locations.
