Choosing, processing, and storing food properly is crucial to ensure that nutrients are preserved and to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria.
Essential Eating Principles to Remember During Tet
- Principle 1: Choose Safe Food
- Principle 2: Cook Food Thoroughly
- Principle 3: Eat Immediately After Cooking
- Principle 4: Store Cooked Food Carefully
- Principle 5: Reheat Food Properly
- Principle 6: Avoid Mixing Raw and Cooked Foods
- Principle 7: Keep Hands Clean When Handling Food
- Principle 8: Keep Food Preparation Surfaces Clean
- Principle 9: Cover Food Properly
- Principle 10: Use Safe Drinking Water
According to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Food Safety, consumer knowledge and skills in selection play a vital role in ensuring food safety.
During the processing, usage, and storage of food, consumers should adhere to the “10 Golden Principles” for food hygiene and safety established by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Principle 1: Choose Safe Food
Properly processing and storing food is essential for protecting your family’s health. (Image source: Pexels).
Purchase food from reputable sources with clear origins. For food ingredients and packaged foods, check that the product inside is intact.
Labels must accurately and fully represent the product’s information (product name; name and address of the organization or individual responsible for the goods; product origin; and other mandatory content according to the nature of each type of goods as specified).
Principle 2: Cook Food Thoroughly
Cooking food thoroughly ensures that the food’s internal temperature reaches above 70 degrees Celsius.
Principle 3: Eat Immediately After Cooking
Cooked food cools down when left at room temperature, creating favorable conditions for bacteria to grow. The longer food is left out, the higher the risk of contamination. To ensure safety, you should eat food immediately after it is cooked.
Principle 4: Store Cooked Food Carefully
If you want to keep food for more than 5 hours, it must be kept continuously hot above 60 degrees Celsius or cold below 10 degrees Celsius.
Properly storing food ingredients and cooked food at the right temperature and correctly distinguishing between raw and cooked items not only ensures food safety but also helps reduce the loss of nutrients.
For fresh produce like fruits and vegetables, store them in the refrigerator.
For meat, fish, and seafood, if not processed immediately, they should be stored in the freezer.
Eggs and dairy should be kept in the refrigerator or in a cool place in the house, avoiding direct sunlight.
Grains should be stored in a dry, cool place, away from moisture.
Principle 5: Reheat Food Properly
Food should be consumed within 2 hours after cooking. After 2 hours at room temperature, it must be reheated thoroughly before eating.
Principle 6: Avoid Mixing Raw and Cooked Foods
Cooked food can be contaminated by bacteria if it comes into direct contact with raw food or indirectly through dirty surfaces (such as using the same cutting board or knife for both raw and cooked food).
Principle 7: Keep Hands Clean When Handling Food
Wash your hands thoroughly before handling food and after any activities that interrupt the food processing.
Principle 8: Keep Food Preparation Surfaces Clean
Since food is easily contaminated, any surfaces used for food preparation must be kept clean.
Principle 9: Cover Food Properly
Cover and store food in airtight containers, glass cabinets, or under food covers to protect it from insects and other animals.
Principle 10: Use Safe Drinking Water
Safe drinking water is colorless, odorless, tasteless, and free from pathogens.
