How food safety can ensure a wonderful festive season: The FDA’s Perspective [Article]

The festive/holiday season is a time when family and friends come together in joy, bond, reminisce and attend various events in celebration.

During these periods, food takes centre stage as people gather in homes and various eating places to celebrate with various meals. While festive seasons are joyous occasions, it is imperative to prioritize food safety to prevent foodborne illnesses that could potentially prevent the occasion from being a good and memorable one.

Unsafe food containing harmful bacteria, viruses, parasites, or toxins can cause an array of diseases, ranging from diarrhoea to cancers and sometimes even death. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated six hundred million (almost 1 in 10) people fall ill after eating contaminated food each year, resulting in 420,000 deaths around the world.

The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has put various measures in place to ensure that foods prepared and sold in our restaurants, markets and shops are safe and of the right quality for consumption. However, the responsibility lies with every individual to ensure that they practice healthy food safety habits to avoid contaminations by confirming that foods are clean, properly cooked and stored.
Here are some ways to ensure food safety while we enjoy this holiday season and keep foodborne diseases at bay:

AT HOME:

– Ensure that fresh produce or ingredients (fruits and vegetables) and food contact surfaces e.g., cooking utensils and chopping boards/surfaces are thoroughly cleaned. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water before and after handling food. Germs that can cause food poisoning can survive in many places and spread around your kitchen. Wash utensils, cutting boards, dishes, and countertops with hot soapy water after each use. Rinse fresh fruits and vegetables under running water to remove any dirt or contaminants. After touching raw meat, poultry, or seafood, wash your hands thoroughly before touching other foods, utensils, or kitchen appliances.

– Separate raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs from ready to eat food when shopping, during preparation and storage to avoid cross-contamination. Use separate cutting boards and utensils for raw and cooked foods. Never place cooked food on a plate that previously held raw food or reuse marinades or sauces that have touched raw meat or poultry.

– Cook food thoroughly and at the right temperature. Food is safely cooked when the internal temperature gets high enough to kill germs that can make you sick. Bring sauces, soups, and gravies to a boil before serving, and always remember to eat hot foods hot, and cold foods cold. Some people prefer to eat together as a group, but if possible, use different dishes and utensils to avoid the introduction and spread of contaminants from one person to another.

– Refrigerate or freeze fresh foods within two hours of purchasing or preparing it. Bacteria that cause food poisoning multiply quickly in hot temperatures. Use or discard refrigerated leftovers within three to four days, and frozen leftovers within three to four months. Keep raw meat, poultry, and seafood separate from all other foods, and sealed or wrapped securely to avoid leakages onto other foods. Remove frozen foods from freezer and thaw them in the refrigerator, in the microwave or under cold running water, but never leave frozen food on the counter to thaw. Divide large amounts of leftovers into smaller containers for faster cooling and defrosting.

– Plan and buy only what you need. Avoid overcrowding your refrigerator and freezer, as this can affect the temperature and spoil your food faster.

– Always look out for expiration dates on prepackaged foods and discard any that are past their prime. Do not buy canned or tin foods that are dented, bloated, or rusted and read labels for ingredients, usage instructions, potential allergens, and safety precautions.

AT RESTAURANTS/STREET FOOD VENDORS/ EVENTS

– When eating out at restaurants, chop bars, fast food joints, weddings, and parties, ensure that caterers have FDA’s Food Hygiene Permits. Street Food vendors should have Street Food Vending Permits. This will tell you that they have fulfilled all food safety and hygiene requirements, and the FDA has certified them to prepare and sell food to the public. If Food Vending Permits are not visibly displayed, ask for them to confirm that the regulatory authorities have checked the system and practices that the food is normally taken through and have guaranteed that Safe Food Handling Practices are observed. Ensure that the general surrounding of the food is clean and that the one serving the food appears clean and handles the food in a hygienic manner.

No one can judge food’s safety by its appearance alone. Food may look fresh, smell good, and taste delicious, but it may still contain harmful bacteria, viruses, parasites, or chemical substances that can cause food-borne illnesses. Food can also become contaminated at any point during production, processing, storage, distribution, preparation, or serving. Therefore, it is important to always follow food safety practices to prevent food poisoning and ensure food quality.

Food safety is an essential component of food security. While the festive season is a time for celebration, it is also a time to prioritize health and well-being of our loved ones. By ensuring that our food is safe from farm to fork and following these precautions, we can prevent food wastage and losses and protect our health and well-being.

A little attention to cleanliness, storage, cooking and serving can go a long way in ensuring a memorable and safe celebration for everyone.

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