New Delhi, June 7 (IANS). World Food Safety Day is celebrated every year on 7 June. The purpose of this day is to make people aware of the importance of safe and clean food. Experts believe that for a healthy life, not only nutritious food is important, but it is also equally important for it to be safe and clean. On this occasion, the World Health Organization (WHO) has given five important suggestions to protect people from food-borne diseases.
According to WHO, eating unsafe food can cause more than 200 types of diseases. Bacteria, viruses, parasites and harmful chemicals present in contaminated food can cause many health problems in the body. In such a situation, it is very important to adopt some necessary precautions while preparing, storing and eating food.
The organization’s first suggestion is to thoroughly clean hands while preparing food and before eating. The kitchen, utensils and food items should also be kept clean. Good hygiene helps prevent many types of infections.
Another important tip is to preserve food at the right temperature. According to WHO, perishable foods should be stored at a temperature of 5 degrees Celsius or less. This can prevent the growth of harmful bacteria in food.
The third suggestion is to cook food completely and thoroughly. Undercooked food can sometimes become a source of bacteria and other germs. Especially sea foods should be eaten thoroughly cooked.
WHO’s fourth suggestion is to keep raw and cooked food separately. If both types of foods come in contact with each other, the risk of spreading infection may increase. Therefore, it is considered better to use separate utensils and cutting boards for these.
The fifth and final suggestion relates to the use of safe water and quality raw materials. While preparing food, clean water should be used and fresh and safe food ingredients should be selected. With this, the risk of foodborne diseases can be reduced to a great extent.
–IANS
MT/DKP
