This page is designed to give people a few common sense general tips on preventing food poisoning. The following are some basic tips on keep you, your family, friends, co-workers and customers healthy and safe:
- Wash your hands thoroughly after using the washroom and handling raw meats and unfiltered water that was or was not in contact with raw meat.
- Thoroughly cook your food inside and out. Foods that have not been cooked thoroughly at appropriate temperatures are more likely to care food borne illnesses.
- Check your refrigerator and freezer temperatures regularly to make sure they are cooling foods at appropriate temperatures.
- Do not leave meats and other foods at room temperature for extended periods of times as this is the ideal growing condition for food borne illnesses.
- Wearing gloves is not the solution to preventing food borne illnesses. You must still wash your hands prior to applying gloves.
- Cross-contamination is one of the most likely causes of food borne illnesses. Be conscious of what has come into contact with raw meats or unfiltered water.
- People that are susceptible to allergies and have strong adverse reactions should have a valid epinephrine injector such as a epi-pen or twin-jet to help in case of consumption of allergy causing food. Most common forms of allergies are nuts, dairy products and seafood.
- Keeping the area in which you prepare, store and serve food clean is a absolute necessity in preventing the growth of food borne illnesses. Using proper cleaning solutions and dish washing techniques plays a important role in preventing the spread of food borne illnesses.
- Keep cleaning solutions clearly labelled and out of reach from children and toddlers. Prevent chemical poisoning by eliminating easy access to chemicals. Keeping them properly labelled can help victims that have ingested the chemical by referring to poison information on the label. Have poison control numbers ready in nearby and convenient locations.
Following a few simple rules and procedures can greatly decrease the chances of food poisoning and the growth and spread of food borne illnesses. All of the tips mentioned above are covered in detail, in any food safety or food handlers course.