World Food Safety Day- Importance of healthy and hygienic food

By Amrinder Singh,

In businesses, food safety and hygiene are of utmost importance as it helps to guard the health of consumers from food-borne illnesses and food poisoning. Sickness occurs when food becomes contaminated by bacteria, viruses, and other germs, making those people unwell who consume the contaminated food. Food safety is important to push the good health of the population. Also, safe food can contribute to food and nutritional security, human health, and therefore the progress of the country, leading to the sustainable development of countries.

Food businesses have accountability of care when distributing food to consumers. Food safety and food hygiene are the two requisites of the food industry and should be the priority.

Food Safety and Hygiene Practices

A safe and hygienic workplace helps the workforce to be productive. That’s why drafting a food safety and hygiene policy is the need of the hour so that it can contribute to the good health of the employees and appropriate work practices. Besides employee health, food hygiene and safety prevent germs from multiplying in foods causing many life-threatening illnesses.

Thorough Cleaning

It’s imperative to ensure the area where you’re working is clean and hygienic. This involves methodically cleaning and sanitizing the workspace, utensils, and equipment before cooking, in-between cooking tasks, and after cooking. Cooking utensils and equipment, like chopping boards, knives, and mixers, must be thoroughly cleaned between managing foods.

Personal Hygiene of Food Handlers

Make sure that the person handling food has a high standard of personal hygiene. This includes:

· Tying hair back to make sure no hair falls in the food.

· Thoroughly wash hands with soap and hot water, before, during, and after handling food, to make sure no germs from your hands are transferred to the food.

· Wear clean clothes to work, to confirm no germs from your clothes transfer to the food.

· Wear gloves if you’re handling food with bare hands.

Minimizing the chance of Infections

Healthy food, especially fruits and vegetables rich in plant compounds like antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins should be made an integral part of your diet especially when the planet is undergoing a pandemic. Infectious microbes board and on the physical body and might enter into food if proper kitchen hygiene isn’t maintained.

Every day, people around the globe get sick from the food and drink they consume. Bacteria, viruses, and parasites found in food can cause sickness. Good food hygiene is therefore essential for food factories to form and sell food that’s safe to eat. The foremost step is for the management and staff to acquire the knowledge and understanding of what food hygiene and food safety are.

(The author is Director, Bonn Group of Industries. Views expressed are personal and do not reflect the official position or policy of the Financial Express Online.)