Can I eat it? Keeping food safe at home
Simple hygiene practices can reduce the risk of becoming ill from food-poisoning bacteria and viruses. But beware of cutting corners: eating leftovers which have been kept for too long; eating perishable foods past their sell by date or inadequately reheating food stored in the fridge, can lead to illnesses.
Health Which? answers some of the common food safety concerns:
-- Meat based sauces (for example Bolognese sauce) should be eaten or frozen within two days of cooking. After this, potentially harmful microorganisms may have reached levels which could pose risks for some vulnerable groups of people. And oxidation - a chemical reaction - can give the sauce an unpleasant appearance or taste.
-- Bottled water is likely to be safe to drink a few days after opening. The label often indicates how long you can keep it once it's been opened. However, if you drink directly from the bottle, you're likely to contaminate it with bacteria from your mouth, so it's better to use a cup. Keep water in the fridge to slow down deterioration, such as contamination with moulds and algae.
-- Some cheeses are meant to contain mould. But if you find green spots on your Cheddar, throw away the whole block of cheese. It is not enough just to cut off the mould - enzymes and toxins produced by mould can spread without being visible to the naked eye, and may be harmful if you eat them repeatedly.
-- Don't keep the leftovers of your chicken and rice takeaway. Cooked chicken needs to be eaten within two days - and with a takeaway you won't know when the meal was first cooked or whether the meal has been frozen and defrosted. Cooked rice can also pose problems - there's a risk of food poisoning if it has been kept warm and inadequately reheated.
-- Always thaw chicken completely before cooking, otherwise it may not cook all the way through. The fridge is the best place to defrost chicken, but ensure that no liquid drops onto the other food in the fridge.
-- If frozen shopping thaws, small portions of meat, fish or poultry should not be refrozen - keep them in the fridge and use within a few days. Larger items of these foods can be refrozen, provided they still contain frozen sections.
-- Follow date labels on pre-packed foods and check the 'use by' dates on perishable foods (meat, fish, poultry and dairy products) to ensure that the food you eat is safe to eat. 'Best before' dates can be found on less perishable foods (long-life juices, frozen foods). Food past its 'best before' date is likely to be safe, but the quality may have deteriorated.
Sue Freeman, Acting Editor of Health Which?, said:
"It is easy to tell if some foods are no longer fit to eat - food showing visible signs of mould or with an over-powering smell are easily noticeable. But if food displays no clear signs of contamination, it is difficult to determine if the food is safe to eat or if you putting yourself at risk of being poisoned.
"If you think you have contracted food poisoning, you should visit GP and report it directly to the Environmental Health Officer (EHO) at your local council."
Ends
Notes to editors
CAMPYLOBACTER
Sources: Raw or undercooked meat and poultry, and untreated milk and water.
Symptoms: Fever, headache and dizziness followed by abdominal pain and diarrhoea.
SALMONELLA
Sources: Undercooked foods or foods contaminated by raw foods. Most commonly meat, poultry, eggs, milk and other diary products.
Symptoms: Diarrhoea, vomiting, abdominal pain, high temperature. Blood poisoning (septicaemia) and inflammation of the abdominal wall (peritonitis) can occur in severe cases.
LISTERIA
Sources: Occurs naturally in the environment. Foods most commonly implicated are raw vegetables and meat, pates and soft cheeses.
Symptoms: Ranges from mild flu to septicaemia and meningitis. Can cause miscarriage, stillbirth or premature labour in pregnant woman.
Source: Consumers' Association "Fit to eat " briefing
WHICH?
Pot sã-l mãnânci? Pãstrarea în condiþii de siguranþã alimentarã la domiciliu - Can I eat it? Keeping food safe at home - articole medicale engleza - startsanatate