The last couple of months have subjected most of humanity, to historic highs across certain feelings we didn’t pay a lot of attention to earlier. And by earlier, I mean before a raging pandemic changed the landscape of life. Now, however, stress about one’s safety, incessant worrying about health concerns, and the fear of getting infected, are some of the most globally and intensely experienced emotions. It’s not like we didn’t care about staying healthy during our pre-Coronavirus lives, but our brains are certainly a lot warier, and eyes more open, to the potential threats we can get exposed to.
Let’s all devote some time, to go over these 5 tips for food safety and learn about the food safety precautions one can take.
First Things First, Wash Your Hands
Luckily for those of us who didn’t previously have this habit, a pandemic has definitely proved to be sound enough reason to start. But in the context of cooking in your kitchen, washing your hands thoroughly with soap and water before you touch any of the ingredients, is absolutely crucial to prevent contamination of food. Warm water is preferable, and you need to mindfully scrub every part of your hand, fingers and nails. If possible, it’s also advisable to turn off the tap with a paper towel, instead of directly touching it with your now clean hands.
Sanitise Your Kitchen Counter And Sink With Chlorine Bleach And Water
Even when we are more careful than usual, some kitchen ingredients like vegetables and fruits, as well as utensils are highly likely to come into contact with your kitchen countertop, and the sink. So sanitising these surfaces every day, is immensely important to prevent the transfer of disease-causing germs and microbes onto your food particles. Either use a sanitizer to disinfect these surfaces, or you can prepare a homemade solution of chlorine bleach with water, and wipe down these surfaces carefully.
Regularly Clean Your Appliances, Especially The Buttons And Knobs
This includes the appliances you use often, like a microwave oven, mixer-grinder or a toaster, as well as appliances you whip out occasionally. Clean the inside and outside of these appliances with water and a safe cleaning agent of your choice. Be sure to pay extra attention to surfaces like buttons and knobs that are both prone to the accumulation of bacteria and germs, as well as likely to be directly touched by the person cooking.
Replace Cutting Boards With Cracks And Chinks
In most Indian households, cutting boards aren’t replaced as frequently as they should be. As a result, cracks, scratches and chinks caused by knives or other tools, act as crevices where bacteria can accumulate, and cause diseases when your food comes into contact. Hence, it’s highly advisable that you pay attention to these, and replace your chopping board the moment it starts seeming unsanitary.
Rinse All Your Produce Under Running Water
Before you eat, cut or cook fruits and vegetables, you need to rinse them under running tap water for a couple of minutes. This is an important step we often overlook, especially if we eventually plan to peel or cut the produce. However, to prevent the transmission of microbes from the dirty outside of your produce, to the insides you will consume, a thorough rinse under warm water is crucial.
