Knowing the burden of disease – or how many illnesses occur – provides us with a better understanding of an important public health problem. On February 18, the Food registration Food Safety and Standards Authority of India released the latest estimates providing the most accurate picture yet of illnesses because of consuming bad food in India. The estimates show how many people got sick, were hospitalized, or died because of consuming bad food due to the seven most common germs. Food Safety and Standards Authority of India estimates that six germs were responsible for an estimated 44.5 million illnesses linked to food eaten in India. To protect your family and yourself from food disease, always follow the four steps to food safety.
Wash Your Hands, Utensils, and Surfaces Often Doing so helps prevent the spread of germs that can make you sick. Wash your hands before, during, and after preparing food. Wash surfaces and utensils after each use. Wash fruits and vegetables, but not meat, poultry, or eggs.
Separate Foods When preparing food, use separate cutting boards and plates for produce, meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs. Keep ready-to-eat foods separated from these foods to prevent the spread of germs.
Cook to the Right Temperature Use a food thermometer to make sure your food is cooked to a safe temperature. Cooking kills germs that can make you sick. Refer to this safe minimum internal temperature chart when cooking your favorite foods.
Chill Food Properly Do not leave perishable foods out of refrigeration for more than 2 hours. Remember, the safest way to thaw meat is in the refrigerator and not on the counter. Take a look at the cold food storage chart to learn how long different foods can be safely stored in the fridge before needing to be thrown away.
Cold Food Storage Chart Follow the guidelines below for storing food in the refrigerator and freezer. The short time limits for home-refrigerated foods will help keep them from spoiling or becoming dangerous to eat. The guidelines for freezer storage are for quality only—frozen foods stored continuously at 0°F (-18°C) or below can be kept indefinitely. There is a chart that shows the right temperature for each item.
