Published by Bupa’s Health Information Team, November 2010.
Good food hygiene isn’t just something for restaurants to worry about. Whether you’re a budding chef or more at home with microwave meals and beans on toast, it’s important to know how to prepare food safely and hygienically. This article explains why food hygiene is important, and how to maintain it.
Every day people get ill from the food they eat. Micro-organisms including bacteria, viruses and moulds found in food can cause food poisoning, leading to a whole host of unpleasant symptoms, such as stomach pains, diarrhoea and vomiting.
Food poisoning can sometimes lead to gastroenteritis (inflammation of the stomach and bowel), or more serious health problems such as blood poisoning (septicaemia) and kidney failure.
Anyone can get food poisoning but some people, including babies, children and older people, are more likely to have serious symptoms. It’s important to eat healthily if you’re pregnant, and you need to be particularly careful not to get food poisoning.
Just bearing in mind a few simple points can help prevent a bout of food poisoning for you and your family.
It sounds simple enough, but many of us are guilty of forgetting – one of the most important things you can do is to make sure that your hands are clean at all times. This doesn’t mean just passing your hands under the tap – give them a proper scrub with soap. In particular, remember to wash your hands:
If possible, remove any rings, watches and bracelets before you handle food. This is because bacteria can hide under these and get transferred to your food.
Before you start preparing any food, make sure that the area you’re working in and the utensils you’re using are clean. Clean worktops thoroughly and wash utensils with washing up liquid and hot water, or use a dishwasher if you have one. Make sure you clean up any spilt food straight away.
Change all tea towels, dishcloths and other cleaning materials regularly as these can harbour bacteria, especially if they are left damp.
If you don’t follow the storage guidelines that come with your food, you could be letting yourself in for real problems. Storing food in the wrong place or at the wrong temperature can lead to the growth of bacteria.
There are a few points to remember when it comes to preparing your food.
Don't handle food if you have stomach problems such as diarrhoea or vomiting, or if you're sneezing or coughing regularly.
Check the food labels before you decide what to use. Shop-bought foods may come with two dates: a use-by date and a best before date. Don’t use any foods that have passed their use-by date, even if you think they look fine, as they may not be safe to eat. However, you can use food after its best before date as this only refers to the quality of the food, rather than the safety of eating it. The only exception is eggs, which contain a type of bacteria called Salmonella that may multiply after the best before date. So always throw eggs away once this date has passed.
Keep anything that should be refrigerated out of the fridge for as short a time as possible, especially if the temperature is high or the room is very warm.
Always use different chopping boards and utensils to prepare raw meat or fish. This is because they contain harmful bacteria that can spread to anything they touch so they should be kept away from other foods. The bacteria are removed during cooking, but it’s important not to let them come into contact with any food that you’re not going to cook before eating it.You can buy colour-coded chopping boards (for example, red for raw meat and green for fruit and vegetables), which can help to prevent confusion.
Cooking food at temperatures over 70°C will kill off any bacteria. If food isn't cooked at a high enough temperature, bacteria can still survive.
For sources and links to further information, see Resources.
BMI is a measurement used to work out if you are a healthy weight for your height. Calculate your BMI now.
You can't put a value on your health. Bupa Health Assessments help you identify any current or potential health risks, meaning you can take action now. Compare our range of health assessments
or call 0845 600 3458 quoting ref. HFS100.
This information was published by Bupa's Health Information Team and is based on reputable sources of medical evidence. It has been reviewed by appropriate medical or clinical professionals. Photos are only for illustrative purposes and do not reflect every presentation of a condition. The content is intended only for general information and does not replace the need for personal advice from a qualified health professional. For more details on how we produce our content and its sources, visit the About our Health Information page.
Publication date: November 2010
For life's ups and downs try Bupa Health Insurance
Get the immediate attention you need with our private GP service. Most appointments are within one working day.