Dietitians of Canada

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Sep 01 2010

What can I do to help keep my food safe?

Canada has one of the safer and more plentiful food supplies in the world. All stakeholders from farmers to processors, transporters, inspectors, retailers and others work together to provide us with high quality food every day.

Food borne illness can occur if we eat food that has been contaminated by pathogens that can make us ill. Pathogens include bacteria, molds, viruses and parasites which can produce symptoms ranging from upset stomach, to vomiting and diarrhea. There are sometimes complications especially for those who are young, old, pregnant or have a compromised-immune system due to chronic illness or other illnesses.  In rare cases death from food borne pathogens can result.

Bacteria, too small to be seen by the eye, grow best in warm, moist and non acidic food. Traditionally, foods such as eggs, dairy products, meat, poultry, fish and shellfish have been associated with foodborne illness. However, other products such as raw fruits and vegetables and under-processed juices have also been implicated in food borne outbreaks in Canada.

We, as consumers, have a part to play in protecting ourselves and our families. Fortunately, we can do our part to reduce the risk of foodborne illness by using safe food handling practices when shopping for, storing, and cooking food. 

Important practices include:

Safe Shopping:

• Buy all perishable foods such as refrigerated meats, fish and poultry, deli meats, eggs, and milk as well as your frozen food LAST and get it home FAST to your refrigerator or freezer.
• Buy food in good condition; cans should be free of dents, cracks or bulging sides or lids; seals on packages should not be broken; frozen foods should be solid; refrigerated food should feel cool to the touch.
• Buy fresh fruits and vegetables that are free of bruises or blemishes and not wilted.

Safe food storage:

• Freeze or refrigerate foods that are not shelf-stable as soon as you arrive home from your shopping trip. Shelf stable foods are dried or in a can or container not requiring refrigeration for safety. If a large package of chilled meat or poultry needs to be separated and packed in smaller containers prior to freezing, do so quickly. Wash your hands well before and after, and clean all cutting boards, knives and work surfaces thoroughly.
• Be sure your refrigerator and freezer are working properly and keeping food cold or frozen. The refrigerator should keep food at 4C or 40F or lower, but not so cold that milk or vegetables freeze. The freezer should be kept at -18C or 0F.
• Place packages of raw meat or poultry on a plate on the bottom of the refrigerator so the juices do not run off and contaminate other foods in the refrigerator.
• Discard foods with signs of mould.
• Refrigerate leftover foods that are likely to cause illness (non acidic, moist foods such as meat, poultry and fish dishes, soups and sauces) promptly; otherwise, discard after two hours at room temperature.
• For more information of safe food storage, click here

Safe food cooking:

• Use a digital food thermometer to check doneness and to verify that food has reached a safe temperature when cooking.
• Allow adequate cooking time if foods are frozen or partly frozen when put into the microwave or oven to cook.
• Cook to a safe internal temperature. 
• Always reheat leftovers properly. For more information, click here

In summary:
 

One way to fight bacteria or eliminate the harmful effects of pathogens when handling food and reduce the risk of food poisoning is to follow the four important steps recommended by FightBAC! You can find more food safety information here and at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency website here.

CLEAN: Before, during and after cooking, wash your hands and all surfaces that come in contact with food; wash well and often.

CHILL: Return foods to the refrigerator or freezer promptly after using.

SEPARATE: Keep raw meat, poultry and seafood and their juices separate from one another and from other foods. Don’t use tools or dishes that touched raw meat or cooked meat or other ready-to eat foods without thoroughly washing first.

COOK: Cook foods adequately. Don’t rely on colour changes only.