FOOD SAFETY
It was few weeks to my final exam. It started as diarrhea, then followed was headache, malaise, body ache. And then, just when I thought I had had enough, fever followed. Malaria? COVID-19? It was an unpleasant case of enteritis. I was slightly indisposed for more than a week and it left me dreading the thought of ever buying food from a public vendor. I had lost precious time which I could have spent studying, not to mention all the possible differentials that terrorized my mind when the first dose of antibiotics was ineffective; the medical student syndrome.
Sounds familiar?
What is food Safety?
There is a high probability that you have been a victim at one time of poor food safety. The obvious implications of diarrhea with its associated symptoms are more common, however, poor food safety can also lead to more serious complications like cancer. Yes! Cancer.
Food safety refers to handling, preparing and storing food in a way that best reduces the risk of individuals becoming sick from foodborne illnesses. If a food is unsafe, it means that it contains harmful microorganisms (bacteria, viruses, parasites) or chemical substances.
Infection being a reason to most of the diseases out there, it's best food safety measures are practiced.

Why food safety?
According to the World Health Organization W.H.O, an estimated 600 million, almost 1 in 10 people in the world-fall ill after eating contaminated food and 420, 000 people die every year, resulting in the loss of 33 million healthy life years. Children who are under 5 years of age carry 40% of foodborne disease burden, with 125,000 deaths every year.
But all these are largely preventable.
Food safety reduces the incidence of foodborne illnesses which in turn increases our productivity, promotes better health, reduces hospital visits and the percentage of our income spent on treating these illnesses.
In summary, food safety is a really serious business.

How to keep your food safe?
Food can become contaminated at any point of production and distribution, yet a large proportion of foodborne disease incidents are caused by foods improperly prepared or mishandled at home. So here are 3 things you can do to keep your food safe:
The Key is in your hands:
Frequent handwashing before, during and after handling food, after handling contaminated materials, and cleaning surfaces are simple but effective ways to keep the pathogens way. Wash your utensils immediately after use with soap and water, rinse your veggies and fruits with clean, running water, and your body will definitely thank you for it.

Implore Technology:
Ensure you cook your food to the right temperature. Boiling, steaming, stewing, baking, frying, grilling, etc are different methods of cooking. Most bacteria are eliminated at temperatures over 70˚C and parasites in fish and meat can also be killed by cooking them. Also ensure that left over foods which have been properly stored are reheated properly before consuming them.

Store foods properly:
Food-poisoning bacteria grow and multiply fastest between 5˚C and 60˚C, so keep high risk foods (e.g. meat, poultry, dairy products, fruit salads, cooked foods, etc.) out of this temperature zone. Refrigerate perishable food within 2 hours and thaw frozen food safely in refrigerators, in cold water or in the microwave.
It is advised that foods should not be refrigerated for more than 24 hours. If you need to store for longer, store in a freezer. Also store your food in containers that are tightly covered and in good condition. Avoid storing in tins which can rust, and if in doubt, throw it out.

In those times when you cannot make your own food and have to eat out, ensure you eat where you have noticed a good food hygiene and preparation culture, and no history of food poisoning. If you can, reheat the food in a microwave. Store raw food in well-sealed containers and bags. Drink water from a good source, treat your children’s meals with the highest standard of hygiene. Avoid buying food that has been sprayed with pesticides, or that are pest infested. These are a few among the long list of what you can do to keep your food and hence, you and your family safe. Have a healthy week ahead!