According to WHO, there are no current studies that show the spread of COVID 19 through contact with food. But proper food handling is important during this pandemic to ensure the safety of our foods. Medical experts say that having good and nutritious food is important during this time of the pandemic to support our immune system.
When we talk about good and nutritious foods, many of you would think that it is all about a balanced diet or the misconception of having fancy food as good food. But the truth is when we talk about good food, we are also talking about safe food. Only safe foods are considered good food. How can we assure good? The answer is proper food handling. The proper handling of food is an art of understanding the basic sciences behind a food product and its possible sources of contamination.
The proper handling of food starts from the farms where the crops are harvested for consumption. Now consumers like us should observe proper food handling from the time we purchase them in the market to our table. Now that we are facing COVID 19, before going to the nearest supermarket prepare your shopping list for easier shopping and always maintain social distancing while wearing your face mask and face shield.
Shopping
Take note that during shopping, always purchase first all your nonperishable products like canned goods before purchasing the perishable and dairy products. It is also best to bring an icebox with an ice pack during shopping for your frozen and dairy products to help them stay longer by maintaining their temperature and prevent them from deteriorating.
Storage
After shopping refrigerates all frozen products within one to two hours when their temperature is around 32.2-degree Celsius. Remember to check the temperature of your refrigerators, it should be at 4.4-degree Celsius or lower and -17.7 degrees Celsius or below for your freezer. Secure the meat by wrapping it properly so that their juices will not get into other products and cause cross-contamination. Placed all your canned products in a cool and dry place and avoid them being exposed to freezing temperature or in direct sunlight.
Preparation and cooking
When preparing food always make sure to follow proper hygiene. Food handlers are also a source of contamination and to prevent contamination from food handlers to take place, always wash your hands with soap and water prior to cooking. Wash all your ingredient with running water and avoid meat juices to contact with other food ingredients to avoid cross-contamination. Use different utensils for different meats and a different set for vegetables. Cook all meats at their correct internal temperature. For beef and pork, the correct internal temperature is 62.8-degree Celsius, and for poultry products is at 73.9-degree Celsius. Use a food thermometer to measure the internal temperatures of your meats.
Serving
When serving food always serve hot products at 60-degree Celsius and 4.4-degree Celsius for cold products. when you're serving food in a buffet where foods will be displayed for a long period of time, always keep the food hot by using a slow cooker or a warming tray.
Leftover
Every time you have leftover, discard any food that was left at room temperature for two hours. keep the acceptable leftover in a container with a cover and subject it to refrigeration or freezing for rapid cooling and consume it within 4 days.
following proper food handling during this pandemic is very important to have access to good and nutritious food that will support our immune system and to help avoid ourselves infected with the said virus. Proper food handling also avoid us from getting a foodborne illness. always remember "only safe food is considered good food!"
In our family,we eat varied food with a lot fruits and vegetables.I think that this is the best way to get all vitamins and minerals.For now,we avoided from corona virus and flu.