World Food Safety Day 2024: A Guide To Providing Safe Food To Your Family And Guests

Food isn't just sustenance; it's the cornerstone of our well-being. While nutritious meals bolster our health, unsafe foods can invite a host of illnesses. This is why we observe World Food Safety Day every June 7, an initiative led by the World Health Organization (WHO) to highlight the significance of safe food practices. Safe and hygienic food is important for good health. Every small step goes a long way in bringing food safety on a larger scale. And this can start with our kitchens! Let's make every day World Food Safety Day by prioritising safety in our kitchens.

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World Food Safety Day 2024: Theme And Objective

This year's theme is 'Food safety: prepare for the unexpected.' WHO writes on its website, "World Food Safety Day on June 7, 2024, highlights food safety incidents, stressing the importance of readiness in facing them, no matter their severity."

Food safety incidents entail potential or confirmed health risks linked to food consumption, arising from accidents, insufficient controls, fraud, or natural events. While policymakers, authorities, and food producers bear responsibilities, consumers also have a vital role to play.
To maintain food safety in your home, you can follow some straightforward yet essential practices, and fortify your home against foodborne risks, safeguarding your family's health.

Also Read: Sticking To Home-Cooked Meals? Here Are 10 Tips To Practice Food Safety

World Food Safety 2024: Here Are 5 Tips To Ensure Food Safety At Home:
 

1. Maintain Hygiene:

After each cooking session, ensure thorough washing of hands, utensils, countertops, and gas stoves. Regular daily cleaning with deeper cleans every few days inhibits bacterial growth. This simple practice significantly reduces the risk of foodborne illnesses. 

2. Handle Raw Foods with Care:

Raw foods, such as meats and seafood, are breeding grounds for harmful bacteria. Keep them refrigerated at all times and separate from cooked foods to prevent cross-contamination. This precaution minimizes the spread of pathogens and maintains food freshness. 

3. Fortify Kitchen Defenses:

Pests like insects and rodents can carry diseases and contaminate food. Ensure all kitchen outlets leading outdoors are tightly sealed to prevent their entry. Additionally, install protective nets on windows to create an additional barrier against small insects. These measures safeguard your kitchen environment and protect your family's health.

4. Maintain Produce Purity:

Even organic produce can harbour harmful bacteria and pesticides. Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly under running water before consumption, regardless of their source. This simple step eliminates surface contaminants and reduces the risk of foodborne illnesses.

5. Master Precision Cooking:

Cooking food to the correct internal temperature is crucial for killing harmful bacteria. Use a food thermometer to ensure meats, poultry, seafood, and other perishables reach safe cooking temperatures. This practice guarantees that your meals are not only delicious but also safe for consumption.

Practising Food Safety In Restaurants:

If you run a restaurant or hotel kitchen, it is important to provide safe and hygienic food to your guests/customers. We asked industry leaders how they practice food safety in their kitchens.

Chef Manisha Bhasin, Corporate Executive chef, ITC Hotels, told us, "At ITC Hotels we ensure 100% food safety by following the best Industry practices across all our brands. Once the ingredients reach our kitchens, they go through a number of rigorous procedures including food storage temperature controls, food segregation, allergen protocols, staff and food-handlers hygiene, well-maintained food production premises and many more. ITC Hotels pioneered in-house food testing microbiology labs - "WelcomLabs". Microbial testing is essential to identify any spoilage organisms present. All our food/ingredients and water are sent to the lab for regular testing to ensure that everything being served is free of any pathogens. To achieve this, it is important that the team is sensitized and trained on all the parameters of personal hygiene, safe food production and storage.

Rajeev Ranjan, MD, McDonald's India - North and East explains how their sustainable practices contribute to food safety - "At McDonald's India - North and East, our customers value how responsibly the ingredients - that go into making our high-quality delicious food - are grown and how efficient & environment-friendly our manufacturing, warehousing, and transportation infrastructure and processes are. That's why our freshly ground McCafe coffee uses 100% Arabica beans grown on Rainforest Alliance Certified farms, supporting coffee farmers to improve their productivity using sustainable methods and better farm management. Local sourcing of lettuce has helped support the livelihoods of more than 250 small and marginal farmers across the country and helped equip them with good agricultural practices. 100% of Vegetable oil used in our restaurants supports sustainable production and deforestation-free supply chains. Oil quality is monitored regularly to ensure safe Total polar material (TPM) limits. Our food sourcing and food safety processes & practices across the farm-to-fork value chain are completely science-based and ensure that every McDonald's meal is safe, fresh, flavourful, and delicious.

A spokesperson from JW Marriott Goa said, "At Marriott, our food safety program encompasses a Global HACCP Plan and FSSAI compliance. We emphasize hygiene and cleanliness, adhere to strict food temperature controls, and provide regular food safety training for all operational associates. All food handlers and supervisors are trained on safe food preparation and service."

 
Together, we can create a healthier and safer environment for ourselves and our families. Happy World Food Safety Day 2024!

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)