Prevention of food poisoning

Prevention of food poisoning

[A]Food hygiene

(1) Purchase of food
Select fresh meat and vegetable.
Purchase food from hygienic, reliable and reputable sources to ensure quality.
Do not patronise unlicensed hawkers or food stalls selling cooked food.
Read and follow the storage instructions, and pay attention to the "use by" or "best before" date on food labels when buying prepacked food.
Do not buy any food that is abnormal in appearance, for example: canned food in rusty, expanded or dented cans.

(2) Handling of food
Food should be thoroughly washed before storage or cooking. Meat and seafood must be thoroughly cooked.
Food should be consumed as soon as it is served. Hot food should be eaten when it is still hot and cold dishes should be stored in the refrigerator until consumption.
Use different sets of chopping blocks and knives for cutting raw and cooked food.

(3) Storage of food
Raw and cooked food should be stored separately to avoid cross contamination. Place cooked food  in the upper compartment of refrigerator.
Cooked food, unless consumed at once, should be kept below 4oC or above 63oC. Do not store food under room temperature to avoid multiplication of bacteria.
Leftover food should be stored in  the refrigerator and re-heated thoroughly before consumption.
Refrigerator should be cleaned  properly and regularly and its temperature should be kept below 4oC.
Do not store excessive  amount of food in the refrigerator to avoid affecting cold air circulation.

[B] Personal hygiene
Wash hands with soap and water after going to the toilet and before handling food.
Anybody who suffers from diarrhoea or vomiting should not handle or touch any food to
avoid bacteria contaminating the food.
Bandage wounds with waterproof plasters before handling any food.

[C] Environmental hygiene
Put all rubbish & food remains into a dustbin and cover it up tightly.
Dustbin must be emptied frequently and regularly.
Clean the kitchen frequently and regularly  to prevent harbouring rats and insects.