Food safety is the practice of handling, preparing, and storing food in a way that reduces the risk of food-borne illness and injury. As food products travel through the supply chain from farm to factory to fork, they may come into touch with a number of health concerns. In order to reduce these hazards and safeguard customers, safe food handling methods and procedures are followed across the whole food production life cycle.

              Food safety is a scientific topic that depends on a variety of academic disciplines, such as chemistry, microbiology, and engineering. Everywhere food items are obtained, produced, processed, stored, or marketed, these various schools of thought or science come together to assure food processing safety. In this context, the term "food safety" refers to an extensive system of cleanliness and accountability that has an impact on every aspect of the global food industry.

               The following are the 5 key measures for food safety:

• Keep clean - When preparing food, wash your hands frequently, after using the restroom, and before touching any food. Every surface and piece of kitchen equipment should be cleaned and sanitized. There should be protection for the food and kitchen against insects, pest, and animals. Despite the fact that the majority of microorganisms do not spread disease, it is common to find harmful bacteria in soil, water, animals, and humans. These microbes are spread via utensils, wipes, and hands. The slightest contact can spread them to food and result in foodborne illnesses, especially cutting boards.
•  Separate raw and cooked foods - Use different tools and utensils, such as knives and cutting boards, when handling raw meat, poultry, and seafood. Separate raw meat,poultry, and seafood from other meals. Food should be kept in containers during storage to prevent contact between raw and cooked items. Because raw foods, especially meat, poultry, and seafood, as well as their juices, might contain dangerous bacteria that can spread to other foods during food preparation and storage, it is imperative to keep raw and cooked meals apart.
• Cook thoroughly - Thoroughly cook all food, particularly meat, poultry, eggs, and shellfish. To ensure that foods like soups and stews have achieved 70 °C, bring them to a boil. Use a food thermometer to check the temperature of meat and poultry to ensure that the fluids are clear rather than pink. It is essential to fully reheat the dish when doing so. Almost all harmful germs can be eliminated with proper cooking. According to studies, heating food to a temperature of 70 °C can ensure that it is suitable for eating. Foods like minced beef, wrapped roasts, big pieces of meat, and whole fowl need special care.
• Keep food at safe temperatures - Never keep cooked food out at room temperature for longer than two hours, and immediately put any prepared and perishable food in the refrigerator (ideally at or below 5 °C). Prior to serving, keep cooked food sizzling hot (greater than 60 °C). Additionally, even in the refrigerator, avoid keeping food for too long because microbes might grow there. Avoid thawing frozen food at room temperature because doing so can cause the germs to grow more quickly. If food is kept at room temperature, microorganisms can grow very quickly. Microorganism growth is delayed or prevented by holding at temperatures below 5 °C or above 60 °C. Below 5 °C, some harmful germs can still flourish.
• Use safe water and raw materials - Use clean water or have it treated. When purchasing vegetables, choose for the freshest options and choose foods that have been safely processed, such as pasteurized milk. Especially if eaten fresh, make sure to wash your produce. Do not consume food after it has expired. Water and ice are examples of raw materials that can be contaminated with harmful microbes and chemicals. Foods with damage or mold may produce toxic compounds. Risk can be decreased by careful raw material selection and easy steps like washing and peeling.

Overall, the primary goal of food safety is to protect food product customers from illnesses or injuries caused by ingesting food. Due to poor food safety, foodborne infections pose a serious risk to the food industry and are a problem for everyone worldwide. Practicing these five (5) key measures for food safety can surely prevent us from having foodborne illness.

//Rianne Mae Cabahug-Central Mindanao University Intern

REFERENCES:

Food safety. (2022, May 19). Retrieved October 17, 2022, from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/food-safety

Safety, N. A. F. (2006, May 15). Five keys to safer food manual. Retrieved October 17, 2022, from https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241594639

StateFoodSafety.com. (2018, August 7). August Cartoon: Importance of Food Safety. Retrieved October 17, 2022, from https://www.statefoodsafety.com/Resources/Resources/august-cartoon-importance-of-food-safety

What is Food Safety? - The Importance of Food Safety in Manufacturing. (n.d.). Retrieved October 17, 2022, from https://www.sesotec.com/apac/en/resources/blog/what-is-food-safety