How to sanitize food – How to avoid contamination risks

How to sanitize food – How to avoid contamination risks

See the best way to sanitize food. They have great risks of contamination that can cause gastrointestinal infections

First of all, as soon as you arrive from the supermarket/market you need to wash your hands very well and then start cleaning the food. This is the first step on how to clean food correctly.

In short, all food needs to be sanitized and then stored very well. Because they arrive at your home after a long process. Contamination can occur at all stages of the production cycle: at the planting site, through the use of fertilizers, during harvesting, transportation, storage and even at the point of sale.

This way the food is completely dirty. Therefore, they can cause allergies, intestinal infections, liver disease and even cancer. So stay tuned and hurry to put our tips into practice.

Wash the hands

As previously stated, at first you need to wash your hands. Thoroughly clean your hands with liquid soap, including rubbing the back, nails and between your fingers. Because there’s no point in sanitizing food if your hands are dirty.

Selection

The next step on how to sanitize food is to organize everything. Start by removing the parts that are damaged, bruised and also the inedible parts.

Wash in running water

Frequently wash well, one by one, under running water, never wash in basins, as you will only be spreading the dirt. The vegetables must be washed well, running your fingers over the entire skin to remove soil, bruised pieces of the leaf and above all the larvae.

Why vinegar is not the best option

The Ministry of Health’s recommendation is that raw greens and vegetables be sanitized by soaking in chlorine-based solutions, not vinegar. Since vinegar is not enough to kill microorganisms that can cause illness.

Place in sodium hypochlorite solution

In a bowl, make a solution with 1 liter of water and 1 tablespoon of bleach or use sodium hypochlorite, according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. Add fruits, vegetables or greens. Take care that all parts of the vegetables remain in this solution. 15 to 20 minutes is recommended for this process. Then wash thoroughly under running water.

However, another tip is to wash the vegetables with a brush, warm water and soap, to remove dirt visible to the naked eye.

Take care

Above all, pay close attention. You cannot use products to sanitize food that say on the packaging that they are bleaches, cleaners, stain removers, as these contain other substances such as dyes, fragrances, detergents, which can be toxic. Therefore, the packaging must clearly state that it is bleach, and that the product complies with Anvisa regulations.

Time to let it dry

After removing the food and washing it one by one under running water, it’s time to let it dry. The process can be done with the help of utensils or you can let them dry naturally.

Time to store

Finally, the last step on how to best sanitize food is to store each one in the best way. This also avoids the risk of contamination.

First of all, fruits and green vegetables should be kept out of the refrigerator. Only put them in the fridge when they are ripe.

Secondly, never put onions and potatoes in the same place, the potatoes will start to sprout, which is worse for your cooking.

And thirdly, vegetables need air current when they are outdoors. However, do not leave them in a closed box or under the sink, as they tend to rot faster. The best alternative are plastic baskets that are ventilated and placed in spaces where air circulates.

See more tips on how to clean food

Some kitchen utensils can contaminate food. Learn how to sanitize these objects.

Board

In short, using a knife causes the wooden board to become cracked, which can accumulate water and food debris, ideal breeding ground for microorganisms. Therefore, this board is less recommended, and it is even prohibited in restaurants. The tip is that you choose a tempered glass board, which is easy to clean, dry and doesn’t hold any smell. The plastic version is basically the same as the wooden version, over time bacteria enter the cracks and pass into your food.

Dish cloth

Due to humidity, the dish towel can contaminate food with fungi and bacteria, so change it every day. To clean, boil the cloth for five minutes in 1 liter of water with 1 tablespoon of baking soda and then wash it normally.

Packaging

Packaging can contain large amounts of microbes, parasites or toxic substances, so wash them well before consuming canned food or long-life milk, for example.

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Sources: Vila Mulher Minha Vida Unimed

Featured image: Voz do plateau