You know your healthy food choices and you have already chosen to eat a healthy diet. The next question is: How Can You Be Sure that Your Food is Safe to Eat? For this, we bring you a guide that will help you get the best nutrition, minus the risk of contamination.

Six Safety Measures in Handling and Cooking Food:

1. Wash Your Hands – Thoroughly

Just how long do you wash your hands? Some of us do it unconsciously that we may not be aware of how long have we done so. If you’re handling meats and veggies, wash your hands each time you move from one to another. You also need to wash your hands before eating ready-to-eat foods. The best way to do this is to count up to 20 when rubbing your hands under water. Use soap to get rid of bacteria.

2. Wash Your Veggies – ASAP ( as soon as possible! )

Many have made the mistake of washing vegetables before putting it in the fridge. If you do this, you create a perfect breeding ground for molds and microbes. Do wash your vegetables before cooking. You may soak it in a bowl of water with a few drops of vinegar, for a natural cleanse. You need to discard the outer layers of cabbages and lettuces. Rinse it well.

3. Wash All Types of Fruits

Just because a fruit’s skin is not edible doesn’t mean you can skip on washing it. Bananas and melons can carry bacterial risk too, by simply slicing it through with a knife. Rinse the skin well and if possible, use a brush to scrub off any dirt. For extra safety, dispose the brush after use. You also have to cut the stem of tomatoes, peppers, or strawberries so bacteria won’t seep in.

4. Don’t Clean as You Cook

You may want your kitchen to look tidy while you’re cooking, but you might just bring in more harm than good. Don’t use the same dish towel to wipe everything and never place raw meat over your kitchen counter. Dish towels are for dying hands. Use paper towels or antibacterial wipes for wiping down everything else.

5. Don’t Set Aside Meals On or In the Oven

You like to keep your food warm and that’s where the food warmer comes in, not your kitchen oven. Know that bacteria loves anything between 41F – 135F. So, if you’re saving the meal for later and want to have it fresh, put the food in the fridge until there’s a need to serve it. Remember that toxins can be formed when food is left out too long. Store hot leftovers in shallow containers so it can cool quickly.

6. Use a Meat Thermometer

Your eyes can deceive you when cooking meat. You may see a crispy golden brown outside, but you may have a raw meat inside. The safest way to make sure that the meat is well-cooked is to stick the meat thermometer in the center and make sure the readings are 160F or higher. Wash the thermometer after every testing. What can you get from an undercooked pork? Simple, you can get pork tapeworms which can form cysts inside your brains. Watch this to see for yourself.

By being extra safe in handling your healthy food choices, you are two steps closer to your ultimate goal, of living a healthy, balanced life… Naturally. Take that Extra Care!

ConsumerAffairs.com on Food Safety: