Remember that famous dinner that ruined your birthday?
Maybe it was the custard you didn't keep in the fridge, or the mayonnaise you prepared at home... All it took was a moment's distraction, your dirty hands, to ruin the party!
Every year in Italy, around half a million people fall ill as a result of food poisoning, many of which occur in the home.
7 June is World Food Safety Day, not just another day to mark on the calendar or social media. It is an important reminder: what you do when you come back from the supermarket, how you store food, how you prepare it, can make the difference between a perfect dinner and a night in the emergency room.
The truth is that most food poisoning can be avoided with a few everyday gestures. Gestures that probably no one has ever really taught you.
Think you know your way around the kitchen? Put yourself to the test. In this blog you will find out if your habits really protect you or if you are risking more than you imagine.
Let's start now - your health cannot wait.
The golden rules for safe cooking (that everyone should know)
Did you know that every year around 400,000 people around the world die from eating unsafe food? And of these, almost 5,000 live in Europe. This is according to official WHO sources.
Considering that we eat three to five times a day, it goes without saying that food is a crucial part of our daily lives to which we must pay close attention. Especially if we are the ones who prepare the food.
But what are the rules for safely eating food prepared at home? It starts with the kitchen as a physical place, because this is where food is prepared.
The watchword: cleanliness
You know how, when we were kids, our mothers always recommended that we wash our hands before eating? Even if we all turned up our noses at that “boring” reminder, Mum (as always) was right: washing your hands, not only when eating but also when cooking, is necessary.
If you are handling different foods, you have to be even more careful because contamination is always lurking, and everything we touch inevitably ends up in our bodies.
In addition, it is essential to keep the surfaces with which food comes into contact, such as tables, containers and fridge shelves, clean.
But what are the main sources of contamination and why do we need to be careful?
Contamination occurs when harmful substances such as parasites, fungi, viruses and bacteria come into contact with food, making it potentially harmful to our health by causing intoxication or other problems.
There are 3 types of contamination:
Biological: the most common and dangerous. It includes bacteria (such as Salmonella, E. coli), viruses, parasites and moulds, micro-organisms that multiply rapidly under favourable conditions of temperature and humidity.
Chemical: due to pesticides, detergents, heavy metals or excess additives. It can occur during food production, processing or storage.
Physical: the presence of foreign bodies such as glass, plastic, hair, insects or other materials that should not be in food
What can you do to avoid these contaminations?
- Keep food at the right temperature - sprepare raw and cooked - foodscook food properly - always check expiry dates - use clean utensils and equipmentwash - fruit and vegetables well under running water
TIP: It may sound silly, but using the same dishcloth to dry hands and dishes at the same time is also a big mistake. To each his own. The same goes for sponges: never confuse the one for dishes with the one for surfaces and vice versa.
From supermarket to fridge: the most common mistakes we make
"Let your mum send you for milk', sang Gianni Morandi... Yes, but then run and put it in the fridge!
Proper food storage starts in the supermarket, the moment you put the ingredients in the trolley. Doing your shopping haphazardly, paying little attention and perhaps at the hottest time of day can cost you dearly, and not only in terms of money.
Here are our tips for good shopping:
- put “dry” products in the trolley first, then refrigerated products and finally frozen
- products to reduce time out of the cold chain carry cool bags, especially in summer, for frozen and fresh products
- Organize food in cart and bags; keep raw meat, fish, cleaning products, and ready-to-eat foods separate to avoid cross-contamination.
- Minimize the time between 'purchase and home storage by avoiding prolonged stops in the car, especially with perishable foods
- Do not leave groceries in the car in the sun, especially in summer
- Place bags in cool areas of the passenger compartment, avoid the trunk exposed to the sun, and use air conditioning if necessary
- Immediately check the condition of perishable foods upon return and immediately arrange those requiring refrigeration
And once you get home? Now is the time to arrange the groceries properly.
Do you know how to place foos in the refrigerator and pantry?
No, one place is not the same as another. Imagine the refrigerator as being " zoned"
In the upper part go matured cheeses and vacuum-packed cold cuts.
In the middle part milk, yoghurt, fresh cheeses, cold cuts and already cooked food (cold and sealed in containers).
In the lower part fish and meat (obviously packaged and well separated).
In the drawers fruit and vegetables, preferably in breathable bags or special containers.
Use the door for water, soft drinks and spirits and remember that it is the part where the temperature is less constant because it is opened often.
And eggs? Better to keep them in the middle part, where the temperature is more constant; but they are a delicate food and deserve a separate discussion.
The safest cooking methods (and those to avoid)
Did you know that improperly cooking food is one of the main causes of household food poisoning? Cooking food well is not just about making it taste better: it means turning heat into a safety tool.
Heat is indeed the best ally against contamination, but only if we know how to use it in the right way.
According to the WHO, 1 in 10 people fall ill every year from eating contaminated food. Let us take a comprehensive look at the main cooking methods, with a few useful tips.
🟢 SAFE METHODS
Boiling and steaming The cooking of food reduces the risk of infection, eliminating bacteria such as Salmonella as early as 70/75
Baking
This is temperature-controlled baking in which the heat is uniform and reaches every part of the food. TIP: For poultry it is best to reach a temperature of no less than 75° in the innermost part.
Low-temperature cooking
Ideal for fine meat and fish, it kills pathogenic microorganisms thanks to the extended cooking time.
Grill and barbecue
Typical of summer and convivial moments, these methods are much appreciated for the taste they give food, but they must be used with care. In fact, the charring of meat can generate potentially carcinogenic molecules.TIP: turn food often on the grill to avoid charring.
Frying
Beloved by all for its taste and crunchiness, this method should be limited because of the risks of high oil temperatures and the harmful substances that can develop when exceeding 180°.TIP: Want to fry safely? Here are the golden rules for (occasional) good frying:
- do not exceed 180°
- use quality oil (the best is evo oil because it has the highest smoke point)
- change the oil often if you have to fry a lot of things
- avoid frying food for too long
What about the famous air fryer cooking so much in vogue in recent years? It is an interesting method, as is microwave cooking.
🔥 TEMPERATURE: YOUR ALLEADY
These are the minimum safe temperatures for certain foods. So you can eat them with confidence!
- Poultry: 75°C at the core
- Beef/pork: 70°CFish: 70°C
- Eggs: Salmonella dies at around 70-75°C, the temperature reached when the yolk becomes firm.
🌡️ TIP: Buy a kitchen thermometer, it will help you better control the temperature during cooking.
The 10 questions everyone asks in the kitchen
We're sure you, too, have asked yourself one of these age-old questions at least once! They are the most searched questions on the web and we have also found the answer. Read on and find out if you've got anything wrong so far!
- Should I wash the chicken before cooking it? Absolutely not because you risk spreading bacteria on surfaces or utensils
- Can I defrost at room temperature? No, leaving food at room temperature encourages bacterial proliferation; it is better to defrost in the fridge or microwave using the special programme
- Is the cutting board for meat also good for vegetables? No, because bacteria from raw meat can contaminate vegetables; better to use different cutting boards
- Can I put cooked food back in the fridge while it is still hot? No, the heat can raise the temperature of the refrigerator, compromising the preservation of other food. Better to wait for it to cool down
- How long do leftovers last in the fridge? Usually 2-3 days at most, depending on the food. It is always a good idea to seal them in airtight containers
- Should I wash packaged vegetables? Even if the label states “ready-to-eat” or “already washed”, it is advisable to wash the vegetables again with an additional rinse to remove any pesticide residues or other contaminants.
- How can I tell if an egg is still good? Do the test: dip it in a glass of water. If it sinks and stays horizontal, it's fresh; if it floats, it's ruined.
- What to do if I find mould on cheese/bread? On bread it is better to throw everything away, because mould extends beyond the visible part. On mature cheeses you can cut off the mouldy part with a margin of 2-3 cm, while on fresh cheeses throw everything away.
- Can I refreeze a defrosted foodstuff? Only if it has been fully cooked in the meantime. Never refreeze meat, fish or raw vegetables that have already been defrosted: there is a risk of bacterial proliferation.
- ‘Can I taste a raw foodstuff (such as cake batter) before baking? ’Even if the temptation is strong, it is better to avoid it. Tasting raw dough, especially if it contains eggs, can expose you to the risk of Salmonella or E. coli infections.It is better to be patient and wait until the food is fully cooked
By following these simple rules, we can all contribute to a safer kitchen for ourselves and those around us. For more tips, keep following us on our blog!