How to avoid food poisoning during the Easter holidays: State Food and Consumer Service gives advice
Kyiv • UNN
The State Food and Consumer Service reminds of the importance of following hygiene and food safety rules when preparing Easter dishes. Thorough processing of products and proper storage will help to avoid poisoning.
Soon one of the biggest religious holidays - Easter. In order to avoid food poisoning or acute intestinal infections, it is necessary to recall the basic rules that must be followed when preparing festive dishes. This was reported by the State Consumer Service of Ukraine, writes UNN.
Details
Experts of the State Service for Food Safety said that as on other days, during the celebration of Easter holidays, you should follow six simple rules that will help avoid food poisoning.
Wash your hands and products before cooking. Especially if you have touched raw meat, fish, eggs the day before. Wash vegetables and fruits thoroughly with drinking water when consuming them, pay special attention to greens, lettuce leaves. They need to be washed thoroughly in running water.
Separate raw and cooked food. Cut raw products separately from cooked ones, use separate knives and cutting boards. Ideally, you should have a separate board and knife for meat, fish and vegetables. Raw and cooked products should also be stored separately.
Cook food thoroughly. Prolonged heat treatment helps to neutralize pathogenic microorganisms that may be in food. Avoid undercooked meat and, especially, fish, because pathogenic microorganisms develop rapidly in such products.
Store food at a safe temperature. Perishable products (boiled sausages, meat salads containing eggs, dairy products, etc.) should be stored in the refrigerator at a temperature not higher than +4 ℃, observe the established storage periods. Cooked food can be stored at room temperature for no more than two hours.
Avoid places of spontaneous trade. Buy food products and food raw materials (eggs, meat, dairy products) only in stationary trade establishments, in authorized markets. Always check the expiration date and adhere to the consumption dates.
Choose a safe dye for eggs. Be sure to pay attention to the composition of the powder for coloring Easter eggs. The safest way is to use natural dyes.
If you notice the first signs of food poisoning, the State Consumer Service advised to immediately consult a doctor.
