• You can reheat leftovers as often as you like.

Reheating leftovers to a piping-hot temperature should not be an issue. However, every time you cool and reheat your meal, you allow bacteria to grow, thus doing it more than once increases the risk of foodborne illness. If you haven’t frozen your leftovers, eat them within two days. Many harmful substances cause decomposition, which will quickly become apparent in texture, smell, if in doubt, throw it out.

• Food is safe to consume if it is dropped on the ground and picked up within 5 seconds.

Whether it’s 1 second or 10, all bacteria and viruses need to get onto your food – and into your stomach. Although the moisture and stickiness of the food will alter the number of germs that attach to it. If you dropped it during food preparation and it can be saved, and you truly can’t stand throwing it away, rinse it and make sure it’s fully cooked to remove undesired bugs.

• Before refrigerating hot leftovers, allow them to cool fully.

Putting hot food in the fridge can somewhat lower its total temperature, To reduce the chance of bacteria growing on hot food, cool it for up to 30 minutes at room temperature and place it in a shallow dish, cover it, and place it in the fridge, leaving room for air to circulate. Hazardous germs cannot develop at low temperatures, so set your fridge at between 2 and 5 degrees Celsius.

• Cutting boards made of plastic are more hygienic than those made of wood.

The key to keeping a chopping board clean is to properly clean it after each use with hot, soapy water, especially if you’ve been using it for raw meat, fish, or shellfish. Dr Dean O. Cliver’s research on food microbiology and toxicity found that wooden chopping boards retain less bacteria than plastic boards, especially if the plastic has been scratched by blades, offering easy locations for bacteria to hide before moving onto other food. Wood absorbs bacteria because it is porous. Glass and stainless-steel cutting boards, unlike wood, are not porous.

• Bacteria and viruses are killed by freezing food.

Freezing may not always eliminate microorganisms that can contaminate food. The recent frozen berry recall serves as a reminder that diseases such as Hepatitis A can survive freezing, freeze-drying, and temperatures below 85 degrees Celsius. Washing frozen berries does not solve the problem. When the berries begin to defrost, the warmer circumstances allow the bacteria to awaken and multiply. To ensure that your berries are safe to eat, boil or cook them for at least a minute at more than 85 degrees Celsius. then refrigerate them.

• As long as the shellfish is fresh, you can eat it raw.

Vibrio is a type of bacteria naturally living in the sea, and some strains can cause gastroenteritis when consumed. Eating raw or undercooked shellfish, even fresh, can make you ill. Cases of Vibrio parahaemolyticus illness and hospitalizations have been increasing every year over summer. Cook shellfish thoroughly before eating, and keep raw shellfish away from other cooked or ready-to-eat food.

• Before cooking raw chicken, it must be washed.

Because Campylobacter, Salmonella, and other bacteria that cause disease live on raw chicken, chicken in New Zealand has already been washed, so you don’t need to do it again. Rinsing or washing it will allow these bacteria to spread to other places of your kitchen It’s also not a good idea to use the same cutting board, cutlery, or plate for raw and cooked chicken. Anything that has come into contact with raw chicken should be rinsed with hot, soapy water before being used for any other food, including your hands.

• It is acceptable to consume foods after their “use by” date.

If the “use by” date on a packaged food has passed, throw it away. It is not safe to consume. It is prohibited to sell food that has passed its “use by” date. After the “best before” date, food should still be safe to consume, but its quality has probably diminished. Stores may sell food that has passed its “best before” date as long as it is still fit for human consumption. Check the expiration date on your food labels so you can decide whether to eat it or throw it away.

• Food defrosts best when left out on the kitchen counter.

In actuality, leaving your defrosted food on the bench is the way to allow bacteria to flourish in a pleasant environment. Germs grow at temperatures ranging from 5 to 60 degrees Celsius, so thaw your food in the fridge or microwave. 

FOOD SAFETY:

Follow these fundamental food safety standards to keep your food healthy and avoid illness:

• Wash your hands and surface as Germs can travel throughout the kitchen.
• Don’t allow germs to migrate from one food item to the next.
• Food is adequately cooked when it is heated at a high temperature to kill harmful germs.
• To prevent hazardous microorganisms from proliferating and growing, refrigerate the food.  Refrigerators and freezers should be set to 40°F and 0°F, respectively. 

Food poisoning can be avoided if you store your food properly.

Refrigerator Safety:

• Perishable foods should be refrigerated within two hours.
• To ensure quality when freezing meat and poultry in their original packaging, wrap the product again in freezer-safe foil or plastic wrap.
• Fresh poultry, fish, ground meats, and variety of meats should be cooked or frozen within two days; other beef, veal, lamb, or pork should be cooked or frozen within three to five days.
• The refrigerator should be set at 40°F or below, and the freezer to 0°F or lower.
• Fresh poultry, fish, ground meats, and variety of meats should be cooked or frozen within two days; other beef, veal, lamb, or pork should be cooked or frozen within three to five days.
• Perishable foods, such as meat and poultry, should be securely wrapped to protect freshness and prevent meat juices from contaminating other foods.

Safely Eating Out:

• If you feel unwell and believe it was caused by a restaurant meal, notify your local health department.
• Restaurants are responsible for more than half of all foodborne outbreaks. Meat, fish, poultry, and eggs are high risk foods. These foods may contain bacteria that can make you sick if they are not properly cooked. To lessen your chances of being ill, these things must be properly cooked. If your food is undercooked, don’t be scared to return it.