Many pathogenic microorganisms feel like Pedro for his home with high temperatures typical for the summer season. As a rule, the ambient temperature is already suitable for the reproduction of these microbes. But if you add to this the proximity to 30-35 ºC in summer, then everything gets out of control. And with it, food poisoning.
These temperatures favor the growth of pathogens that can get into our food and completely ruin our weekend at the beach. Fortunately, today we will offer you a number of tips to Don’t complicate food safety summer and you can enjoy the beauty of sunburn. No need to run to the toilet. Or to the hospital, at the very least.
As we told you in hypertextfood poisoning they are not a joke. Sometimes we believe that they will only give us a night of uncontrollable passion next to the toilet, but nothing is further from reality. Food poisoning in extreme cases can lead to death, so they deserve at least respect. Of course, do not panic or get hung up. We just need to follow some basic food hygiene tips that can help minimize the risk of infection.
wash your hands please
Today, in the middle of 2022 and after an intense period of the COVID-19 pandemic, there are still bars and restaurants that They do not offer soap in the bathrooms. their toilets. This terrible atrocity of microbes does not deserve to go unpunished. If such a case comes across, I advise you to quickly run from your place. Not the best of omens. If you choose to stay, it is best to ask the facility manager for an adequate form of hygiene for your hooves after using the toilet. The most effective way to kill pathogens is to wash your hands with soap and water.
If you don’t, you risk transmitting pathogenic bacteria through the fecal-oral route and very possibly food poisoning. Yes, that’s the technical name for when pathogens get into our food. ass to mouth for not washing our hands after going to the toilet. More graphics are not possible. Some bacteria such as coli they’re in feces, so if we don’t wash our hands and then eat a tortilla sandwich, we’ll be playing Russian roulette. By the way, rather nervous Russian roulette. Now imagine that the one who works in a restaurant or bar and prepares sandwiches does not wash his hands. Well, you better not imagine. You already know what can happen.
Beware the egg, the king of food poisoning
Speaking of scrambled eggs, the egg is one of the most warned foods about summer. And this is logical, since it can naturally contain bacteria salmonella, which can cause a gastrointestinal illness known as salmonellosis. The disease itself is complicated in adults, but in children and the elderly it can be fatal.
The optimum growth temperature for salmonella it is 37ºC, so summer is her favorite environment. To all this is added the fact that in our gastronomy it is customary eating raw or undercooked eggs, for example, through a typical potato omelette. On the other hand, preparations based on raw eggs, such as mayonnaise, an essential element of the Russian salad, are also in the spotlight.
In fact, it is completely forbidden by law in Spain for bars and restaurants to use fresh eggs in dishes that will not be cooked above 75ºC to prevent food poisoning. salmonella. Be very careful because the undercooked potato omelette you get at the bar on the corner may be illegal. In fact, if you find a small piece of eggshell, it will be evidence that they used fresh eggs in violation of the law.
There is some confusion among the public about this legal issue, as many believe that fresh eggs are strictly prohibited in the hotel business. Not at all. At temperatures above 75ºC, cooking is not a problem, but when preparing mayonnaise, sauces and pastry creams, for example, where there is no heat treatment, the product must be used known as “egg” or pasteurized liquid egg, which is sold packaged and heat-treated in the food industry.
Don’t leave food out of the fridge
One of the main ways to keep pathogens at bay is to use the cold that our favorite refrigerators give us. Its proper use in summer becomes more important than ever to avoid food poisoning. This is because pathogenic bacteria slow down their reproduction by low temperatures. So it’s best not to leave the salad out of the fridge for too long. The sooner you refrigerate leftover food, the better.
However, not all bacteria are exposed to cold. Some are even able to continue growing below 5ºC. psychrophilic bacteria. famous Listeria monocytogenic – one of the food industry’s worst enemies – belongs to this infamous group of bacteria, so don’t be fooled. Remember that proper handling beforehand will help you avoid the many risks of food poisoning.
Beware of cross-contamination, another friend of food poisoning
Namely, in order not to spoil it during cooking, it is important do not mix these raw foods with cooked. Also, do not do this with appropriate utensils such as knives, cutting boards, or other cooking equipment. If we do this, we are subject to so-called “cross-contamination”, as pathogens from raw foods such as chicken, eggs or fish can get into other raw materials that will not be cooked later. For example, tomato or lettuce, which we use to make salad.
For this reason, it is very important that we use different cutting boards, well differentiated according to the type of food, if possible. A good option is to use boards of different colors: green for vegetables, blue for fish, or red for meat. Besides, it’s better than let’s not use wooden planks at home, because it is a very porous material that is difficult to clean and can accumulate juices from raw foods such as meat or fish. Plastic or stainless steel will be your best allies in the fight against food poisoning.
Source: Hiper Textual
