Hygiene

Supporting Information

Cooking food thoroughly kills germs. Food, especially meat and poultry, should be cooked all the way through.

Germs grow quickly in warm food. Food should be eaten as soon as possible after cooking so it does not have time to collect germs.

• If food has to be kept for more than two hours, it should be kept either very hot or very cool.
• If cooked food is saved for another meal, it should be covered to keep off flies and insects and then thoroughly reheated before being eaten.
• Yogurt and sour porridge are good to use in meals because their acid prevents the growth of germs.

Raw food, especially poultry and seafood, usually contains germs. Cooked food can collect germs if it touches raw food. So raw and cooked foods should always be kept away from each other. Knives, chopping boards and surfaces where food is prepared should always be cleaned after preparing raw food.

• Breastmilk is the safest milk for infants and young children. Animal milk that is freshly boiled or pasteurized is safer than unboiled milk.
• Expressed breastmilk can be stored at room temperature for up to eight hours in a clean, covered container.
• Special care should be taken with preparing food for infants and small children. Their food should be freshly made and not left standing, if possible.
• Fruit and vegetables should be peeled or washed thoroughly with clean water, especially if they are to be given raw to babies or small children. Chemicals such as pesticides and herbicides cannot be seen on fruit and vegetables but nonetheless can be dangerous.