HAND WASHING.

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THE ROLE OF WATER IN FOOD SAFETY.

The role of water in food safety cannot be overemphasized. Water is of value in all sectors of food processing, handling, storage and consumption. The uses of water in the food industry are as follows; 1) Washing the raw foods and vegetables that we intend to process. 2) Cooking the food/vegetables. 3) Washing pans, pots, cutting board, knives and other cooking utensils. 4) Cleaning working surfaces, table tops and floors. 5) Washing hands before touching the raw products, and in between processing. 6) Water is also frozen to make ice chips that are use in making some drinks, ice teas and fruit cocktails. 7) Water is of value also in the dairy industry and ice cream factories e.t.c. The source of water must be defined and ascertained to ensure that contaminated water is not used for processing. Water used in the food industry can be classified into portable and non portable sources basically because of the uses. Potable water is also called drinking water, which is fit for consumption by humans and other animals. Water may be naturally potable, or it may need to be treated in order to be safe. The safety of water is assessed with tests which look for potentially harmful contaminants. Non-potable water sources include rainwater, reclaimed/recycled water. While non-potable water is not appropriate for human consumption, it can be of use in other applications, such as doing laundry, toilet and urinal flushing and cooling tower make up water. THE CODEX ALIMENTARIUS REQUIRE, that adequate supply of potable water with appropriate facilities for its storage, distribution and temperature control should be available whenever necessary so as to ensure safety and suitability of food. Portable water should be used for food processing and should be identified to prevent food contamination. Non portable water should be used for other activities in the food industry and at no time must there be a mix up of water source. Contaminated water used in food processing cause illness in consumers. Water contamination is a major source of gastrointestinal issues, which can be fatal. Pathogenic micro organism in contaminated water will contaminate food. The importance of personal hygiene cannot be overemphasized when handling food. The major key is to always wash hands and utensil. DO NOT STOP WASHING HANDS; EMBRACE FOOD SAFETY.

DOGGY SICK AFTER GOO-DIE TREAT.

DOG SICK AFTER GOO-DIE TREAT The dog is sick after consuming the food, what could have gone wrong? HMMMM, LETS SEE. HAZARD ANALYSIS AND CRITICAL CONTROL POINTS Lets analyze the event: the goo-die bag. The bag contains layers and layers of different types of food. The core of the bag is a perfect site for proliferation of bacteria @rapid speed thus producing toxins that poison the food leading to food poisoning. The bacteria can also proliferate @ rapid speed causing food infections. The major culprits are salmonella, E.coli, staphylococcus, clostridium and botulinum, depending on the food type we are dealing with. What do we do to prevent a reoccurrence; CRITICAL CONTROL POINTS; If you must have agoo-die bag, sort the contents of bags and store differently. Use the first in: first out method. A goo-die bag you collected and sorted 3 days before should be served before you serve the bag you just brought in today. Don’t bring the entire bag out to thaw, pack the required amount in a mini bag and note the batch. Its this mini bag you process and serve one bag/ meal time. Avoid thawing and re freezing your goo-die bag, as this encourages rapid multiplication of bacteria. Get the goo-die bag you can handle within a short time. Learn to say THANK YOU and let go of other goodie bag offers. WHAT NEXT, MY POOUCH IS WEAK AND……………………. The first thing is get him as comfortable as possible. Give your dog a bland diet of freshly prepared rice with strip of chicken; a nibble @ a time if the dog can hold it down. Give water to hydrate the dog, preparation containing metronidazole is of value in treatment The condition will abate as soon as you stop the source of poisoning and start medication, but if otherwise, visit your vet.

VETERINARY MEDICINE: YOU AND YOUR DOG AT CHRISTMAS.

VETERINARY MEDICINE: YOU AND YOUR DOG AT CHRISTMAS. This is the season of abundant treats, for you and your pet. A season of more than enough with overflow in your freezers, fridges, coolers and stores just for you and your pet. This is the season you take all limits off and give whatever ,whenever and however to your pets just to make them happy. 

 This is the time you try new recipes and strange cooking methods are unearthed @ this period; some you can stomach, others end up in your pet’s bowl during the holidays landing him in the emergency ward of the veterinary clinic. The cases of sick dogs with diarrhea and vomiting as major signs increase during the holidays. 

 VETERINARY MEDICINE: YOU AND YOUR DOG AT CHRISTMAS This season there is so much food around; leftovers from parties, shows, eateries are literally tossed to pet owners, who gladly collect and dump in their freezers. 

 The food on its own may have been prepared with all food safety handling methods observed, BUT,BUUUUUUUUTT the problem starts with how the left over’s are handled, stored and processed. 

 The leftover’s are from different sources ,using different ingredients such as jollof rice, fried rice, coconut rice, curry rice, with beef,chicken,fish,entrails e.t.c. Everything is mixed together, put in a goo-die bag and bam in the freezer. 

 The goo-die bag is brought out to thaw; the required portion is taken out, processed and given to your dog. The same process is repeated at another meal time, and your pet enjoys the meal everybody goes to bed happy. The next day your pet is going to wake up sick with vomiting and diarrhea and he will need care to prevent a fatal incidence.

FOOD HYGIENE.

Washing goes along way to prevent food borne illness,wash hands,utensils and produce you want to cook.

Food borne illness

Food borne illness occurs mainly because of bacteria contamination during food processing and handling.The basic signs of food borne illness are stomach cramps,with vomiting,followed by diarrhoea which results in severe dehydration. The following will go a long way to prevent food borne illness; Keep hands clean always. Wash cooking utensils before use. Never let raw meat/poultry/fish get in contact with cooked foods. Dont use utensils used on raw foods with cooked foods. Rinse vegetables and fruits with clean water. Dont eat cooked meat/poultry that has been out of refrigerator for 2hours,also foods made with mayonnaise. Pay attention to left overs,dont eat foods that have been stored over time,this is a substrate for bacteria multiplication,which is a major source of food borne illness.

FOOD SAFETY.

FOOD SAFETY. This is the season of enjoyment, fun and lots and lots of party. There will be lots of cooking, shopping, freezing and storage. The process of handling food should be done with care to prevent bacteria growth and contamination to prevent the risk of food borne illness. Food safety refers to practical steps to ensure proper handling, processing, packing and delivery of foods such that only wholesome foods get to consumers. The discussion will be on 3 levels; 1) Purchase. 2) Processing. 3) Storage. Purchase: when you want to buy use smell , color and shape as a guide. If the meat/poultry/ fish is off color don’t buy. If the meat/fish/poultry has an offensive smell don’t buy. If the pack is damaged don’t buy, the product is probably contaminated. If product is thawed instead of frozen don’t buy. When buying canned foods; Don’t buy canned foods that have a leak. Don’t buy canned foods that are bulging on a side. Don’t buy canned foods in rusty containers. Don’t buy cans without proper labels. Processing; Wash your hands always. Wash hands before you touch products you want to cook. Wash all tools, utensils you intend to use. Wash and clean surfaces of table where you want to work. Wash meat/ fish/poultry you want to cook with clean water. Wash fruits and vegetables for salads and stews properly. Storage. Don’t store raw meat/fish /poultry with cooked food. Keep salads fresh and refrigerated. Keep stews ,sauces and gravies very hot, serve immediately after cooking.