Objectives

Considerable progress has been made in food hygiene during the last few decades, but there is still much to be done in this area to improve hygiene levels so as to have a significant impact on health. Progress can be gained through better education and practices at all levels of the food chain.

Attention should be paid to the following :

Watching food origins

Consumers should note the country of origin of food that they eat. Where a product comes from is not always a guarantee of food safety, but such information would prove useful in cases of epidemics in the originating country.

Watching best before dates

Best before dates apply to nearly all types of food. Observing these dates is the least that consumers should do to limit the risk of food poisoning. While the risk is definite in the case meat, poultry and eggs, exceeding best before dates with many other products may affect the taste but remain of little consequence for health. Nevertheless, it makes sense to take a firm line on these dates and abide by them.

Watching preparation

Some simple and effective practices should be applied in all circumstances for totally safe cooking :
- Kitchen and utensils should be perfectly clean and washed between recipes.
- Food should be kept under suitable conditions (fridge or freezer for some, others at ambient temperatures), but always avoiding contact with each other to eliminate any possibility of cross-contamination, particularly when some foods are eaten cooked and others raw.

Watching storage

Always refer to the storage instructions on the packaging. If in doubt, consumers should not hesitate to discard food.