Food safety has become a much-discussed subject with the explosion of food borne illnesses in restaurants, grocery stores and other places that sell fresh and prepared foods. Illnesses spread by food are usually nothing that healthy adults cannot endure with no permanent damage to the body. Children, the elderly and those with poorly functioning immune systems are at a much higher risk, can become much sicker than healthy adults and some will actually succumb to the sickness and lose their life. Food safety can be a life or death situation for certain people, and it is taken much more seriously than in the past.

Food Safety While Preparing and Cooking Food

Preparation of ready-to-eat foods can be a dangerous, and some very basic rules can reduce the incidents of food poisoning in restaurants and from caterers. Foods that are cooked long enough in a temperature that is high enough can stop the spread of illness; also, any bacteria and viruses will be killed in the process of cooking the food. This part of food safety also requires that preparation areas must be clean and sanitary to keep the cause of an illness from spreading to the prepared food by other foods, an unsanitary work area and by the prep worker.

The Importance of Food Storage

Storage of fresh fruit, vegetables, meat and seafood is also important in limiting and stopping the spread of food borne illnesses; foods that are kept at a constant temperature may limit or eliminate sickness. While most foods can be kept in refrigeration at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or lower, it is only a short term solution, and long-term storage of fresh and cooked foods can be longer if the food is frozen below zero degrees. Upkeep on this type of storage is a must as a malfunction in the equipment can cause a loss because foods that have experienced a refrigerator malfunction cannot be trusted. A warm climate can make this even more important as equipment can require sub zero freezer repair Miami; this is only one city where food safety relies on refrigeration.

Food Safety is Important

These are only a few precautions that can be taken to reduce the spread of food-borne viruses and bacteria that can cause illnesses. Technology and new routines are continuously improving food safety and making it easier and more convenient; food safety saves lives.