Five Keys

Key 1 Observing hygiene and cleanliness Basic information Before cooking food, wash and disinfect all surfaces, tools, and equipment that you use for preparing food. By improving the environment (installing screens on windows, sealing all cracks and gaps, etc.), protect the kitchen and food from the entry of insects, pets, and other animals. Reason Most dangerous microorganisms are found in soil particles, water, and the bodies of animals and humans. These microorganisms, by transferring onto the human hand, cleaning cloths, kitchen utensils and tools, especially cutting and chopping boards, can be transferred to food and cause foodborne diseases. Everything that seems clean and tidy is not really clean and free of microbes. More than 250 billion bacteria are needed to make 250 milliliters of water turbid and cloudy. But in most cases only 10 to 20 pathogenic bacteria are needed to cause disease. How do we keep our hands clean? Microbes are often transferred from one place to another through the human hand. Therefore washing the hands is an important and necessary matter. Washing the hands is necessary at the following times: Before touching food, and likewise during food preparation. Before eating and after smoking. After touching red meat or poultry meat. After changing a baby's diaper and after blowing and cleaning the nose. After handling waste and after going to the toilet. After handling detergents. After touching and playing with pets. Supplementary information In the matter of food hygiene, observing personal hygiene points such as wearing gloves, keeping nails short, and the cleanliness of clothing is very important. If gloves are used, changing them frequently is necessary. Many people do not wash their hands correctly and properly. They either do not use soap or wash only parts of their hands. When you wash your hands, you must pay attention to your fingertips, nails, thumbs, wrists, and between the fingers. To wash hands, be sure to use water and soap. Do not do this quickly and hurriedly, and devote sufficient time to it. By preventing disease, your time will be saved. A combination of hot water and soap helps better wash away fats, bacteria, and contaminations. If hot water is not available, cold or lukewarm water together with soap is also acceptable for washing. Necessary points while washing the hands: Wet your hands with running water. Rub your hands together with soap for at least 20 seconds. Then rinse them with running water and dry them with a clean cloth, preferably use a paper towel. How do we clean dishes and kitchen utensils? When preparing food, observe cleanliness so that microorganisms do not have a chance to grow and multiply. Be careful that the containers used for serving food, drinks, or cooking do not come into contact with raw food substances. Wash and disinfect cutting boards (work boards for chopping meat) and kitchen utensils thoroughly after contact with red meat and the meat of aquatic animals. Remember that after washing kitchen utensils, dry them, because microorganisms grow rapidly in moist places. After eating, you should: Throw the food leftovers remaining in each plate into the garbage bin. Soak the dishes in hot water containing a cleaning solution, then, using a clean cloth or brush, clean off the remaining food bits and grease. Rinse the dishes with hot, clean water. Disinfect kitchen utensils with boiling water or a disinfecting solution. Dry the cooking utensils and tools with a clean cloth. Supplementary information Knowing the difference between the two actions "washing" and "disinfecting" is very important. "Washing" is a physical process that removes contaminations and food bits. "Disinfecting" is a process that kills disease-causing agents. Cloths, towels, and other cleaning items must be kept clean and replaced daily. Using a sponge in the kitchen is not recommended. For cleaning dishes and surfaces, use separate cloths so that the spread of microorganisms is prevented. To prepare a disinfecting solution, mix 5 milliliters of the bleach used at home with 750 milliliters of water and use it for disinfecting kitchen tools and utensils, surfaces, and cleaning cloths. Boiling water can also be used to disinfect kitchen items, but be careful not to burn yourself. How do we protect the place where food is prepared from pests? Pets (dogs, cats, birds, etc.) can transfer microorganisms through their feet, hair, and feathers. To prevent the contamination of food substances by pets, you must keep them away from the place where food substances are stored and prepared. Also, remember to always keep food substances in covered containers and use lidded garbage bins. Supplementary information The bodies of animals contain various types of microorganisms that, if transferred to humans, cause disease. Animals can transfer dangerous microorganisms onto food substances or kitchen surfaces; for example, cats are able to transmit a kind of parasite, which can contaminate food substances and cause a very serious and dangerous disease in the human fetus. Key 2 Separating raw materials from cooked Basic information Red meat, poultry meat, and the meat of aquatic animals must always be kept away from other food substances. Use containers for storing food substances that prevent the contact of prepared food substances with raw food substances. Reason Raw food substances, especially red meat, poultry meat, and the meat of aquatic animals, and their bloody liquids can contain dangerous microorganisms that, during the preparation and storage of them, can be transferred to other food substances. How do we separate raw and cooked food substances? When shopping, separate red meat, poultry meat, and the meat of aquatic animals from other food substances. In the freezer, the storage of red and white meat must be on the lower shelves of the freezer and beneath the cooked and prepared food substances, so that cross-contamination is prevented. All food substances must be kept in lidded containers so that the contact of raw food substances with prepared food substances is prevented. Use only clean containers for storing food substances (raw, prepared, and cooked). Supplementary information It is emphasized that the separation of food substances must take place at all stages of preparing, processing, and cooking food substances, and does not include only the cooking process. The liquids used for marinating raw meat should not damage the meat tissue, so the duration of soaking the meat in these liquids should not be long. Key 3 Cooking food substances completely Basic information Cook food substances completely, especially red meat, poultry meat, eggs, and seafood. Boil foods such as various soups for a sufficient time and gently so that their temperature reaches 75C. For cooking red meat and chicken, make sure that the juice resulting from cooking them is clear; the meat juice must not be pink. Reheat food that has been cooked previously completely for reuse, and it must not be reheated more than once. Reason Cooking food substances completely can kill and eliminate almost all the dangerous microorganisms present in raw food substances. Research carried out shows that cooking food at a temperature of 75C gives the consumer the assurance that the food is safe to serve. Some foods need special care, such as: ground meats, meat roll kebab, large pieces of red meat, and all types of poultry. How to cook food completely To prepare a healthy food, you must heat it to a temperature of 75C. At a temperature of 75C, all microorganisms are eliminated within a short time. The rising of steam from the surface of the food indicates that the temperature has reached this point. While cooking food, pay attention to the following points: Make sure that the juice of meat and chicken is not pink and is clear. Heat eggs and seafood to the extent that all their parts are completely hot. Bring liquid and watery foods such as various soups and stews to a boil and continue this for at least one minute. Supplementary information Most bacteria are located on the external surface of meat. Foods that need more attention include ground meat, roasted meat, meat together with joints, and whole poultry. Lowering the cooking temperature of food can sometimes cause the elimination of the food's microorganisms when the cooking time is increased. If you want to serve previously cooked food for reuse, you must heat it to such an extent that all its parts become completely hot. Key 4 Keeping food at safe temperatures Basic information Do not leave cooked foods at room temperature for more than 2 hours. If the interval between finishing the cooking of food and the time of serving it is more than 2 hours, then to prevent the growth and multiplication of microorganisms, the food must be kept at a temperature of 63C or must be transferred to an environment with a temperature lower than 5C (refrigerator). Do not store cooked or raw food substances for a long period, although the storage of food substances in the freezer is acceptable. Reason If food substances are kept at room temperature, microorganisms can multiply rapidly. If food substances are placed at a temperature lower than 5C or higher than 63C, the growth rate of microorganisms will be very slow or will stop; of course, some dangerous microorganisms are also able to grow at temperatures lower than 5C. What are the safe temperatures for food substances? The danger zone is the temperature range between 5 and 63 degrees Celsius, at which the growth and multiplication rate of microorganisms becomes very high. Keeping food substances in the refrigerator greatly slows the growth of bacteria. Even if food substances are stored in the refrigerator or freezer, microorganisms are able to grow. Supplementary information Microorganisms are not able to multiply at very hot or very cold temperatures. Chilling food substances or freezing them does not destroy microorganisms but limits their growth. Usually microorganisms multiply faster at temperatures higher than 5C, but as soon as the temperature reaches 5C, many microorganisms will not be able to multiply. How do we keep food substances at a safe temperature? Transfer the food substances remaining from each meal to the refrigerator in less than 2 hours. Cook your meals in smaller amounts so that the volume remaining from them is also less. The food substances remaining from each meal must not be stored in the freezer for more than 3 days and must not be reheated more than once. Thawing food substances must be done in accordance with hygienic principles. Supplementary information Methods of thawing food substances: 1- Placing the food substance in the refrigerator at a temperature of 5C or lower. 2- Placing the food substance in running drinking water at a temperature lower than 21C for a maximum of 4 hours. 3- Using the microwave (when the food is cooked immediately). Before storing the remaining food substances, label their containers in such a way that it shows the storage duration of them. Key 5 Using safe water and food substances Basic information Use safe, treated water. Buy healthy and fresh food substances; avoid choosing crushed substances. The damaged and rotten parts of food substances contain many bacteria. Choose reliable processed foods such as pasteurized milk. Wash fruits and vegetables carefully, especially when they are used raw. Do not use expired food substances. Reason Raw materials such as water and ice transmit dangerous microbial and chemical contaminations. Be careful in choosing raw materials, and by carrying out simple measures such as washing and cleaning the raw materials, minimize their health risks. Fresh fruits and vegetables are a suitable source for chemical and microbial contamination, therefore they are heavily contaminated and must be washed carefully before consumption. Pay attention to the date of food substances and the items on it, and throw away expired substances. What is safe water? Untreated water from rivers and canals contains pathogenic and parasitic agents that cause diarrhea and bloody diarrhea. Safe water is needed for: 1/ Washing fruits and vegetables 2/ Adding to food 3/ Making ice 4/ Use for washing cooking and serving utensils 5/ Washing the hands Supplementary information Boiling, chlorination, and filtration are the most important ways of inactivating pathogenic agents and microbes in water, but they are not able to remove harmful chemicals. Methods of disinfecting water are: Boiling the water; adding 3 to 5 drops of mother chlorine to one liter of water. (How to prepare mother chlorine: Dissolve 15 grams of 70% perchlorine powder in one liter of water; after 1 hour the mother-chlorine solution is ready.) Physical removal of pathogenic agents using suitable filters. The role of proteins, especially animal proteins, in maintaining health and the natural growth of the body's organs and the function of the human immune system is very important; however it must be noted that many diseases shared between humans and livestock as well as acute food poisonings can be transmitted to humans through the consumption of red meat, fish, and chicken. One of the ways to identify healthy and hygienic types of meat is paying attention to some of their apparent characteristics, which are mentioned below. Apparent characteristics of red meat . The color of the meat must be bright red and must not be dark. . A change in color from red to green, brown, gray, or black is a sign of meat spoilage. . A slimy and sticky layer on the meat is also a sign of meat spoilage. . The external surface of the meat must not be moist or wet. . No abnormal smell, such as the smell of sourness or putrefaction, should be detected from it. . The presence of an abnormal smell at the place where the meat connects to the bone is a sign of deep spoilage of the meat. . Bruising, mold growth, and foreign particles must not be seen in the meat. . The meat must not be excessively hard, soft, or slimy. . The meat must not be dry and shriveled. . Organs such as the liver must not have swelling, abnormal softness or consistency, cysts, or abnormal color and smell. . The meat must not be hung outside the store and in open space. . The meat available in the store must be proportionate to the capacity of the available refrigerators. . The meat must have a health stamp from veterinary services and must certainly be obtained from licensed slaughterhouses.