[dropcap]O[/dropcap]ne of the most important parts of a healthy diet is keeping your food safe. These simple food-handling tips shared by Jumia Food, Nigeria’s no 1 food ordering platform, are very effective in helping to avoid the risk of food poisoning.
Respect expiry dates
Don’t eat food that’s past its expiry date, even if it looks and smells okay. Expiry dates are based on scientific tests that show how quickly harmful bacteria can develop in the packaged food.
Always your hands
Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water and dry them before handling food, and after touching the bin, going to the toilet, blowing your nose or touching animals.
Keep raw meat separate
It’s especially important to keep raw meat away from ready-to-eat foods, such as salad, fruit, and bread. This is because these foods won’t be cooked before you eat them so any bacteria that get onto the foods from the raw meat won’t be killed.
Keep your fridge below 5 degree Celsius
Keep your fridge temperature below 5 degree Celsius and use a fridge thermometer to check it. This prevents harmful germs from growing and multiplying. Also, avoid overfilling your fridge – if it’s too full, air can’t circulate properly, which can affect the overall temperature.
Cook leftovers quickly
If you have cooked food that you’re not going to eat straight away, cool it as quickly as possible and store it in the fridge or freezer. Use any leftovers from the fridge within 2 days.
Adeniyi Ogunfowoke is a PR associate at Jumia Travels.
