Cooking Food Properly
Although the most serious kinds of food poisoning are caused by bacteria, it’s very easy to kill them off before eating – by simply cooking your food properly!
The essential thing to bear in mind when cooking food is that bacteria cannot survive above a certain temperature. The purpose of cooking is hence to raise the food to a temperate high enough that the bacteria will die – this occurs at about 70°C. If you don’t cook your food to a high enough temperature, the bacteria may well survive or, even worse, multiple even faster!
As well as ensuring all food is piping hot and steaming before serving it, there are various other precautions you should adhere to, to ensure your safety. For one thing, follow the instructions on the recipe or packaging – makes sure you cook the food for the appropriate amount of time and at the correct temperature. When it comes to cooking meat, it is essential to check that pork and poultry products are cooked the whole way through before serving; there should be no pink meat left in the middle and the juices should run clear when the meat is skewered. A food thermometer can help!
As much as people may love running egg yolks, these are not safe to give to vulnerable people; children, ill, elderly or pregnant people, for example. This is because eggs contain many very harmful bacteria that must be killed before serving.
Tags: bacteria, cooking food, Food Hygiene, Food Poisoning, Food Safety