Personal hygiene means keeping your body clean, especially your hands when preparing food. Bacteria lives on the surface of your skin, and can be easily transferred, so avoid any habitual behaviour that may contaminate food, such as touching your mouth or hair, scratching your skin or smoking.
The purposes of food and cooking hygiene are to prevent food contamination the transmission of disease, and to prevent food poisoning.
Many of the herbs grown in the garden are anti-bacterial. Traditionally people all over the world have used herbs like rosemary and thyme, which are steeped in boiled water and used for wiping surfaces and cleaning floors to protect us from the bacteria which is harmful to our families.
Washing your hands:
Your hands are the main point of contact between you and your food. They are therefore the main route for transferring harmful bacteria which results in food poisoning. Keeping you hands clean is the simplest and most effective way of ensuring that you and your family remain safe from harm.
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Hands must be scrubbed thoroughly using soap and water:
• Before starting to prepare food
• After using the toilet
• After handling any kitchen or other waste
• After blowing your nose, coughing, sneezing, or when any contact is made with other parts of your body
• After tea or lunch break
• After coming in from the garden
• Between handling raw and cooked food
• After touching or using tobacco in any form Remember:
• Keep your nails short & clean – as they harbour bacteria
• Do not use nail varnish
• Having washed your hands, they should be dried on a clean towel. If one is not available then shake them dry, avoiding contact with other materials or surfaces.
• Cuts or lesions should be covered with a waterproof dressing
• Do not lick your fingers or hands while or after eating. Hair:
• Hair should be kept clean
• A clean hair covering should be worn to prevent hair falling into food
• Facial hair should be kept clean and tidy cont
• Never touch or comb your hair in a food preparation area Clothing:
• Keep your clothes clean and free from bacteria at all times
• No jewellery should be worn, as bacteria hides in the crevices Food Safety:
These rules are vital when preparing food, especially for people who may be immune-compromised:
• Always use fresh ingredients, purchased and/or harvested that day
• Avoid contaminated meats, and if you must use meat purchased the before the day of preparation, then keep it refrigerated
• Take extreme care in preparing raw foods
• Keep the amount of time chilled and frozen foods are out of the fridge or freezer to a minimum.
• Peel all root vegetables – feed your compost heap with the peelings.
• Cheese and other dairy products must be pasteurised. Soft-ripened cheeses can only be used if well cooked.
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• Do not use pâtés or other foods bought over the counter as these cannot be guaranteed free from bacterial amination.
• Any foods which will not be cooked (e.g. fresh herbs, fruit or salad) should be washed in water that has been boiled or 10 minutes and left to cool, to reduce risk of contamination with Cryptosporidium. Bottled waters and water that has been treated with domestic filters are NOT suitable alternatives.
• All food should be cooked thoroughly, especially meat, fish, poultry and eggs.
• Cooked food must reach a temperature of 75 degrees in the cooking process and must be served at a temperature of 65 degrees or above. If in doubt, cook for longer.
• Cold foods must be chilled down to temperature of 8 degrees or below. Food Storage:
Secure food storage for dried materials (flour/maize) to prevent contamination by vermin.
Always check use-by dates. (If you do find out-of-date foods in the store cupboard please throw them away). Don’t open new packets until existing stocks have been used up.
Make sure raw and cooked foods are securely covered and stored separately. They should not be kept on the same shelf in the fridge; cooked foods should be put on shelves above raw foods.
If products such as maize & flour have been put in separate containers don’t add new supplies until the container has been emptied and washed. Label with an expiry or use-by date.
Cooking Utensils:
• Wash pots, pans and plates thoroughly with soap and clean, warm water.
• Do not use the same utensils to prepare raw and cooked foods.
• Use separate utensils for meat and veg preparation
• Do not share cutlery when eating.
• Do not reuse serving utensils until they have been washed.
Conclusion
In this unit you have learnt about how to prepare nutrient rich dishes and drinks as well as some remedies that you could use to relieve common diseases illnesses such as colds and diarrhoea, and stimulate the appetite for quick nutrient absorption for PLWHIV/AIDS. You have also learned to prepare and store food safely. There may have been some technical language used in this Unit. Please refer to Unit 3 for further explanation.
Reflection points
• What are the most common dishes you cook in your family, and what nutrients do they contain?
• What can be done to ensure that you benefit from the wide variety of plants in your garden?
• What could you make, using produce from your garden, for a friend or relative who is HIV+ and struggling with their appetite?
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