World Food Safety Day 2025: Tips To Prevent And Manage Foodborne Diseases
World Food Safety Day is observed every year on June 7 to understand what makes food unsafe and how to prevent foodborne diseases. Foodborne illnesses are usually infectious or toxic and caused by bacteria, viruses, parasites or chemical substances entering the body through contaminated food.
Some common food infections include Listeria, E. coli, Salmonella, Staphylococcus, Hepatitis A and norovirus. Some of the common symptoms people experience after contracting a foodborne infection include diarrhoea, vomiting, fever, dehydration, abdominal cramps, nausea and jaundice.
On World Food Safety Day 2025, let us understand some basic guidelines that will help us prevent and manage any food-related infections.
4 Tips To Prevent Foodborne Illnesses
Food that is mishandled can lead to foodborne illness, explains the US Food Safety and Inspection Service. Prevent foodborne illness by following these four easy steps:
1. Clean: Wash Hands And Surfaces Often
Everything that touches food should be clean. Wash your hands with warm, soapy water for 20 seconds before and after handling food. Thoroughly wash all surfaces in the kitchen that come in contact with raw meat, poultry, fish, and eggs. Rinse and pat dry cutting boards after each use. Serve cooked products on clean plates, using clean utensils and clean hands.
2. Separate: Don't Cross-contaminate
Raw meat, chicken, seafood, and eggs can spread germs to the rest of the food, so it is important to keep them separately all the time, whether when you are purchasing raw meats or storing them in a refrigerator. Also, keep a separate cutting board for these.
3. Cook To The Right Temperature
Food is safely cooked when the internal temperature gets high enough to kill germs that can make you sick. Make sure every meal you cook is cooked properly and all the raw veggies are washed well before using in salads or cooking.
4. Chill: Refrigerate Promptly
Bacteria can multiply rapidly if left at room temperature or in the "Danger Zone" between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit (4.44 and 60 degrees Celsius). Refrigerate perishable food like meat, seafood, dairy, cut fruit, vegetables, and cooked leftovers within 2 hours. Pack warm or hot food into clean and small containers and then refrigerate.
4 Effective Ways To Manage Foodborne Diseases
If you have eaten a possibly contaminated food item and are experiencing symptoms of foodborne illness, the following tips can be helpful, as shared by Harvard Health:
1. Rest And Maintain Distance From Others
If you have a food-related illness, rest as much as possible and avoid any exertion. Stay away from others and try not to use the same bathroom, so you don't spread any bugs you're carrying.
2. Stay Hydrated
Avoid sugary drinks or alcohol as these can worsen your symptoms. Keep hydrating by taking small sips of water. It is important to keep drinking water as "severe dehydration can cause chemical imbalances in the body and even lead to kidney failure," says Dr. Christopher Baugh, an emergency medicine physician at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital.
3. Take Medication Wisely
If your symptoms don't include a high fever or bloody stool, Dr Baugh says it's probably okay to take an antidiarrheal medication. However, if the symptoms are mild and you can stand them, it may be wise to avoid medications and let your body expel the invaders. "If you take the medication, there's a risk that it might improve the symptoms but prolong or worsen the illness," Dr Baugh says.
4. Don't Hesitate To Consult Your Doctor
In case of distress or troublesome symptoms, especially signs such as severe dehydration, abdominal pain, high fever or bloody stool, it is important to consult your doctor urgently and seek medical assistance. "Untreated bacterial food poisoning may progress into a life-threatening condition without antibiotics and intravenous fluids," Dr Baugh explains.
Remember these prevention tips in your daily routine and follow the management tips if you do contract a foodborne illness. Stay safe and healthy. Happy World Food Safety Day!
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