IS YOUR FOOD SAFE? FROM MR. JOSEPH AGWU OGBAJIE, @johanjahb.

WHY THIS QUESTION?
RECENTLY, IT HAS BEEN REPORTED IN THE MEDIA ON THE OUTBREAK OF CHOLERA IN SOME PARTS OF NIGERIA. AND UNHYGIENIC INVIRONMENT AND TAINTED FOODS HAVE A CONTRIBUTORY FACTOR TO THE SPREAD OF THIS AND OTHER SIMILAR HEALTH PROBLEMS.

Additionally, in some states of Nigeria, States Health Officials have raised alarm on the safety of foods being sold to the populace. For example, a radio station carried a warning regarding food safety. The general public were alerted on some food items that unscrupulous individuals who are bent to make money at all costs using chemicals in food preparation and processing thereby endangering the life of the people. The warning allergies that some person were using detergent in their cassava processing, to make the cassava look more bright and whiter than normal,they also used this same method in processing of Egusi ( melon ). They emerge the cassava as well as Egusi into a container full of water and add detergent to it, thereby contaminating the cassava roots and the melon.

Consequently, there has been an increase in health problems including, " heart problems, liver and kidney problems, etc." Hence the question, " How Safe Is Your Food"?

Other important questions are, " How Common Are Foodborne Diseases in Nigeria in particular and the world in general? 'How Are They Transmitted?' and How Can You Protect. Yourself?"'

"Do you eat three meals a day? If so, by the time you are 70 years old, you will have consumed o er 75,000 meals. Most of the time, we may tend to take it for granted that the food we consume is wholesome and healthful. But if just one of those 75,000 meals were to contain something harmful, we could get seriously ill," says Awake Magazine.That is so, isn't it? Can we be sure that what we eat is safe? In many places food safety has become a major concern. Why?

In Nigeria, series of warnings have been sounded by the authorities sardled with the responsibility to check food safety. They have warned about the increase use of dangerous and harmful chemicals in food processing and in food preparation. For example, People no longer trust many foods and food items that are being sold in the open markets. The so called vegetable oil, tomatoes, kerosene, palm oil, etc are being contaminated with substances that are harmful to human health. Almost everything both foods as well as other goods have been contaminated. This has led some health conscious persons to avoid buying their food from open market, they get their foods from reputable shops to make sure they are buying from the original source.

According to the Awake Magazine of December 22, 2001, pp. 8 - 9, there are at least 6 steps to follow to make your food safe.

      SIX STEPS YOU CAN TAKE:

∆. "Wash. Be sure to wash your hands in hot soapy water before preparing each dish. Always wash after using the bathroom, dealing with a baby's or a child's hygienic needs ( such as changing a diaper or wiping a nose ) or handling any animal, including household pets. Wash any utensils, cutting boards, and countertops, with hot soapy water after preparing each dish - especially after handling raw meat, poultry, or Seafood. Wash fruits and vegetables in lukewarm water."

∆ "Cook thoroughly, if the internal heat of food exceed 160 degree Fahrenheit, even briefly, almost all bacteria, viruses, and parasites will be killed. Poultry should be cooked even more than that, to 180 degree Fahrenheit. Reheated foods should be brought to a temperature of 165 degree Fahrenheit, or it should be hot and steaming. Avoid eating poultry that is still pink inside, egg with runny yolks or whites, or fish that is not yet opaque and that you can not readily flake apart with a fork."

∆" Keep Foods Separated, keep raw meat, poultry, or seafood separate from other foods at all times - when shopping for it, storing it, and preparing it. Do not let the juices flow or drop onto each other or onto other foods. Also, never put cooked food onto a dish that formally held raw meat, fish , or poultry, unless that dish has been thoroughly washed with hot soapy water."

∆ "Store And Chill Food Properly, the refrigerator can inhibit the growth of dangerous bacteria, but the temperature should be 40 degree Fahrenheit. The freezer should be 0 degree Fahrenheit. Put perishable food items away within two hours. If setting out food before the meal, cover all dishes to keep flies away."

∆ "Be Cautious When Dining Out. By one estimate, from about 60 to 80 percent of the cases of foodborne disease in some developing lands originate in meals that are cooked and bought outside the home. Make sure that any restaurant you visit satisfies the health standards required by law. Order meant well- cooked. When it comes to take- out food, make sure to eat it within two hours of the time you buy it. If more time elapsed,reheat the food to a temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit,"

∆ "Throw Out Questionable Food. If you are in doubt as to whether some food items is good or spoiled, err on the side of safety and throw it out. Granted, it is unwise to waste good food. Still, getting sick from bad food may prove even more costly."