Food Safety, Facts And Fiction.

We never run out of doubts when it comes to the matter of food safety. But what is fiction and what is actual fact?  Mr Adam Hargrave, scientific officer of foodborne disease control at the UK government’s Food Standards Agency, has finally separated some food safety facts from fiction. Here are some common food rules that we have always wondered whether it’s true or not.

       1)To drink the water that has been left out for a few days?

       Though water itself has no ingredients that would make it go bad, it would taste weird. But, it is always better to keep them stored properly.

       2)To drink the milk past its expiration date.

Now, drinking milk any amount of time past its expiration date does increase the risk of developing food-borne illness from bacteria that might have grown. Thus, drinking milk past its expiration date can make you sick.

      3) To eat cooked meat that has been out of the fridge for a few hours.

It is important to make sure that once cooked, the meat should not sit out for longer than two hours, or one hour if it’s very hot outside. It should be refrigerated once after it has cooled down.

      4) Where should the butter be stored?

The butter should always be kept in the fridge. According to Peter Cassel, spokesperson for the FDA, leaving your butter in warmer temperatures puts it at risk of increased rates of oxidative rancidity, which leads to the faster development of an unusual or unpleasant flavour.

     5) Should the raw vegetables and fruits be washed before consumption?

Unless it says pre-washed or ready to eat, it is imperative that you wash the vegetables or fruits thoroughly before you consume them since there might be dirt or pathogens present on them.