THE Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) says more than 210,000 people suffer an episode of food-borne illness every day in the Americas, and half of them are children under five years old.

During the holidays, the risk of these illnesses can be increased by poor handling and inadequate refrigeration of foods prepared ahead of time and in large quantities. To prevent these illnesses, the (PAHO/WHO) recommends “five keys to food safety”.

These five simple keys to safe and healthy food are: keep clean, separate raw and cooked, cook thoroughly, keep food at safe temperatures, and use safe water and raw materials.

“Following these five keys helps consumers know they are handling foods safely and preventing microbes from multiplying,” said Dr Enrique Perez, PAHO/WHO senior advisor on food-borne diseases and zoonoses. “They are simple and practical, and can be applied in people’s home as well as in food establishments.”

Food prepared and consumed at home are responsible for about a third of outbreaks of food-borne illness, and a large proportion of all episodes of food-borne illness are caused by bacterial contamination that results from a handful of dangerous practices, PAHO/WHO said in a news release.

Food contaminated by bacteria, viruses, parasites, or harmful chemicals cause over 200 diseases, from diarrhoea to cancer. In the Americas, an estimated 35 million children under five suffer from these illnesses each year. In addition to children, pregnant women, people with compromised immune systems, and older adults are more vulnerable to these types of illness.

Symptoms of food-borne illness

Symptoms of food-borne illnesses include stomach pain, diarrhoea, nausea, chills, fever, and headache.

In some cases, food-borne illnesses can be fatal. Symptoms can appear anywhere from 30 minutes to two weeks after a person has come in contact with food-borne bacteria, although they usually appear in the first four to 48 hours.

5 keys to safer food

The PAHO/WHO five keys to safer food are, step by step:

1. Use safe water and ingredients

Use safe water or treat it to make it safe. Select fresh and wholesome foods. Choose foods processed for safety such as pasteurised milk. Wash fruits and vegetables, especially if eaten raw. Do not use food beyond its expiry date.

2. Keep your hands, utensils and surfaces clean

Wash your hands before handling food, and often during food preparation. Wash your hands after going to the toilet. Clean all surfaces and equipment used in food preparation and protect kitchen areas from insects, rodents and other animals.

Cook food thoroughly

Cook food thoroughly, especially meat, poultry, eggs and seafood. Bring foods like soups and stews to boiling.

For meat and poultry, make sure juices are clear, not pink. Also, reheat cooked food thoroughly.

4. Keep food at safe temperatures

Do not leave cooked food at room temperature for more than two hours. Refrigerate promptly all cooked and perishable food (preferably below 5°C). Keep cooked food piping hot (more than 60°C) prior to serving.

Also, do not store food too long in the refrigerator and do not thaw frozen food at room temperature.

5. Separate raw from cooked food

Separate raw meat, poultry and seafood from other foods. Use separate equipment and utensils, such as knives and cutting boards, for handling raw foods. Store food in containers to avoid contact between raw and prepared foods.