Food can be easily contaminated and become unsafe for eating. Food contamination may occur when cooked food is accidentally mixed with raw meat juices, or when food is exposed to dirt, chemicals, bacteria, viruses or other pathogens. This usually happens because we do not handle our food safely or observe proper hygiene.
Eating contaminated food can cause food poisoning, which can range from mild to severe cases of food poisoning, which could be fatal. We can help safeguard our personal health by taking more care in ensuring that the food we eat is safe.
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| Before you buy or touch food. |
Hands can be a medium for carrying micro-organisms which can be transferred to our food. |
| After touching pets and animals. |
Animals can carry diseases and germs which may be spread through our hands to our food. |
| After using the toilet. |
To avoid contamination of food by faecal bacteria. |
| Keep your water bottle capped after drinking. |
To prevent dust and other contaminants from entering your drinking water. |
| Wash your fruit before you eat. |
To remove any dirt, pesticide residues or other contaminants which may be present in low levels. |
| Don't eat food you've dropped on the floor or canteen table. |
To avoid food contamination by dirt, bacteria or other contaminants that may be present on the floor or table. |
| Don't put your bag on the canteen tabletop. |
Your bag may be dirty and it may contaminate eating surfaces and consequently contaminate food. |
| Don't eat or drink in the school laboratory. |
The laboratory contains many chemicals which can make the food or drink unsafe. |
| Buy from stalls that are clean and tidy, and check that food handlers are neatly groomed and attired. |
Hygienic practices by food handlers and a clean environment help reduce the risk of food contamination. |
| Buy from vendors who use clean gloves when handling food. Check that they do not wear the same gloves to collect money. |
| Check that vendors separate raw food from cooked food. |
Cross-contamination of food can cause food poisoning. |
| Check that vendors serve hot food piping hot. |
Bacteria growth in food is optimum between 5oC to 60oC. |
| Check that the milk and snacks you buy are within their expiry dates. |
Food may become unsafe for consumption after its expiry date. Milk items spoil easily and once the packaging is damaged or opened, bacteria will grow rapidly. |
| Check that self-service refrigerators for cold food are cold, and there is no condensation on the food packets. |
Cold food must be kept cold. |
- Keep food clean.
- Make sandwiches ahead of time and refrigerate or freeze. Use an insulated lunch box or double bag to help insulate the sandwiches. If possible, put them into the refrigerator immediately. If not, keep them away from direct sunlight.
- Wash fruits and vegetables before packing them into the lunch box.
- Wash your hands thoroughly before you take the first bite of your lunch.
You can minimise food poisoning while at work by observing good food safety practices and good hygiene.
- Always keep your mug or water container capped after drinking.
- Do not take food into laboratories to avoid contamination by chemicals and pathogens.
- Get rid of food and drink traces thoroughly after eating as smell of food will attract insects.
- Discard food that has dropped onto the table or floor.
Many offices have a pantry for use by their staff. Everyone who uses the pantry is responsible for keeping it clean and safe for food and drinks to be kept and prepared in it.
- Keep foodstuffs such as coffee, tea, powdered milk and biscuits in clean, air-tight containers, away from heat and moisture.
- Check food storage cupboards regularly to ensure that it is free from insect infestation or contamination.
- Discard foodstuff that has been left open, or if there are signs of insect infestation or if it is beyond its expiry date. Where there has been insect infestation, clean up the storage area and food scraps and look for signs of the insects in the next 2 weeks.
- Do not store food in the same cupboard with the photocopying chemicals, cleaning agents or insecticide to avoid chemical contamination of food.
- Keep cupboards meant for food storage uncluttered and clean.
- Clean countertops and tables daily with soap and water and disinfect regularly.
- Change hand and dish towels daily. Damp towels promote bacteria growth.
- Clean up quickly after spilling food or drink before the residue become hard to remove.
- Dry kitchen utensils and containers thoroughly before putting them away.
- Check that the refrigerator is cold and below 5oC.
- Do not keep dairy products or sushi in the door panel of the refrigerator as it is the warmest part of the fridge.
- If plastic bags or lunch bags are used to store cold food, double-bag the food to help insulate the food.
- Check the refrigerator daily and throw out perishable food that is mouldy or that has passed its expiry date.
- Always follow the food manufacturer's instructions on the waiting period after food is cooked in the microwave oven, to ensure that the temperature is sufficient to kill all bacteria. When reheating cooked food, cover the food to hold in the moisture and promote safe, even heating.
- Reheat food till it is steaming hot before removing.
- Use only microwave-safe containers. Never use recycled butter or cheese containers as these may melt and cause chemical contamination to your food.
- Buy from food outlets that are clean, tidy and whose staff are neatly groomed and attired.
- Check that they observe food safety practices, eg. keeping cooked and raw food separately, washing their vegetables, keeping raw meat and fish in the chiller, etc.
- You can check out their hygiene grading (A, B, C, etc), which should be displayed at their outlets or stalls.
- Request that your hot food is served piping hot.
- Request for food to be thoroughly cooked to kill all bacteria.
- Food for take-away should be bought last, so as to keep the food hot.
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