HYGIENE

                         HYGIENE

• Thoroughly wash your hands with soap, once you have used the used the toilet, changed diapers, or handled pets. Hands should also be washed before you deal with food.
• Keep the eating area clan and well elevated.
• Make sure that the kitchen clothes and the washing, cooking and the general utility area are kept clean.
• Make sure to protect your food items and the kitchen as a whole against animals, pests and insects
• Use insecticides only during the night time, after having removed all the items form the shelves and drawers. Before storing the stuff again, wet mop the area once.
• Follow the First in First out (FIFO) method while preserving raw foods (like dals, vegetables, powdered spices, i.e. masala, cereals), especially in high humid areas. Do not keep them stored for too long.
• Keep the food stuff in airtight utensils or containers, to shelter against insects, moisture and dust.
• Divide ready to consume, raw and cooked food items, as you shop, prepare and store them.
• Wash repeatedly (after de-weeding) leafy green vegetables, in fresh water, until they are absolutely mud/dirt free.
• To remove worms form Cruciferous vegetables, soak in water that has been boiled.

• Scrape the fruits and vegetables after soaking them in water. This is because soaking only removes from the surface preservatives and pesticides. The engine oil with which the vendors often polish food items like apples and brinjals (to give a shining look) can be removed thoroughly only after proper scrubbing.
• Thoroughly wash, under running water, fruits and vegetables before cutting them for preparing salads.
• Cut fruits, sold be street vendors should be avoided.
• Before soaking or cooking cereals and dals, make sure you have washed them for two to three times.
• Before consuming any food, transfer it to a well cleaned serving utensil, so as to avoid the effects of any erosive actions of aluminum, brass etc, with lemon, tamarind, turmeric and salt.
• Instead of raw milk, consume boiled milk. Store it away in a cool place like a refrigerator, to avoid curdling.
• Buy only freshly cut meat, poultry and fish.
• Before cooking and consuming, thoroughly clean meat/poultry/fish.
• During summer, avoid storing food outside, for too long. Prefer food that has been freshly prepared.
• Promptly refrigerate perishable food items. The prepared stuff and the left over items should not be left to remain out for more than 2 hours. In case refrigeration is not possible, regulate the food in hand, to avoid any necessity for storage.
• Avoid long storage of food in freezers or refrigerators.
• Always boil or filter your drinking water. Store this in a clean and covered vessel. Instead of inserting your hands in the vessel for drawing water, use a spoon or a glass with a long handle to pull it out. Drinking water directly form bottles shred by others should be avoided.
• Never consume food beyond its date of expiry, of stuff packed in puffed or leaking tetra tins and packs