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EATING OUTSIDE THE HOME While dining in restaurants or buying food prepared by others, we should take some hygiene precautions. All cooks, restaurant staff, and those who prepare and handle foods should practice appropriate handwashing. Safe food handling by staff should be enforced in cases of buffets.

BUYING HYGIENIC FOOD Make sure that you buy fresh meat and fish. Packed food should not be used beyond its expiration date. Raw, cooked, and ready-to-eat foods should be separated while shipping and storing foods. HYGIENE IN FOOD INDUSTRY High standards of hygiene apply to food industries as well. Some governments have imposed very strict quality parameters for food ingredients and their storage practices. Laws and regulations have also been put in place to ensure food safety. Consumers have become aware of food safety standards worldwide.

PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE Prevention is always better than cure—in other words, rather than having to solve a problem, it’s better to avoid having the problem in the first place. Hygiene is a key way to prevent problems with food. In our personal kitchens, good hygiene standards are a must, especially for kids, as they are very vulnerable to allergies and infections.

DID YOU KNOW?

• In the 1840s, you would have been more likely to die of contaminated food than from natural causes.

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