Prevention

The basic rule is to wash your hands regularly (especially when leaving the toilet), clean the utensils and the different surfaces used in the kitchen and disinfect them:

• always wash your hands with warm water and soap (20 seconds minimum) before handling and after handling food, especially for raw meats and eggs
• rinse fruit and vegetables
• clean the knives, cutting board and microwave oven after use 
• clean and disinfect the refrigerator regularly (once a month).

DID YOU KNOW? Avoid rinsing meat and eggs. By rinsing them under running water, microorganisms can be projected and contaminate the sink or other foods nearby. In this case it is necessary to thoroughly clean the sink afterwards.

The basic rule is to separate raw food from cooked food. Raw meat, poultry, seafood and eggs can contaminate ready-to-eat foods:

• do not use the same utensils for raw vegetables and meat
• in the shopping bags and in the fridge, separate meat and fish from the rest
• do not use the same utensils to handle raw meat and meat after cooking.

The heat of cooking kills most microorganisms. The basic rule is to check that the meat is well cooked. Recommendations for cooking meat vary according to the type of meat:

• cook minced meat thoroughly (the temperature at the heart of the beef burger must reach or exceed 70°C for 2 minutes, to be checked with a thermometer)
• for whole pieces of meat, cooking the surface sufficiently is enough to get rid of any bacteria contaminating the meat
• reheat food residues to the highest possible temperature before reuse

Please note! Cooking does not destroy certain toxins produced during storage at inappropriate temperatures (> 4°C). 

At more than 4°C, microorganisms develop while the cold prevents their development. The basic rule is therefore to keep food as cold as possible:

• before purchasing, check that the meat is properly packed
• check the freshness of eggs, meat, fish and shellfish
• purchase your fresh and frozen products last
• transport fresh and frozen products in a cooler or cool bag
• as soon as you reach your home, immediately place fresh products in the fridge (4 to 7°C) and frozen products in the freezer (-18°C)
• thaw the meat in the fridge 
• avoid refreezing thawed food
• if you thaw in the microwave oven, immediately prepare the meat
• keep cold dishes for as long as possible in the refrigerator before serving them and put them back as soon as possible.

Observe the use-by date!! The use-by date must not be exceeded, contrary to the best before by date. 
 

DID YOU KNOW? Salt, sugar, vinegar, lemon and oil limit the development of bacteria, hence traditional methods of preserving foods such as cured meats, jam, marinades, etc.