Hello, my name is David and I live on a small farm in central Austalia. I haven't always lived on a farm. For many years, I lived and worked in Brisbane and had a conventional life. However, when I turned 50, I realised that I needed to make a change so I decided to quit my job and move out to the countryside. I wasn't sure what to expect. I had some vague ideas of working the land and tending to crops. Thankfully, my neighbours were very supportive and taught me everything I needed to know. I decided to start this blog to help others.
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Australian Almonds: A Guide 13 August 2021
Farming and Agriculture
Some Basic Information to Learn about Food Safety
Edward Berry
Everyone should be concerned with food safety. You have probably experienced an unpleasant situation of foodborne illness at one point in life. For this reason, food safety is an issue of concern that must be addressed.
Foodborne illness is generally caused by consumption of food particles that are contaminated by toxic chemicals, radioactive materials, or microbial pathogens. Another common emerging problem is food allergies. While most foodborne conditions might be self-limiting, some complications may be so serious and even cause death. Therefore, ensuring food safety has become extremely important in the aspect of altering food habits, globalisation of food supply, and popularisation of the mass catering establishments. As food safety is a major concern for your health, you should learn some basics about food safety.
Major Keys to Food Safety
The World Health Organisation (WHO) identifies five major keys to safer food to prevent foodborne illness. These are:
- keeping all your food surfaces clean by washing all the platters, plates and cutlery as soon as they are used;
- separating raw and cooked food from the kitchen;
- cooking your food thoroughly to appropriate temperatures;
- maintaining your food at the required temperature for the purposes of both storing and serving; and
- use of safe water and raw materials when cooking.
Food Quality
Food quality involves all the positive and negative factors that affect the value of a food product to you as the consumer. Some of the positive attributes that may demonstrate good quality include flavour, colour, the processing method, and the origin of food. However, it is important to note that not all unsafe foods may demonstrate the aspect of bad quality.
Evaluation of Food Quality
Our sensory organs like the nose, eyes and mouth may traditionally evaluate the level of food quality by using certain instruments. Sensory evaluation is practiced by most regulatory authorities that are well versed in judging the quality of food at hand by a qualified panel of judges. The evaluation process deals with accurate measurement, evaluation of components, analysis, and interpretation of the quality of food as it is perceived by individual senses of touch, sight and hearing.
Precautions while Buying Vegetables and Fruits
Fruits and vegetables will always retain their freshness for a very short time when supplied with ideal storage conditions. It is advisable to buy vegetables that are crisp, firm and bright in colour in the morning hours. In addition, they should not have any signs of decay, bruises or wilting.
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