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Food Safety Risk during Monsoon

Food Safety is important not just during monsoon but round the year. Monsoon season exposes us to many pathogens leading to an increase in diseases in human. During the rainy season, the moisture in the air increases to a very high level, and due to its various microbes tend to multiply in the environment. Especially Fungi grow and multiply abundantly in humid conditions. Rainy season brings in a lot of moisture and dampness which are not good for food and perishable items. The monsoon season is a host of many diseases and infections, these are spread due to the favorable conditions for the pathogens and their carriers to grow and breed. In accordance with Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, the apex food regulator of India under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, “The risk of diseases rise during rainy season”. During this rainy time, all vegetables and fruits can also get contaminated immediately, and consuming contaminated food and fruits can lead to gastrointestinal infections and other health hazards in humans. Fruits and vegetables are highly susceptible to mould and fungus during this season. During monsoon food borne illness increased. Food poisoning from E. coli, Salmonella and other contaminants are very common during rainy season. Due to contaminated food leads to food poisoning, diarrhea, dysentery and cholera in humans. Food being one of the primary causes of infectious diseases, requires necessary care when it comes to preparation and hygiene. During the monsoon it is important that extra precaution should be taken care about personal and food hygiene. Maintain hygienic standard in the kitchen during monsoon and prevent rotting of food.

Food Safety Measures/Practices for Monsoon Season

Washing fruits and vegetables:

Wash all fruits, raw vegetables and meat properly with clean and potable water before cooking. Cut fruits shouldn’t be kept out in the open during the monsoon. These should ideally be consumed as soon as they are cut, to avoid any contamination with pathogenic germs. All fruit juices should also be consumed immediately when they are fresh. After washing the fruits, they should be dried properly and stored in paper bags in separate sections in the refrigerator.

Eat safe food:

Avoid eating cold food. The foods should be kept in refrigerator to avoid any bacterial contamination. Pre-cut fruit, fried food, junk food and any other ready to eat street-food should be avoided completely. Most types of street foods are generally prepared in the open area. Lack of food hygiene among many street food vendors lead to food borne illness. There is a possibility of contamination of the food with rain water. The street food stalls mostly near open drainage, where there is chance of food contamination with pathogenic bacteria, when such contaminated food consumed by people which can cause dysentery and diarrhoea in human. All bakery products are susceptible to spoilage by fungus and moulds hence these soon eat as they are taken out of their air-tight packets.

Keep kitchen clean:

Always remember that, keeping your kitchen clean is as important as cooking cleaned utensils/ equipment’s. Wash and sanitize all surfaces of kitchen and equipment with disinfectant before and after preparing a food. Further, clean your kitchen floors with hot water and disinfectant. All the utensils wash properly using hot water. Take particular care of all the pre and post cooking duties.

Cleaning utensils:

Wash and clean your utensils thoroughly and dry before storing them. Clean fridge inside out and defrost it every two weeks regularly. Keep your refrigerator clean regularly. While frequently stuff our refrigerator with a lot of different food, it’s essential to take care of its hygiene as well. An unclean refrigerator may degrade the quality of food stored, so clean it once in two weeks. Avoid storing food that’s partially rotten that leaves an unpleasant odour. Make sure don’t overfill the refrigerator as it may cause to spoilage of fresh produce. Storing food in different compartments helps the air to circulate well which in return may increase its shelf life of food. Utilize a clean cloth or paper bag to store different fruits and vegetables separately.

Maintain personal hygiene:

Keep yourself and your surroundings clean. Personal hygiene is a must for our overall benefit and health. Good personal hygiene can prevent food poisoning. Wash hands with soap and clean potable water before and after handling food. It is not only important while cooking, but also helps us prevent from different types of germs. Besides washing hands, one must also tie hair properly and cut nails before cooking. Nails should be kept short and clean. The hair neatly combed and tied during cooking. Drink only boiled and filtered water, since during the monsoon season, chances of water contamination increase due to flood. Wear cleans preferably cotton clothes/apron while cooking. Do not use gadgets like phones and remote control while cooking the food.

Cook food consciously:

Get into the habit of washing your hands before preparing food. Use clean and potable water for cooking. Cook food well and slow to ensure that it’s safe to consume. Cook the food in smaller amounts and consume it fresh to avoid food posing. Always eat freshly cooked food. Wash all green leafy vegetables with salt water before cooking as it clears out germs. Avoid consuming raw and deep-fried food from the outside as you may not be aware whether the hygiene and cooking precautions taken. Avoid raw salad and make sure to steam it before eating during the monsoon season.

Keep clean refrigerator and do not leave the food leftovers:

The storage of cooked food in right way is very important during the rainy season. Food storage conditions are key parameters in food quality and food safety. Proper storage of food extends the shelf life. Refrigerators can prevent mould and reduce the risk of food spoilage. However, an unclean refrigerator might become a breeding place for fungus or harmful germs. Small sticky food particles might get stuck in the different corners of refrigerators; thus, it is important to clean refrigerator at regular period. Dry refrigerator racks properly after cleaning them. It’s easier for mould to grow on cooked food as they survive on the moisture in the environment. Hence, it’s important you eat freshly cooked food during the monsoon, and store the leftovers in the refrigerator as soon as possible. Always leftover food should be carefully covered, keep in the refrigerator to avoid contamination and bacterial growth and heated properly before consumption. Perishable foods such as meat, milk, curd should always be kept in the refrigerator. Be sure to place raw meat and eggs away from the rest of the food in the refrigerator.

Store the raw material of food away from moisture:

It is also very important to store food in a dry and safe area. It would be a good to avoid buying in large quantity during the monsoon season, in order to avoid problems with storage. All the raw ingredients required for food preparation should be kept away from moisture area.

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