Food Safety In Monsoon

By Sneha

Wednesday, July 18, 2012, 17:44 [IST]

Monsoon may bring rains but at the same time they bring along many diseases too. You need to be very careful about food safety during this season as most of the diseases during monsoon are either food or water borne. The relief from the heat is accompanied by an extra cautious attitude towards food. So you must take some precautions regarding your food hygiene during monsoon.

Water- The most important measure for food safety that you should take during monsoon is regarding your drinking water. Never let water to be stagnant in your house as they are the breeding grounds of mosquitoes. During monsoon they breed over the water sources and are the carriers of many diseases like cholera, malaria and typhoid. Also the drinking water supplies cannot be completely trusted during monsoon, as in many places, the pipes leak. Sewage and other dirty water gets mixed with the clean drinking water and pollute it. So its always better to drink boiled water to avoid any health hazards during monsoon.

Outside Food- Its always better to avoid eating food from outside as very little food hygiene is maintained in those places. Avoid chutneys as they are they are not cooked and are the ideal breeding grounds of bacteria. The consumption of such monsoon food may cause food poisoning. Also the food counters where the food is kept open must be altogether avoided as flies and insects come and sit over them leading to a multitude of health problems. Take care to ensure that the people who are serving you food are wearing hand gloves and maintaining proper food safety. Germs always spread from one source to the other. But remember that you cannot see the conditions in which the food was prepared or stored before. So its always better to maintain food safety and avoid eating outside during monsoon.

Home Food- Food safety is to be maintained not only outside the house but also inside. After you finish cooking, cover all the food items with a Iid. wash all the fruits and vegetables properly before consumption. Its better to eat lots of veggies during this season as such kinds of monsoon food boosts your immune system. Drink lots of water. Always keep the food shelves clean so that it does not become the breeding ground of any kind of insects. Remember to clean your kitchen after you are done with cooking as insects and flies love to breed on leftovers especially during monsoon. Clean your hands and all the crockery before you eat.

Maintain all the essentials of food hygiene and protect yourself from the onset of diseases.