Diarrhoea, vomiting and nausea are possible signs of food poisoning

Registered Dietician, Hikmatu Abdulai has advised Ghanaians on the most suitable way to preserve food.

According to her, the best way to preserve food is by refrigerating.

“Don’t refrigerate your food products in bulk do them in smaller quantities.”

She said when refrigerating food, it was right to apportion them into small bits.

“Portion them into small quantities so that if you need it at any time you just use that and don’t put it back so that the temperature fluctuations does not affect the quality of the food.”

The Dietitian was in disagreement with the mixing of certain foods.

“Do not mix fresh foods with salad and meat in the same compartment. Ideally to prevent what we call cross-contamination so that you don’t have bacteria or any disease-causing organisms from your meat especially soaking them into your vegetables.

“If your food has a lot of moisture there is a high probability of catching bacteria or other diseases causing organisms in them. Because they like moist environments, but when it is dry or when you have taken most of the water out, it can stay a bit longer.”

Speaking on the GTV Breakfast Show, Hikmatu Abdulai added that the best way to preserve meat is by frying, drying and smoking.

“You can fry dry and smoke to preserve your foods. Avoid taking too many starchy foods in the evening. Moisture is an enemy to food safety.”

Madam Abdulai said the temperature at which we keep our food determines how fresh or how well preserved it would be.

“With refrigerating or freezing the optimum temperature is 40/40 degrees Fahrenheit or less. If you are heating it should go be 140 degrees Fahrenheit. If you are boiling especially after you have taken your food out and you want to heat it make sure that you are heating up to 100 degrees Celsius that’s the boiling point. Make sure you are boiling up to that temperature to make sure that it’s killing and disease-causing organisms or food contamination organisms that might be in them. Some people cook with a food thermometer yes they go the extra mile to check the temperature for their food.

"Every type of food has a temperature at which you should heat or be kept when you are preserving it in the freezers."

The registered dietitian stressed neatness when engaging in cooking.

“Make sure you are clean yourself. Wash your hands with soap under running water before eating, and prepare your food under hygienic conditions. Eat in moderation and don’t overeat.

"It can trigger heartburn, bloating experience indigestion constipation. Preserve your food very well if you are going to eat it over a period.”

She added that the rate of food poisoning in Ghana had reduced but there are still individual cases coming up once in a while. she encourages Ghanaians to take needed action when they experience nausea, vomiting, fever and diarrhea because these are signs of food poisoning.