(Seattle dentists) Avoid Bad Food Hygiene What to look out for

July 27th, 2010 admin Posted in hygiene |

By Jack Authors

We encounter food every day in our lives, we need to buy food, prepare food and of course eat food. On some days someone else will be preparing or cooking your food so you need to know what to look out for to avoid bad food hygiene. Here are some tips that will help you to identify best practice Food safety training and hopefully avoid ill health as a result.

In Supermarkets and Shops

-Raw meat, fish and poultry must always be on separate shelves from fruit and vegetables.

-Check your packaging for broken or damaged seals and labels. Even dented cans can pose a very serious health risk if you consume products within it.

-Check your vegetables for excessive bruising and holes. This is the perfect breeding ground for maggots, bacteria and other small insects.

-Avoid pre-stuffed chickens or turkeys if you are suspicious of the supermarket’s hygiene standards. These are ideal breeding grounds for bacteria.

-Make sure you know where your food is coming from. In particular, you may want to ensure that your leafy vegetables do not contain pesticides. If you are not sure, give all your vegetables a good rinse before cooking on high heat and eating.

At home

-Food thermometers aren’t just for posh chefs, they’ll take the guesswork out of cooking so that you know that your food is definitely cooked.

-Meat should be cooked to at least 70C (or 160F) and poultry to 74C (or 165F).

-Always freeze raw meat or cook it within 2 days of purchase.

-Don’t bring frozen raw meat to room temperature, always use the ‘defrost’ function on your microwave or defrost it in your refrigerator

-Leftovers should be eaten within 5 days of cooking. Frozen leftovers should be eaten within 2 months.

The important thing for supermarkets, restaurants, cafes or anyone who works with food on a regular basis is that all firms should at the very least, meet the UK and EU legal requirement for Food Safety Training. These courses do not take much time and will ensure that you are preparing food in a safe manner for public consumption.

Restaurants, cafes and hotels should expect formal action from the authorities if they are found to be cutting corners around food safety. The consequences are imposed immediately and can involve shutting down your business or issuing a heavy fine.

This was a costly and extremely damaging lesson for the Raja Halal Meat Shop in Harrow when environmental health officers found that none of their staff were involved in food safety training in July 2009. Neither were they registered with Brent Council, which is a must for all food businesses whether they are preparing, handling or selling food. With no food safety training and food damaged by rodents, the Raja Halal Meat Shop was closed down and fined 1857.

For larger businesses, like the Victorian Shopping Centre in Southend, fines would be much larger. This business was fined 12,000 when environmental health officers found mice droppings in food that was waiting to be sold.

Make sure you are not slapped with a permanent shut down or life bans. Don’t get caught out, advise your food business managers that they should invest in food hygiene certificates.

Vincent Norland is a expert in training food handlers and can advise on reducing preventable food related illnesses. He recommends High Speed Training for obtaining a Food Hygiene Certificate and other related online e-learning courses for your industry. The current UK and EU legislation states all food handlers need to pass then Level 2 Basic Food Hygiene Certificate.

Teeth Whitening Kits Can Boost Your Confidence

By Gareth Hoyle

Stained and discoloured teeth can look unattractive and could have a significant impact on your self confidence. People respond positively to a great smile but if you feel embarrassed by your teeth you may avoid smiling altogether. One way in which you can boost your confidence and get back your natural smile is to buy home teeth whitening kits. These are widely available and can provide you with an affordable way to change the colour of your teeth for the better.

What Causes Teeth Discoloration?

As teeth age the enamel can gradually change colour, becoming darker and taking on a yellowish appearance. Certain external factors can also cause teeth discoloration including tea and coffee, red wine and smoking. Tooth decay, tartar, metal fillings and medication (including some antibiotics) can also stain teeth. Once teeth have become stained it is impossible to regain the natural whiteness again without the help of bleaching treatments or expensive veneers.

Home Teeth Whitening Kits

If your teeth are mildly discoloured then teeth whitening kits can offer some good results in restoring natural brightness. These kits contain weak formulas of either hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide. They are very simple to use and all you need to do is put some of the bleaching agent into the mouth trays provided and then place them over your teeth. You will then need to keep these in place for around 30 minutes to let the bleach get to work on your teeth. Make sure you follow the manufacturers instructions carefully and avoid over exposing your teeth to the chemicals by leaving the trays in too long. Your teeth may feel a bit sensitive after using home whitening kits so avoid eating or drinking anything very hot or cold for a few hours after treatment.

You can help to maintain the whiteness of your teeth following a home bleaching procedure in a few simple ways:

* Cut down on drinking tea, coffee and red wine.

* Stop smoking as this will not only benefit your overall health but can also help to keep your teeth bright.

* Good oral hygiene can help to prevent tartar from building up on your teeth that can cause staining. This will also help to keep your teeth and gums healthy.

* Get your teeth cleaned and polished by a professional dental hygienist every six months. This will get rid of any plaque or tartar that has built up and also remove surface staining.

* Replacing your metal fillings with white fillings can help to brighten up your teeth and prevent staining.

If you have very heavily stained teeth then you may need to carry out this treatment procedure again. Check the manufacturers instructions about reusing the product as overuse of teeth whitening treatments could damage the enamel on your teeth.

Tooth whitening procedures can help to restore the natural brightness of your teeth and give you a real confidence boost. If you are unhappy with the colour of your teeth then home bleaching kits can be an affordable and easy to use option.

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