Today the upmarket superstores are overflowing with all kinds of food products from all parts of the world. Food products from unknown countries with unknown ingredients and no dates of manufacturing or expiry are common but can be really dangerous. According to a New Delhi based consumer rights group nearly 81 percent of imported food products available in the neighbourhood supermarket violate our Prevention of Food Adulteration Act. The sample survey conducted by the group brought out a startling fact that sixty-one percent of such food products did not disclose that the products contain added flavours and 25 percent did not carry a date of expiry.
In general, an Indian consumer very rarely checks the details given on the package - such as the date of manufacture, date of expiry and the ingredients the product contains. He tends to go by the 'made in US/UK/France' print line and does not bother to look for details. This brings up the question of food safety. One has to be really concerned about the type of food we give to our family. Is food safety not important for us?
Unknown ingredients, lack of proper storage facilities for food products that were manufactured in a different climate, no information on date of manufacture and expiry leave us in the dark about the safety of food products that one procures. These can play havoc with the health of your loved ones.
The supermarket is your first stop on your way to food safety. When you pick up any food product from the shelves of the store, have a look on the details about the manufacturer of the product, date of manufacture and expiry. Ensure that it has a 'use by', 'sell by' or 'expires by' date on the package. See if there is a name and address of any Indian importer with whom you can get in touch in case of a complaint.
Food safety also involves proper selection of foods in the store, proper storage in the kitchen and proper cleaning of the kitchen. When you pick up a food item from the store shelves check for the date of manufacture and expiry and even if the date of expiry is still valid, examine the food product physically and don't buy any products that have any unusual odours or look strange.
Canned goods should be free of dents, cracks or bulging lids, which can indicate a serious food poisoning threat.
To ensure the freshness of the refrigerated items (dairy and poultry products), take them out from the storage area the last. Make sure refrigerated food is cold to the touch. Frozen food should be rock-solid. Some packaging may carry the instructions 'keep refrigerated'; pick them only if they are stored in refrigerated areas.
In case you are likely to take more than an hour to reach home, try to carry them in an icebox to maintain their freshness till you are able to put them in your refrigerator.
Remember the basic principal when you're out shopping, shop your food and grocery requirements last. Take food straight home to the refrigerator. Never leave food in a hot car. Do not use the trunk (dickey) of your car to carry perishable food items.
Your refrigerator should be set at 5 degrees Celsius, and your freezer should be set at-18 degrees Celsius or lower. These chilly temperatures will help keep any bacteria in your foods from multiplying.
