Food safety starts from your fridge: Dubai Municipality

Dubai - Starting with the fridge, the common myth, Zubair said, is storing eggs and milk in the fridge door.

Clean, separate, cook and chill are the four simple steps the Dubai Municipality has offered to restaurants and the public to make sure their food is safe. Since summer is approaching, the Food Safety Department has increased its awareness drive. The officials and experts said the main violation that impacts food safety in Dubai homes and restaurants is temperature control that can directly impact human health.
Shugufta M. Zubair, senior food safety awareness support officer at the Dubai Municipality, said the general rule is to keep food between 5-60 °C. "Bacteria does not survive over 60°C, and food items are completely free of bacteria when stored below 5°C."
Store food the right way
Starting with the fridge, the common myth, Zubair said, is storing eggs and milk in the fridge door. "High-risk food like milk and eggs must be placed on the upper shelf of the fridge. Cooked food must also be placed on upper shelves, while raw food should be put at the bottom to avoid cross contamination," said Zubair.
The cooking process might lead to health hazards if food isn't handled at the right temperatures. Fresh food like vegetables and cooked food must not be outside the fridge for more than two hours. 
"People prepare chicken and rice in advance and keep it in room temperature. When eggs are used for marination, it is kept outside for hours, and both practices are wrong," said Zubair.
Zubair noted that people must have the proper facilities to keep food warm until it is served, or shorten the preparation time of the food. "If food will be served in the evening, don't cook it in the morning. Time and temperature are essential in keeping your food safe," said Zubair.
"Likewise, if you're using eggs for marination, do not keep it in room temperature. If the meal will not be cooked directly, it should be stored in a cool place," she said.
While the civic body has been placing its efforts to increase food safety in restaurants, officials said the four steps should be used everywhere to avoid health hazards.
Jehaina Hassan Al Ali, principal food studies and surveys officer with the Food Safety Department of the municipality, said that during shopping, consumers should start with purchasing canned food, while keeping cold and fresh food to the end.
Keeping restaurants clean
While food poisoning cases in Dubai are already below international level, Dubai Municipality is looking to increase safety standards in food establishments before 2020.
The indicating number used to monitor the seriousness of food poisoning is if 70 suspected cases were detected out of every 100,000. In 2015, the civic body recorded 60 out of 100,000 cases.
Throughout the Food Safety Week, titled 'Together for Food Safety,' the civic body took the food safety message to restaurants that are under-performing. "Their common violations were temperature control, low pest management and hygiene levels," said Zubair.
- sherouk@khaleejtimes.com
Food safety habits
> Always read labels for expiry dates, list of ingredients and handling instructions.
> Whenever carrying food outside, avoid putting them in warm places (cars or under the sun). It is best to use a cool box for perishable food.
> Store raw food away from cooked or ready-to-eat food.
> Keep prepared cold food in the fridge until it's time to eat them.
> When you prepare food, refrigerate leftovers in small enough portions to allow them to cook quickly.

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