Food safety is an important aspect to maintain our health and well-being. Every living, breathing soul on the Earth wants to preserve the life of their own and others for as long as possible. The main factor that affects our well-being is our exposure to health threats that can lead to illness or death.
One of the common ways we are affected is through our consumption of food. The neglect towards food handling and preparation safety procedures can expose hundreds, thousands or millions of people to health issues.
The education of food handling and packaging in Australia has countered the food health crisis’ that has affected parts of the country at times, however more people inside the home and in businesses need to take steps to further understand the importance of food packaging in their food handling.
Food packaging supply experts Venus Packaging, offers the following advice for those individuals and businesses that need to better understand food packaging’s involvement in food safety.
The correct packaging will improve the food’s shelf life.
One of the biggest issues that leads to food health problems – especially in offices – is because of the shelf life of the food. Many people believe that just by placing food inside a cold area, the food will be preserved for a longer shelf life. This is partially true. The issue is food will still decompose if exposed to high oxygen levels. By removing the food’s exposure to the air, you can preserve the food safely for longer within the packaging.
It protects the food from other food contamination threats.
Food contamination can occur through the spread of liquids or airborne bacteria spreading to other foods. For example, if someone has placed meats such as poultry on the top shelf in a fridge and liquid from the poultry spills onto vegetables, it could spread bacteria that could affect those people that consume the food. Vacuum packaging and sealers help to prevent the threat of contamination with its sealing and minimising the oxidisation process that leads to condensation and the spread of bacteria.
Food packaging helps with monitoring the preservation timeframes of your food.
By correctly packaging and labelling food products, it makes the monitoring process of foods easier. Extending the shelf life with vacuum packing is one important part of the process, however by monitoring the packaging date, you can more accurately assess whether or not the food should be consumed.
What actions should you start taking to improve food safety in office?
The approach that you take to managing your food preservation should focus primarily on the packaging that you use on your food products. Freezer bags and cling wrap for use inside the office break room is a start, however by sealing your food in a vacuum, you will greatly reduce risk to your stored food.
What is the potential impact if no action is taken?
According to an article in Food Safety News back in 2009, author Dave Babcock discusses how vulnerable the people in food handling and the elderly are should they fall ill as a result of poor food hygiene. In the article, he discusses how the risks resulting from poor food handling and preparation can trigger illness or even death. The main ways to prevent these threats is through the education and action of food handling.
Whether it is in the home or at a commercial property, food preservation is critical to consumption health. As people become more aware about food preservation processes, the value of vacuum packaging will increase. Ask yourself if you are doing enough in your home or your business. Is your food handling process aiding health, or serving as a health hazard? Act now before it is too late!
Photo credit: Incase / Flickr
