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World Health Day in Cayman Islands highlights food safety

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  • Access to sufficient amounts of safe and nutritious food is essential to sustaining life and promoting good health.
  • Unsafe food containing harmful bacteria, viruses, parasites or chemical substances, causes more than 200 diseases - ranging from diarrhoea to cancers.
  • Foodborne and waterborne diarrhoeal diseases kill an estimated 2 million people globally every year, including many children.
  • Food safety, nutrition and food security are inextricably linked. Unsafe food creates a vicious cycle of disease and malnutrition, particularly affecting infants, young children, elderly and the sick.
  • Foodborne diseases impede socioeconomic development by straining health care systems, and harming national economies, tourism and trade.
  • Food supply chains now cross multiple national borders. Good collaboration between governments, producers and consumers helps ensure food safety.
  1. Bacteria are among the most common foodborne pathogens that affect millions of people annually – sometimes with severe and fatal outcomes. Symptoms are fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhoea. Examples of foods involved in outbreaks are products of animal origin, eggs, poultry, drinking water, fresh fruits and vegetables.
  2. Viruses are spread typically through raw or undercooked foods or contaminated raw produce. Infected food handlers are often the source of food contamination.
  3. Parasites: Parasites can be transmitted through food or direct contact with animals or can enter the food chain via water or soil and can contaminate fresh produce.
  4. Prions: Prions are unique in that they are associated with specific forms of neurodegenerative disease e.g. BSE, or "mad cow disease".
  5. Chemicals: Naturally occurring toxins e.g. toxins from mould, and environmental pollutants and heavy metals can contaminate foods and accumulate in the food chain.
  6. Keep Clean
  • Wash your hands before handling food and often during food preparation
  • Wash your hands after going to the toilet
  • Wash and sanitise all surfaces and equipment used for food preparation
  • Protect kitchen areas and food from insects, pests and other animals
  1. Separate Raw and Cooked Food
  • Separate raw meat, poultry and seafood from other foods
  • Use separate equipment and utensils such as knives and cutting boards for handling raw foods
  • Store food in containers to avoid contact between raw and cooked foods
  1. Cook Food Thoroughly
  • Cook food thoroughly, especially meat, poultry, eggs and seafood
  • Bring foods like soups and stews to a boil to make sure they have reached 70C. For meat and poultry make sure that juices are clear, not pink. Ideally, use a thermometer.
  • Reheat cooked food thoroughly
  1. Keep Food Temperatures Safe
  • Do not leave cooked food at room temperature for more than 2 hours
  • Refrigerate promptly all cooked and perishable foods (Below 5C)
  • Keep cooked food piping hot (more than 63C) prior to serving
  • Do not store food too long even in the refrigerator
  • Do not thaw frozen food at room temperature
  1. Use Safe Water and Raw Materials
  • Use safe water or treat it to make it safe
  • Select fresh and wholesome foods
  • Choose foods processed for safety, such as pasteurised milk
  • Wash fruits and vegetables, especially if eaten raw
  • Do not use food beyond its expiry date or foods with damaged packaging e.g. dented cans

Published April 6, 2015

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