nutrition and safety

1. Nasreen Begum
Lecturer,Department of Nutrition
St Ann’s college for women,
Hyderabad,India
Preparing Foods
with Nutrition and
Safety in Mind

2.  Properly handling and preparing food is key
to food safety and can also affect the quality
of foods.
 Nutrients in some foods are lost by
overcooking or simply allowing the foods to
soak in water for too long.

3. When handling
glassware,
dishes and
utensils do not
touch food
contact areas
with bare hands
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4.  VENDORS
 Buy only from reputable suppliers
 Inspect deliveries carefully
 Sample temperatures of received food items
 Put refrigerated and frozen items away
immediately
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5.  GROCERY STORE
• Read the label – do not buy food that is past the “sell-by,”
“use-by,” or other expiration dates
• Purchase meat, poultry and dairy products last
 Ground beef should be cherry-red or purple-red if in vacuum
packaging
 Place meat, poultry and seafood in plastic bags to prevent juices
from dripping on other foods in the cart
 Keep raw meat, poultry and seafood separate from other food
items
• Check that all food packages are intact
• Select produce that is fresh, not bruised or damaged
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6.  Keep out of temperature danger zone
• Refrigerator – 40°F or lower
• Freezer - 0°F or lower
 Label and date food
• Leftover prepared food which was not served must be
labeled and dated, refrigerated promptly and used
within 36 hours, or frozen immediately for later use
• Commercially-prepared, ready-to-serve opened food
items can be kept up to 7 days when they are properly
stored/refrigerated
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7.  Store dry food in designated clean, dry,
ventilated and lighted areas
• Dry food should be stored in sealed containers (zip-
type bags, metal, glass or food-grade plastic
containers with tight-fitting covers) and shall be
labeled
• Food shall be stored at least 6 inches from the floor
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8. Thaw Foods Properly
In Refrigerator At 40°F or lower
Under Cold
RunningWater
Water must be 70°F or lower
Microwave Food must be cooked immediately after
thawing
Part of Cooking Process Food must meet the required minimum
internal cooking temperature
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9. Cook to Minimum Temperatures
(Handout)
Sample:
165° F
 Poultry
 food cooked in microwave (eggs, poultry,
meat, fish)
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10. Doneness versus Safety:
• Doneness is subjective. It is the appearance, texture, color,
smell and flavor of food
• Safety is cooking to the required minimum temperature to
destroy bacteria. Use a food thermometer to accurately
measure
Leftovers
• Heat to 165°F and bring gravies and sauces to a rolling boil
before serving
• In microwave, beware of cold spots and use a food
thermometer to check the temperature in several places
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11.  food preparation and cooking techniques, can
maximize the nutrient quality and flavors foods.
 Wash all fresh fruits and vegetables with cool tap
water.
 Be sure to wash clean thick-skinned vegetables
and fruits such as melons or squash using a soft
brush and water.
 Avoid soaking fruits and vegetables as you wash
because some vitamins dissolve in water.

12. food preparation and
cooking techniques,
can maximize the
nutrient quality and
flavors foods.
Wash all fresh fruits
and vegetables with
cool tap water.
Be sure to wash clean
thick-skinned
vegetables and fruits
such as melons or
squash using a soft
brush and water.
Avoid soaking fruits
and vegetables as you
wash because some
vitamins dissolve in
water.

13.  Leave edible skins on vegetables and fruits—
for example, on carrots, potatoes or pears—
and trim away as little skin as possible.
 Most vitamins and minerals are found in the
outer leaves, skin and areas just below the
skin, not in the center.
 Peels also are natural barriers that help
protect against nutrient loss.
 Just clean them properly first

14.  Cut vegetables that need to be cooked longer
into larger pieces.With fewer surfaces
exposed, fewer vitamins are lost.
 While cutting and preparing foods,avoid
cross-contamination by using a separate
cutting board and utensils for raw meat,
poultry and seafood.

15.  Skip the urge to rinse grains several times,
such as rice, before cooking because
nutrients may wash down the drain.
 Overcooking meat can affect flavor. Avoid
overcooking by using a food thermometer to
determine when meat has reached a safe
minimum internal temperature without
overcooking.

16.  Cook vegetables or fruits in a small amount of
water—or better yet, steam them in a
vegetable steamer, covered pot or a
microwave oven.
 Steaming retains nutrients because
vegetables usually don’t come in contact with
cooking liquids.

17.  Quickly cook (until just tender-crisp)
vegetables such as green beans, broccoli and
peas. Some nutrients, such as B vitamins and
vitamin C, are destroyed easily by heat.
 The shorter the cooking time, the more
nutrients are retained.

18.  Microwaving is also a great option because it
is so fast that heat-sensitive nutrients aren’t
subjected to heat for long. Also, microwaving
doesn’t require added fat.There’s a flavor
advantage, too: Unless overcooked,
vegetables retain the color and tender-crisp
qualities that make them appealing.

19.  For beets and red cabbage, add a little lemon
juice or vinegar to the cooking water.This helps
retain their bright-red color.
 Don’t add baking soda. Although the alkali in
baking soda keeps vegetables looking greener, it
also destroys vitamin C and can make them
mushy due to cellulose breakdown.
 Tip: Adding acid (lemon juice) to green
vegetables while cooking turns them olive green;
add juice or sauce after cooking.

20.  Canning is cooking, so canned vegetables
don’t need to be cooked again.They would
lose flavor and nutrients. Just reheat canned
vegetables on the stovetop or in the
microwave oven.

21. Questions?
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22. Thank you!