We all can easily make out the stale veggies and fruits from the fresh ones. But how many of us take care to check the expiration date or ‘best before’ date when we buy packaged food?

All food items, whether fried or non-fried, have a certain time limit in which they need to be consumed. After that date, it is risky for your health if you eat such a food product. It might cause indigestion or have other side effects.

So check the expiry date every time you buy frozen food or ice-cream or any food item and finish it before that date!

Eggs are very good for health and can be included in your daily diet. However you should remember that an egg is not durable and is perishable like meat, poultry and fish. If they are properly refrigerated and cooked, eggs will benefit you a lot.

Unbroken fresh shell eggs might contain bacteria that can lead to food-borne illnesses. The Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) bacteria can be present in the egg yolk, and sometimes also in the whites.

So it is better to avoid milk shakes containing raw eggs, Caesar salad, homemade mayonnaise and all those products in which raw egg is used without cooking.

Canned or boxed foods should be monitored for packaging. If you find that it has any swelling, holes, leaks or moisture don’t go for it. If you notice any other damage, don’t take a risk to buy these problematic packs.

Check the expiration date of the packaging carefully. Sometimes such foods whose ‘best before’ date is close by are put up on sale for a discount. We must first determine whether we will be able to finish off consuming the pack before it is no longer suitable for use. This way you save money too and don’t waste food at home.

Unlike frozen foods that can be bought off the shelf, or the freezer, fresh produce shopping is a bit difficult. Produce is not predictable as it involves handling by human beings till it reaches the super store.

Don’t ever buy any fruit or vegetable that has a hole or is damaged from outside. This is because there are chances that the fruit is decayed from inside. Also, even if you shop for freshly cut produce place it in ice when you reach home. All the rest of the produce should be kept in the fridge within two hours of buying the same.

For preserving the taste of food, it is important that you cook it properly. Thorough heating is required to get rod of harmful pathogens such as E. coli and salmonella.

The U.S Department of Agriculture advises cooking ground meat to an internal temperature of a minimum of 160°F and all kinds of poultry to at least 165°F. If you wish to check it yourself, ground meat turns brown or grey from inside when done; poultry is cooked well when its juices are clear. A completely cooked fish can flake with a fork.

A meat thermometer is the best way to confirm that it is cooked alright.

Sometimes it might happen that you visit a relative’s place for dinner and come back with some of the leftovers at the party. There are chances that you forget about it the next day.

But when you do realize it, the time may not be right. So in such cases, if you have even a slight doubt about any food item, just dispose it off. Never taste or smell such foods as it can have food poisoning bacteria that can’t be seen or tasted!

So the right thing to do is wrap this suspected food and throw it down the bin.

Checking out in your refrigerator once in a while helps a lot in case of food. Try and organize your refrigerator and freezer by placing the older foods in front. This will help you to know that they have to be consumed on priority basis.

You can also write a date on each of these food packages and finish it within a certain time limit. Plastic bags that can be sealed are easy to use as you can mention the contents and date directly on this bag. Ensure that you eat the food when fresh.

Simply put, follow the “First In, First Out” approach!

Here is another tip for safeguarding food at home. Take care that you set the temperature of your refrigerator at or below 40 degrees F and your freezer below 0 degrees F for appropriate food storage.

As you know, the favorable temperature for bacteria to thrive is between 40°F and 140°F. When the temperature is below 40°F the bacteria find it difficult to grow. You can also buy an appliance thermometer that is available in the kitchen utensils department of any grocery store for this purpose.

Place this thermometer in the refrigerator and the freezer to monitor temperatures at both these places.

Grocery cart cross-contamination is a common occurrence at the supermarket. Why does this happen? How can we avoid it?

As you will decipher, cross-contamination can happen when the juices flowing from raw meat, fish or poultry mix with other foods, vessels or surfaces. They should never be kept open after you have bought them and handled properly as these foods are prone to contamination.

To prevent this from occurring, put all such items in plastic bags and only then place them in the cart. This will not let the juices drip on the other foods when you are driving back home.

The basic thing to remember while shopping for cold food is you must always put it the last thing in your cart.

Bacteria can develop well at room temperature. That is why you must shop for perishable food items such as meat, fish, eggs, poultry and dairy products in the end. Make it a point that you head towards home as fast as possible if you have any of the above items with you.

Don’t finish any pending errands or stop at the gas station, and drive home your groceries immediately. They can thus be put into the refrigerator fast.