Health Ministry Raises Awareness Against Food-borne Illnesses

KINGSTON, Jamaica. Thursday, July 4, 2024: The Ministry of Health and Wellness is reminding the public to exercise heightened vigilance to prevent food-borne illnesses and deaths caused by the consumption of contaminated food and drink. This is even more critical in times of disaster; therefore, consumers are asked to observe the following when purchasing food and/or storing and preparing food at home.

Purchasing Food [Consumer]

Consumers should buy food from certified and trusted outlets and observe the following tips:

• Be wary of purchasing food that is heavily discounted in price, or prices too good to be true as, persons may seek to pass on to consumers damaged or spoilt goods.
• Canned food should be labelled, not bloated, dented, or rusted.
• Inspect items in glass bottles for any visible cracks or damage. Additionally, reject any bottles that have been submerged in water (flooded).
• Vegetables and ground provision should have a fresh, firm appearance, free from odors, chemicals, discoloration, and signs of being water-soaked.
• Purchase meats and seafood from certified outlets in a frozen state, not thawed, discolored, or with foul or unusual odors.
• When buying meat from a butcher, make sure to check for the following:
• Purchase from a licensed butcher to ensure compliance with food safety regulations, and
• Verify that the meat has been inspected and certified (stamped) by a Public Health Inspector, indicating it meets required health standards.
• Do not purchase meat from backyard / under tree operators.
• Purchase dairy (milk, cheese, butter, ice cream) from refrigerated units at certified outlets and with caution – milk containers should not be leaking, bloated, or water-soaked.
• General consumer items should be purchased from certified and trusted outlets.
• If foods are purchased from a restaurant or fast-food outlet, it must be from vendors who are certified by the Ministry of Health and Wellness / Parish Health Departments

Storing and preparing Food at Home

At home it is critical that foods be stored (dry and cold storage), thawed, cooked and handled safely.

• Store cold foods purchased from a certified outlet quickly in your refrigerator and frozen foods in the freezer. If power supply is down or intermittent, purchase meat and sea foods for daily use and do not store leftovers.
• Dairy (milk, cheese, butter) purchased from certified outlets should be for daily use.
• Frozen foods can be thawed in the refrigerator/chiller, in a microwave, as part of the cooking process or under cool running water. Never thaw foods at room temperature.
• Foods should be cooked at the correct internal temperatures. Poultry, beef and pork should be cooked to at internal temperature of 71 – 74 degrees Celsius
• Keep foods out of the Danger Zone Temperature (5⁰C to 63⁰C)
• Raw meat, chicken and other poultry, seafood, and eggs can spread germs to ready-to-eat food unless you keep them separate.
• When grocery shopping, keep raw meat, poultry, seafood, and any drainage from these items away from other foods.
• Keep raw or marinating meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs separate from all other foods in the refrigerator.
• Store raw meat, poultry, and seafood in sealed containers or wrap them securely to prevent drainage of liquids onto other foods.
• Use one cutting board or plate for raw meat, poultry, and seafood and a separate cutting board or plate for produce, bread, and other foods that won’t be cooked.