Keep Food Hygienic Everyday

The first step in safe home food storage is to choose food in good condition. Be sure to check the expiration date. Also, check the packages whether they are torn or damaged, since bacteria may enter from those spaces. The last important point is to keep in mind whether the grocery store itself is clean.

Be especially careful when ordering prepared food for delivery, because it takes time after it is cooked until it reaches your table. All prepared food delivery companies are obliged to have a food safety management system. Be sure to choose a licensed vendor and check the cooking time and expiration date labels on the product when it arrives. In households with small children or elders, it is best to avoid delivered food items.

When you buy food, think about how much you need. If you buy more than you can eat, it will spoil and lead to food waste. Only buy fresh food at a reliable shop that can be consumed by the expiration date. That is an important step in hygienic food management.

(From the Singapore Environment Agency website)
https://www.nea.gov.sg/media/news/news/index/nea-and-ava-remind-food-operators-to-remainvigilant-and-ensure-good-food-hygiene-practices-during-the-upcoming-festive-season

Always store fresh food in the refrigerator immediately. If you detour on your way home, your food may deteriorate in the meantime. Go straight home, especially if the outdoor temperature is high. If you can't go home right away, or when you want to buy fresh items, it helps to bring a cooling bag.

>Learn about Panasonic’s nanoe™X, which is ideal for combating bacteria

It is very important to have the right temperature when you are storing food. Many harmful bacteria grow within the range of 20 to 45˚C. Below 10˚C, most stop breeding; they enter dormancy at 0˚C. Therefore, the ideal temperature inside the refrigerator is 4˚C or lower. Keep the freezer at -18˚C or lower. 0 to -3˚C is called the “ideal freezing range”.

Breast milk can actually be stored for about 4 hours at room temperature, if it is 25˚C or lower. However, if you want to store it longer, put it in a refrigerator set to 5˚C or lower. Even in those conditions, it is recommended to serve it in about 2 days.

Do you really wash your hands the right way? Wash them for at least 20 seconds using soap and water for proper results. 99% of the bacteria on your hands can be removed by thoroughly washing the palms, between the fingers, the backs of your hands and under your nails. Don’t forget your wrists.

Wash your hands when you return home from shopping and before you start cooking. But that’s not all! For example, after you handle fresh fish, be sure to wash your hands before you cook, to reduce the chance that bacteria will be transferred from food to food. If you get recipes from your smartphone or tablet, be careful! They are not so clean as you think.

Bacteria may remain between the leaves of leafy vegetables, so rinse them well with water. When fresh meat is cut, bacteria can be transferred from the meat to other food. If you don’t wash the cutting board or knife and then cut vegetables, food poisoning could occur. Use different utensils for fresh food and for other food.

(From the Singapore Food Agency website)
https://www.sfa.gov.sg/food-retail/food-hygiene-practices-guidelines/food-hygiene-practices-guidelines

Even if a meat is fresh, it may present some risks. Viruses and bacteria are killed when they are heated well. Therefore, it is important to heat meat thoroughly while cooking to prevent illness.

When cooking a large piece of meat, finish it by maintaining the temperature at 75˚C for 1 minute in the center, measured with a meat thermometer. Bacteria will mostly be attached to the surface of a solid piece of meat, so it may seem that there is no problem if the surface is well cooked. But when you cook minced meat to make meatballs or hamburgers, please heat each item to the center. When the center of the meat has changed from pink to brown and the juice is fairly clear, it is probably well-cooked throughout. Many of the dangerous bacteria, such as salmonella, enterobacteria, and campylobacter, are killed this way.

Even if you're refrigerating cooked food, be sure to reheat it before you eat.
Curry and soup cooked in a pot become hypoxic when heated. If it is left at room temperature overnight, Clostridium perfringens, which survives without oxygen and can grow and cause illness.

(From Japan Government Public Relations Online) https://www.gov-online.go.jp/featured/201106_02/index.html

>Learn about the Blue Ag hygiene function, which preserves the delicious qualities of meat and fish safely.

“Can I leave leftover dishes, side dishes, excess fried noodles, etc. on the table if I wrap or cover them?” The answer is "No". Leaving them at room temperature is a great way to encourage bacteria!
Store them in the fridge as soon as the meal is over. If leftovers are stored correctly, you can safely consume them later. You don’t have to throw them out.

Bacteria is not visible and can grow in the fridge without your awareness. Keeping the refrigerator clean is very important. When an area gets dirty, clean it quickly with a damp towel before it hardens. If something is difficult to remove, put a little dish detergent and water on a towel.

>Learn about Panasonic’s Ag Clean, which is ideal for neutralising bacteria in the refrigerator

“nanoe™X” refers to ions generated by applying high voltage to moisture in the air.
Various effects have been scientifically demonstrated, such as removing airborne bacteria from the refrigerator, bacteria adhering in the refrigerator’s interior walls, pesticides adhering to food, and refrigerator odours. These ions, generating within the refrigerator, keep the inside of the refrigerator clean in every nook and cranny.

By combining highly antibacterial silver ions with blue LEDs, the "Blue Ag" produces a large amount of hydroxyl radicals that suppress bacteria. Since it can do away with 99.99% of bacteria, it is safe to refrigerate raw fish and meat.

The Ag filter, installed inside the refrigerator, thoroughly purifies the cold air throughout the entire refrigerator. It does away with 99.9% of the bacteria that may cause food to deteriorate in quality. It also removes substances that cause odours and exerts deodorising effect.

“nanoe™X” are nano-sized ions that perform both sterilisation and deodorisation.

Contains bacteria growth by combining the antibacterial effects of silver ions with blue LED light.

A special filter with silver ions that provides hygienic air and penetrates the refrigerator.