KUALA LUMPUR: As Ramadan takeaways gain popularity in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, it is important for people to remain vigilant about food safety and hygiene concerns to prevent serious health issues, such as food poisoning.
Universiti Malaya Specialist Centre dietetic services head Rozanna M. Rosly said before ordering food online, consumers should conduct a background check on the vendors by making enquiries or reading reviews about them on their social media pages.
She said how and where vendors stored ingredients, where the food was prepared, as well as how long the food was cooked before being delivered could all lead to food contamination if not properly managed.
"For food deliveries to stay fresh longer, I would advise people to order food from operators that are less than 10km from your house or as near as possible to your home," said Rozanna.
Rozanna, a clinical dietitian, said food and beverages that were not freshly cooked or were prepared too long in advance might go bad by the time they were delivered.
She added that "cold food", or items such as salads or kuih or desserts made with cream, coconut milk or fresh coconut, should be delivered in cold storage boxes so they last longer.
Hot food should also be delivered in temperature-controlled boxes or containers, or insulated boxes, whenever possible.
"Customers may want to pay extra for properly insulated containers for delivery."
Food items should always be well sealed to preserve their heat, she added.
"As for gravies, soups, fresh vegetables or condiments, dressings and sauce, they should be packed separately."
She advised customers to request for cooked meat or fish dishes and vegetables (such as salads, cucumber and tomatoes) to be separated from the rice or noodles.
To prevent food poisoning, she advised consumers to order properly cooked food and avoid raw food.
"If raw food is ordered, it should be packed and kept separately from cooked and ready-to-eat food to avoid cross contamination."
She said traders or operators must adhere to food hygiene and safety guidelines issued by the Health Ministry for food products marketed online, which could be downloaded from the ministry's website.
She said food operators should not process, heat or cook items outside their establishments.
"All meals are safe as long as they are cooked properly and stored in proper containers and delivered as fast as possible."
Rozanna added that once food had been delivered, consumers should remove the food from its packaging and place it on clean plates or bowls and use clean utensils.
"Although there is no evidence that food packaging can be a source of Covid-19 transmission, it's always best to transfer food out of its packaging, dispose of the packaging, and thoroughly wash hands.
"Wash your hands for 20 seconds before and after handling the delivered food.
"Finally, clean the area where the bag or packaging was placed."
Tips to avoid food poisoning
COOK food to the recommended temperature to ensure safe consumption.
USE separate cutting boards for fruits and salads, and raw meat, fish or chicken to prevent cross contamination between ready-to-eat food and raw meat or poultry.
DO not prepare meals too early. The final cooking process should be at most two hours before consumption.
ANY leftover food should not be left out at room temperature for more than two hours. Chill leftovers promptly.
KEEP perishable food items refrigerated or frozen.
Cooking food safely
The only way to make sure your meat and poultry is safe for consumption is to cook it to a safe internal temperature as measured by a food thermometer:
BEEF, veal, and lamb (steaks, chops and roasts) should be cooked to 145°F (63°C) and be allowed to rest for at least three minutes.
POULTRY (breasts, whole bird and stuffing, legs, thighs, wings, and ground poultry) should be cooked to 165°F (74°C).
EGG dishes should be cooked to 160°F (71°C)
LEFTOVERS should be reheated to 165°F (74°C).