Preventive Medicine | Food

Your food can make you sick if it is stored or handled improperly. This also extends to how you clean up. Pots and pans, if not cleaned properly, can make you ill as well. The following are the steps that must be undertaken to protect yourself and others from foodborne illnesses.

Handlers: These people need a physical exam before being assigned kitchen duty. People that should be exempt from this line of work are those with a communicable disease. Those fit for this assignment should have no signs or symptoms of infection or illness (rashes, skin wounds, coughs, sore throats, etc.). If any are present, they should be relieved of duty for the duration of their illness. Before each shift, hands must be washed, nails should be trimmed & cleaned, and clothes must be clean. Hair should also be clean and pulled back or under a hat.

Storage: Refridgerate what foods should be kept cool at 45 degree or less. Keep fruits & veggies in a dry place where air can circulate. Police the areas for spots where rodents/vermin can get in. Store dry goods in containers that have tight fitting lids to keep insects out. Any other ideas?

Cleaning Pots: Really this falls into two categories, hot water cleaning and cold water cleaning. With hot water cleaning, scrape all left over food into a collection bin. Wash the item with warm H2O and soap. Rinse in warm, clear H2O. Finally, disinfect by placing in clear, boiling H2O for 30 seconds and allow to air dry. The biggest problem with this method is that it is energy intensive, meaning that it takes a lot of fire, wood, fuel, heat, you get the picture. IMHO though, it is the best method for a group in a camp.

The cold water method is similar. Subtract the heat from the instructions above, meaning that you wash and rinse in cold water. Follow that with a 30 second immersion in water that has been treated with chlorine bleach. (Directions for amount can be found on the bottle). You should remake this for every 100 people that go through the line. I believe this to be a better method for temporary camps, or those in the field. Air dry.

Rodent control: The key to this is good policing. All food should be in rodent proof containers, or rodent proof rooms. Keep all ditches or depressions free of standing water. This will help with some insects also. Bury or burn your garbage, compost that which is organic waste in a designated area away from the kitchen and water sources.

Anthropod control: Maintain your personal protective measures and use pesticydes when available.

Anything that anyone wants to add?

phishi

 

The mess kit line used by the Army (when we used to use steel mess kits) involved 4 stations - 1) Scrape any scraps into a lined or plastic can, 2) Wash in soapy hot water and scrub with provided brush 3) Rinse in clean cold water 4) Sanitize by dipping in a bleach solution (0.5%, IIRC - will look it up and confirm). Then you shook dry and stowed your utensils - voila!

Here I am dragging up another ancient thread - sorry; I really try not to do that unless I believe I have something really salient to add.

 

Glad you did. Good info. Glad your here you have a lot to add. Welcome Friend!

 

I'm working on a homemade version of the USGI multifuel immersion heater for emergency use - has anybody seen something similar?

 

We are currently finishing our root cellar/food storage area in our new house. Anybody have recommendations on shelving systems that help rotate stored food.

 

if youre storing cans, build shelves that let the bottom cans roll out
while the rest stay up inside
the oldest, on the bottom, get used first and the newest cans get
stacked on top, a continuous feed tha way with no special work involved
if youve ever seen inside a soda vending machine you know the type of system
im talking about, sloped bottom with 4 sides and an open top
just enuff space on the lowest part of the bottom for 1 can to be taken out

 

A really great basic thread. And a good reminder that not everyone is a neat freak in the kitchen so its good to be mindful of who is cooking and cleaning in a group situation.

 

This Is What Happens To Your Body When You Consume Okra - Herbs Info


Okra can lower blood sugar.

 

Thanks for letting know about the important aspects regarding survival time food and medicine preparation. Keeping the food and medicine in safe place during emergency situation is highly essential.

 

I believe that nuts and seeds especially seeds which you can sprout are ideal to always have close to hand. Aparently you can live for a while on alfalfa seeds alone and they dont spoil or go off unless they get wet.

 

Really very useful information, today lots of time, people are forget to keep their kitchen neat and clean. This will causes several health effects in the body. So people should keep clean their kitchen and food items. Grains and nuts should packed in a the proper vessels or box.