Food Safety

Team Potter
All livings things need food. Plants need food; animals
need food; and human beings also need food. But:

1. What is food?
2. What do we need food for?
3. What kind of food is good for us?
4. What kind of food is not good for us?
5. What is food safety?

Read on to find the answers to those vital questions…

What is food?

Food is something we eat or drink. Rice is food. Bread

is food. Butter, cheese, vegetables, beef, mutton, fish,
fruits are all food . In fact, water too is food.
 What do we need food for?

We need food mainly for health, energy and growth. Our

body needs a daily supply of starch, sugar, proteins, fats,
vitamins and minerals. All these can be found in the food
we eat. Rice, wheat, potatoes, eggs, chicken, beef, mutton,
fish, vegetables and fruits contain one or more of those.
Sometimes, however, we eat or drink something, not for our
health, but just for the pleasure of enjoying the taste of
something such as ice cream, cake, peanuts, or popcorn.
The more active we are, the more food we need.
 What kind of food is good for us?
Fresh fruits and vegetables are good for us because
they contain vitamins and minerals. Eggs, milk, cheese, fish,
chicken, beef, and mutton are good for us because they
contain proteins. Rice, bread, and potatoes give us
carbohydrate for the starch and sugar we need for our daily
activities.
One thing we need to be careful about is that we should
never eat more than we need. After all, too much of anything is
not good. All doctors advise us to have a “balanced diet”. A “
balanced diet” is “a combination of the correct types and
amounts of food”. If we have a balance diet, we will get the
right amount of vitamins and minerals for each day.
What kind of food is not good for us?
Any fruit or vegetable that is not fresh its not good
for us. Any fish or meat that is not fresh is not good for
us. Any vegetable or meat that is not well-cooked is not
good for us. Too much of one kind of food is not good for
us. Generally speaking, any food that makes us sick is
not good for us. For example, certain mushrooms and
certain types of seafood can make us sick, that is, they
make us vomit after eating them, and in certain cases ,
can make us break out in rash. This is commonly known
as food allergy. In some cases, a wrong combination of
food can cause food poisoning and even death.
 Moreover, many preserved foods such as corned beef,
canned sardines, tuna, sausages are not advisable. So are
artificially flavored fruit juices. All those canned fish or meat
and flavored fruit juices contain additives and colorants, which
are chemicals that can be harmful to our health.

Furthermore, many farmers today use chemical

fertilizers and pesticides for good reasons, but in most cases,
such fertilizers and pesticides are overused. As a result, the
vegetables and fruits we eat can contain traces of fertilizers
and pesticides. All these are harmful to health.
 What is food safety?

“Food safety” means “food that is safe to eat; food that

will not be harmful to our health”. This means that food, right
from its production to our dining table must be hygienically
handled. This means that the vegetables and fruits we buy
should not only be fresh but also free of traces of fertilizers
and pesticides. Similarly, the meat we buy should never be
from diseased animals. Canned meat, fish, fruit, and
vegetables, as well as flavored fruit juices should contain as
little additives and colorants as possible.
 Many countries have a department known as “Food and
Drug Administration” (FDA). The department is responsible for
the safety of food and drug in the country.

Nevertheless, we ourselves must do our best to look

after our own safety by having only fresh fruits and
vegetables, only well-cooked meat or fish, and a balanced
diet.
Thank
YouTeam Potter