On the entrance buffet, two bottles of hydroalcoholic gel sit permanently. And near the kitchen sink, Marseille soap doesn't really have time to dry. Since he was confined to his home, Stéphane has never washed his hands so much. Especially when it comes to meal times. Reflexes that the National Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety (ANSES) would not deny, which is warning against the increased risk of foodborne illness during confinement against Covid -19. In 2018, nearly 15,000 people were victims, including a third during family meals.
"Right now, most French people eat all their meals at home and it is important to remember certain hygienic rules in terms of food preservation and preparation of dishes," explains Pauline Kooh, scientific project manager at the food risk assessment unit. First rule of thumb: do not overload your refrigerator with products. "In the coldest area, the temperature should not exceed 4 ° C, but if you put too much, the air circulates less well and the thermometer can go up to 8 ° C, which is not recommended" , underlines the specialist of ANSES.
Take away the packaging…
Before filling it, remove the overpacks (especially the boxes around the yogurts) "in order to avoid contamination of food and the refrigerator by microorganisms which may be found on these boxes and plastics". Even if the coronavirus cannot survive more than 3 hours on the surfaces of the packaging, it is better to pass them to the moistened disposable paper towel. ANSES also recommends leaving packaged products unrefrigerated for three hours after bringing them home, when they are not fresh products.
… But do not wash the eggs
Place sensitive foods (meats, fish, ready meals) in the coldest area. Avoid contact between raw products and cooked food. Some unpackaged fruits and vegetables can be stored at room temperature, such as carrots, apples or cucumbers. As most micro-organisms survive freezing, ANSES advises freezing food as soon as it is bought, and not at the end of the expiry date. And above all, do not wash the eggs before storing them because "washing increases the porosity of the shell and allows the penetration of micro-organisms".
Beware of contaminating gestures
Like Stéphane who washes his hands several times when he goes into the kitchen, ANSES recommends doing so "before and after handling raw foods (for example meats, eggs, vegetables) and after any potentially contaminating gesture " “For example, if you have just blown your nose, touched a screen or the trash, petted your pet or went to the bathroom,” explains Pauline Kooh.
Finally, for each type of food, its cutting board: reserve one for raw meat and fish and another for cooked products and clean vegetables. As for fruits and vegetables, it is better to wash them thoroughly with drinking water in order to "eliminate the soil and the stains which can be strongly loaded with micro-organisms". ANSES advises to pass them under water then dry them with a disposable paper towel, which “helps to eliminate possible viral particles”.