Buying Food

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[ Shop at Clean & Reputable Stores | Read Labels Carefully | Buy Items in the Correct Sequence | Buy the Correct Quantity | Check Your Food! | Think of Others ]

Most of us purchase food from stores. It may be convenient, but it is possible to get spoiled food now and then. But this can be avoided if some techniques covered in this section are considered.

• Shop at clean and reputable stores
• Read labels carefully
• Buy items in the correct sequence
• Buy the correct quantity
• Check your food
• Think of others

Shop at Clean & Reputable Stores

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Read Labels Carefully

• When choosing pre-packaged foods, you should read the labels on the items carefully.
• Look out for misleading food names. For instance, you must look at the list of ingredients to make sure that you are buying what the name says. If the product "fruit jelly" does not have the fruit indicated on the ingredients list, it should not be called fruit jelly.
• Check the expiration date on the labels and make sure you have enough time for consumption of the food before buying.
• Claims that the food contains vitamins or minerals must be substantiated with supporting information on the label.

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Buy Items in the Correct Sequence

• It may seem negligible, but itis actually important that you plan your shopping beforehand.
• Buy goods off the shelves first and perishable food (pasteurized milk, meat, poultry, and fish) which requires refrigeration or freezing last.
• Make sure you return home as soon as possible and place the perishables in the refrigerator; do not leave them in heat.

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Buy the Correct Quantity

• Do not buy more perishable food than can be stored in your fridge and freezer.
• Buy perishable food (raw and cooked meat, milk, cream, fish) in quantities suitable for the size of your family to avoid throwing away spoiled left-overs.
• Buy non-perishable food also in reasonable quantities (dry goods, preserves and canned foods). Do not buy more than a few week's supply.

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Check Your Food!

Canned Food

Dairy Products

• Keep the temperature of your refrigerator between -1 and 3 degree Celsius
• Read the labels to see how the products have been processed
• Check the expiration date to ensure it has not been exceeded

Dried Food

Eggs

Fish & other Marine Products

• Buy fish from stores that display raw fish, cooked fish, and shellfish separately to make sure that you prevent cross contamination
• Buy fish from stores that chill raw fish, cooked fish, shellfish, and fish products on ice
• Buy fish with shining and iridescent skin covered with a thin, transparent liquid layer
• Buy fish with a pair of full, bright eyes with jet black pupils and transparent cornea
• Buy fish with bright pink gills
• Check that the flesh does not sink when pressed

Frozen Food

Meat & Poultry

• Buy meat red in color
• Buy meat placed on polystyrene trays and wrapped with clear PVC film
• Bring the meat home as soon as possible and keep it in the refrigerator

Prepackaged Perishable Food

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Think of Others

• Do not open up the sealed package to see what's inside and what it smells like
• Do not touch any cooked food on display such as cakes and pastries with your bare hands

This page has been authored for participation in the 1997 Thinkquest Competition. For problems, questions, or suggestions regarding The FOOD Files, send email to tq1997-11960@advanced.org or page the webmaster for quicker results. Last updated: July 31, 1997 See the Links!