Common food safety myths

Today, many of us are more health and safety conscious than ever before, especially in regards to what we eat. However, despite this devotion to food and food safety, there are still a number of misconceptions and myths running rampant.

With that in mind, let’s consider the myths surrounding food safety, and the facts that we should replace them with.

Myth #1: mouldy cheese is safe to consume

Although most of us would simply throw away meat or bread if we began to see signs of mould, many people wrongly assume that it is safe to eat cheese that has grown mould, as long as the infected portion is cut away.

The truth is that mould spores can actually penetrate far deeper than you realise. Unless you are dealing with cheeses such as gorgonzola or blue cheese, which are carefully cultivated to ensure no harmful bacteria contaminate the product, any mouldy cheese should be thrown away immediately.

Myth #2: starchy foods can be left out and eaten later

This is a relatively common misconception that people need to learn more about. If potatoes, cooked pasta, or cooked rice products are left out long enough to reach the “danger zone” in temperature, (anywhere between 5 and 60 degrees celsius), they are just as capable of giving a consumer food poisoning as items that contain eggs, meat, or dairy.

It’s essential to follow proper food safety precautions with all foods, starchy or not.

Myth #3: seafood is extremely high risk

Many people believe that seafood is far more likely to be risky in nature than other types of food. The truth is, while seafood is considered a high risk food, it’s risk of contamination is no higher than dairy or meat.

Although seafood that is left out can breed bacteria and be unsafe to eat, the same is true of all other varieties of food.