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How home cooked food can be saved from unintentional food poisoning

People prefer eating home food because it is nutritious, healthy and not harmful as the foods available outdoors. However, you must be careful while preparing food at home,as unknowingly you may poison the food by cooking it at wrong temperatures and for uncertain length of time. Consider reading how this type of food poisoning can be avoided.

Maintaining proper temperature while cooking food

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It becomes necessary to regulate the temperature while cooking food because some foods release harmful toxins on being baked at high degrees or for longer durations. Mainly the foods rich in carbohydrates such as potatoes, when baked improperly release a toxic substance called acryl amide that causes cancer.Acryl amideis an odorless, soluble, white chemical that is the outcome from starchy foods when baked above 121 degrees Celsius or 250 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cooking meals for appropriate time period

Young girl with clock isolated

You must be cautious while cooking meals to cook it for a specific period without keeping them on burners for a long time. This is because the longer the foods, especially potatoes arebaked; the more is the manufacture of toxic chemicalsand naturally will harm your health.Thus, it will be beneficial to keep a check on the temperature and duration of cooking when preparing meals.

Ways to reduce acryl amide formation

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Reduction of acryl amide requires cooking starchy foods at less than 250 degrees Fahrenheit. You must pay attention to the color of foods while cooking. This means to allow foods to get a light golden brown color instead of dark brown. Besides this method, you can even blanch the foods rich in carbohydrates by putting them in boiling water before baking, broiling or frying

Moreover, you can soak the potatoes in cold water for about 15 to 30 minutes before cooking, as this will benefit in the reduction of acryl amide formation. Apart from this, when you cook food in ghee or any of the healthy oils make sure that the cooking time is less and thereafter you need to dry the food in hot air oven for some time to reduce acryl amide.

Another way to avoid acryl amide formation is to store potatoes in cool and dark places where light does not reach. In addition, you must avoid storing potatoes in refrigerator, as it is the cause of increased acryl amide formation.

Making home cooked meals healthy is in your hands. Therefore, prefer slow and indirect heat methods for cooking that include stewing, steaming, braising and poaching. You can also avoid cooking processed foods for saving the food from unintentional food poisoning.

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