7 Foods That Should Not Be Purchased In Supermarkets, Risk For Health

JAKARTA - Shopping for foodstuffs in supermarkets is indeed a fairly safe activity, but understanding the food safety aspect remains important when we fill shopping trolleys. Seeing suspicious meat or pensing cans sold at oblique prices?

For the sake of security, you should refrain from buying it. Signs of supermarkets that do not pay attention to security are usually quite easy to spot.

"Pay attention to the appearance of the store as a whole," said Brue Ferree, a Food Safety Consultant from Insight Food Safety Consulting and a member of the Food Safety & Quality Management Division at the Institute of Food Technologists, quoted from the Real Simple page.

"Cleanliness and shop fragility show their management style and focus," he continued.

Ferree added that if a shop has a discount area selling products past an expiration date or in damaged packaging, it could be a sign that the store prioritizes sales over safety.

Especially if they mix food and non-food products in the same area, that's also not a good sign.

The good news is that most shops actually want to sell products that are safe, nutritious, and delicious so that customers keep coming back.

The food industry works every day to provide safe and healthy food for consumers, Ferree explained.

Regulatory oversight is based on a level of risk. Understanding your risks and balancing your ability to manage these risks is the best way to maintain food safety, both before and after purchase," he added.

The following are 7 types of food products that should not be purchased in supermarkets according to food safety experts.

1. Cut Fruits And Vegetables

Cuts such as watermelons or ready-to-eat pineapple are practical, but also at high risk of being contaminated with bacteria. If the cutting device is not cleaned every time it is used, bacteria from one fruit can spread to other pieces. It is better to buy whole fruit and vegetables. Then wash at home and cut yourself when you want to be consumed.

2. Packaged Foods Damaged

Food packaging is made in a certain way in order to maintain the safety of the contents. So if the packaging is damaged, it's best not to buy it.

"Don't buy food with damaged packaging. grocery stores receive supplies from various regions. If a chip bag has holes, a leaky milk seal, or a severe pensing can, choose another product on the shelf," said Lauren Twigge, MCN, RDN, LD.

Discount items with damaged packaging may be stale, damaged, or worse can be contaminated.

3. Foods that are not normal

If the meat, vegetables, or bread doesn't look fresh, it's best not to buy it.

"Pay attention to physical signs such as mushrooms on fruit or bread, colors of meat that are gray, or unpleasant odors. All of these are signs that food is damaged and not safe to consume," said Twigge.

Choose a meat that is bright in color, does not have a strange smell, and make sure the packaging is intact without tearing or leakage. In addition, employees who handle fresh meat should use disposable gloves to prevent cross-contamination.

4. Frozen Products That Have Been Stored For Too Long On The Freezer

If ice cream, frozen fish, or frozen sandwich is seen covered in thick ice sheets, you should just miss it

The ice buildup in the freezer suggests the door is not tightly closed or the temperature is unstable, Ferree said.

Too full Freezers can also disrupt cold air circulation, so the temperature is not low enough to keep food frozen.

Ferree added the temperature in the store refrigerator should be below 40$F (about 4$C), while the freezer should be close to 0$F (about -18$C).

5. Kaleng Penyok

Cans that are slightly pengusted are usually still safe, but still need to be careful. According to USDA, cans with small butts and without other damage can still be consumed. Twigge recommends avoiding cans with large or sharp pens, especially in the canned connection.

"The damage in that section can make the food inside contaminated," he said.

6. Matang food

In well managed stores, cooked food is usually safe for consumption. However, if not managed properly, it can be risky.

Food that is not stored at the right temperature is the most common source of food congenital diseases, explained Twigge.

Hot foods must stay hot. Cold foods must remain cold, and should not be stored in the same temperature area. If the food temperature looks doubtful, for example salads or room-temperature soup, it's best not to buy it.

Twigge also suggested arriving early if they wanted to buy cooked food to get fresh food, not what had been left untreated for a long time.

7. Unpasteurized Milk Products

Make sure the dairy products you buy have gone through the pasteurization process.

While still illegal in some states, raw milk is now becoming popular on social media and is being sold in several stores. Raw milk contains harmful bacteria that cause serious illness," said Twigge.

Pasteurization is a simple heating process that kills germs without reducing nutritional content and improves the quality and taste of dairy products.