With food preparation and meat consumption increasing during the festive season, Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC) has cautioned that improper handling of food can expose families to food contamination and illness.

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On December 26, RBC urged the public to remember that hygiene is crucial whenever food or drinks are prepared or consumed, warning that improperly handled food can cause illness.

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How is food contaminated?

People are put at risk of food contamination by everyday habits such as packing raw meat with fruits at the market, using a single chopping board for multiple foods in the kitchen, and leaving cooked food sitting for hours at ceremonies, a nutritionist has said.

Hyguette Irambona, a nutritionist at Gardens for Health International, a nonprofit tackling malnutrition through farming and health education in Kigali, explained that many cases of food contamination begin at the consumer level, after food has left the farm or abattoir.

She noted that packaging choices while shopping are among the most overlooked risks, particularly in markets where food is handled by many people and packaging materials are reused.

"When people go shopping, they put raw meat in the same bag as fruits, vegetables, or dairy products. Fruits, salads, and some vegetables are eaten raw, so if they come close to meat, they can become contaminated immediately,” Irambona said

Foodstuffs meant to be cooked later are less at risk because heat kills bacteria, but raw foods are at risk of contamination from the moment they are packed.

"At home, contamination happens during food preparation, caused by everyday habits. One of the most common mistakes is using the same chopping board for different foods without cleaning it properly between uses.

"You cut fish or meat on a chopping board, then use the same board to chop salad, onions, or fruits, if it isn’t cleaned properly, bacteria can transfer from one food to another,” she explained.

The nutritionist added that knives, plates, and other utensils are treated the same way, especially when people are in a hurry or preparing meals for many, and are not cleaned in between use.

Food handling after cooking creates another risk, especially during ceremonies and social gatherings, where food is prepared hours in advance and served much later. In ceremonies, food can be cooked and eaten two hours or more after it’s prepared. By that time, the food is cold, Irambona said.

Cold food left at room temperature allows bacteria to grow easily, mostly in foods that contain moisture, such as soup, sauce, meat, and fish.

Prevention

Irambona added that when refrigeration isn’t available, reheating food properly is the safest option.

She noted that if someone is not eating food immediately, they should reheat it well, adding that boiling helps reduce contamination. Food that will be eaten later should be kept in a fridge or freezer, because leaving cooked food out for long periods increases the risk of food poisoning.

Irambona also pointed to some eating habits that many people no longer question, like consuming food without washing it.

"People peel bananas and eat them immediately, they eat cassava, carrots, and other foods without washing them, this behaviour is common at markets, where people taste food without considering hygiene, and children copy adults. While dirt may appear harmless, it can carry bacteria picked up from soil, transport, and handling before reaching the consumer.”

During the holiday season, Irambona said meat consumption increases, raising food safety concerns as animal products get spoiled quickly and require careful handling.

She noted that people need to know how long it has been since the animal was slaughtered, explaining that chicken, fish, and meat are delicate and should be kept cold.

The nutritionist stated that animal products should be bought from sources with known storage conditions, cooked promptly, or stored properly.

"Cooking meat thoroughly is important, mainly pork as it carries parasites that are very harmful to the body. If it is not well cooked, it becomes dangerous,” she noted.

Irambona stressed the importance of personal hygiene, noting that poor handwashing habits expose food to contamination.

"People come from the toilet and think they don’t need to wash their hands, the hands can transfer bacteria to food even when everything else appears clean.”

RBC advises the public to prevent food contamination by washing hands with clean water and soap before preparing and eating food, maintaining personal hygiene, and keeping food preparation areas clean.

The institution also stressed the need to clean utensils and equipment, use safe water, wash food and ingredients thoroughly, store food and drinks at recommended hot or cold temperatures, avoid mixing items that should not be combined, and cook meals and beverages thoroughly until well done.