Grocery Selections at their Best
It is Saturday, the kids are up, fed and off doing whatever kids do these days. It’s off to the store to pick up the weekly supplies. Some people have lists, others have fliers and some just seem to endlessly circle picking up whatever interests them in the moment. As you go aisle by aisle picking up those items you personally select you assume that each item is properly cared for and safe, after all, when it comes to food items there are government inspectors, regulations companies are required to follow and you have never heard of any issues at this store.
There are many potential food borne illnesses; but all have been studied, assessed and preventative measures in place to eliminate or at least minimize the possibility of goods being contaminated. We have all heard of the occasional outbreak or horror story but generally these are few and far between. So what really goes on to prevent these issues from occurring, after all there is a chain of custody and standards.
Just like the food chain, the supply chain and even that old rusty chain you use to tie your boat up at the lake, all it takes is a weak link for the entire chain to break. It is everyone’s responsibility to ensure that foods get from farm to table safely. In store most retailers have automated systems with alarms to warn them if an area is getting too warm or too cold. Employees are trained to monitor the temperatures of various products to ensure they are being stored at appropriate levels, visually inspect them for imperfections and lets not forget that all items have some form of a best before date printed on them.
You may not be able to have a watchful eye on everyone who has had anything to do with the foods you select, however you do have your five senses to guide you through the wide selection at the store. Boxed items hide a lot of the details however a soggy, old or damaged product can be easily spotted and avoided. Best before dates can always be reviewed because even though the clerks do their best the odd mistake can happen and an item can be missed.
When it comes to fresh items such as produce or proteins let your gut guide you, if the greens look wilted or starting to turn, avoid them; opt for bright, strong colours. When it comes to beef look for bright red meat, if there is any grey or brown, while it may not be expired, it is oxidized and is definitely not the choice cut for your family. Now we get to a department I know the best, seafood. Shellfish should always, and may I stress ALWAYS, be closed; if it is open, and stays open, it is dead. When looking at fin fish such as cod or haddock you want a white colour, firm flesh, no slime and fairly obviously, presentable; if the fillet looks beat up it most likely was, avoid it. With trout, salmon or char the same applies, although the colour should be a shade of pink and slime (on the skin) is not a bad thing; these fish have a naturally occurring slime that helps them navigate in the water. Whole fish, if you can, are ideal for identifying freshness. Whole fish should, for the most part, have clear eyes, bright red gills and the skin should bounce back when poked if the establishment will allow for this test to be performed.
In the world of food today we have inspectors, standards, and processes in place to protect the public. Be it a restaurant or a retailer, a wholesaler or a producer; all rigorously do their best to ensure the highest quality product makes it to market. When it comes to freshness, you are not the only one in control. When out shopping keeping a keen eye for detail and being a selective shopper only adds to the probability that you and your family will enjoy healthy homemade meals.