Raising awareness of kitchen hygiene: our food has something to tell us!
Kitchen hygiene practices: the most effective way to prevent foodborne illnesses
Salmonella, Campylobacter, Listeria, Escherichia coli, Bacillus cereus, norovirus, parasites… Food contamination by these, and other, pathogens remains a major public health issue.
Every year, foodborne infections affect thousands of people in France. Around a third of reported foodborne infections occur in the home. Protecting the public is the responsibility of the authorities and all participants in the food chain, but also depends on our daily practices regarding cooking, storage, hygiene and the use of utensils.
Although these hygiene practices remain the most effective way to prevent foodborne infections that can occur at home, they remain poorly understood and applied.
Turning health recommendations into lasting habits
Our foods are not lifeless substances; they come from living organisms and react to their environment. For this awareness-raising campaign, we wanted to give foods a voice through four animated videos.
These films also come with videos in which our scientists explain how microorganisms are transmitted or can proliferate. The aim is not to cause alarm but to help everyone understand the risks so they can better adopt the most effective practices.
“We decided to talk about kitchen hygiene in a different way: by letting the food speak for itself in situations that closely mirror everyday life. Our scientists provide support to explain the microbiological mechanisms invisible to the naked eye and provide everyone with the tools for safe and responsible cooking. Our philosophy: better understanding leads to better action,” explains Marianne Chemaly, Scientific Director for Food Safety at ANSES.
See our page “In the kitchen, the best ingredient is hygiene”
Reinforcing food safety: our work
As a food safety agency, we monitor, investigate and propose measures to ensure the safety of the food chain in the face of foodborne infection risks.
At the heart of our monitoring systems, our laboratories play a key role in detecting and analysing signs of contamination at every stage of production, particularly in relation to foods of animal origin. Holding numerous reference mandates, these laboratories coordinate official analyses to identify pathogens and contaminants, and trace their origins.
In health crisis situations, we participate in the investigation of outbreaks and propose the most effective measures to public authorities to contain foodborne infections.
We also carry out risk assessments to identify the most effective measures for reducing risks and to set priorities for food monitoring and the inspection of establishments.
Through our work to guide consumer information (document in French), we have identified the most effective everyday hygiene practices to promote among the public.