Foodborne diseases are of worldwide public health concerns. In Taiwan, the climate is sweltering, humid, and quite suitable for growth of the microorganisms. To ensure the safety and sanitation of food, Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) promotes the five keys and two don’t principles to prevent foodborne disease: “wash hands, keep fresh, separate raw and cooked, cook thoroughly and preserve at proper temperature; don’t drink untreated water and don’t eat wild plants and animals”.

To reduce the occurrence of foodborne disease, first of all, it’s necessary to practice proper hands hygiene before eating or preparing food. Foods should be stored in the refrigerator as soon as possible and do not be left at room temperature for too long. Furthermore, raw food should be kept separately from the cooked food to prevent cross contamination. As to the seafood, they should be heated thoroughly prior to consumption. In addition, wild plants and animals should be avoided, because some of them may be poisonous to humans.

TFDA promotes “Five keys and two don’t principles to prevent foodborne disease” as follows:

1. Wash hands: wash hands with soap, and rinse by clean water before handling food, during food preparation and before meals.

2. Keep fresh: ensure the cleanness of water used, and select and keep freshness of foods.

3. Separate raw and cooked: use separate equipment and utensils for handling raw materials and prepared foods to prevent cross contamination.

4. Cook thoroughly: prepare and cook foods thoroughly, at least to 70°C of the center temperature.

5. Preserve at proper temperature: keep foods at low temperature (no higher than 7℃) or preserve them in adequate means, and do not leave food at room temperature for too long.

6. Don’t drink untreated water: water should be brought to a rolling boil for one minute to kill pathogens.

7. Don’t eat wild plants and animals: avoid consuming wild plants and animals, because some of them may be poisonous to humans.