The Safe Food Handbook: How to Make Smart Choices About Risky Food

Heli Perrett

Jan 2011 · The Experiment

About this ebook

A helpful, easy reference on food safety from a microbiologist and public health expert.
 
The Safe Food Handbook is an essential guide for everyone, especially those most vulnerable to unsafe food: pregnant women, older adults, young children, those with serious health conditions, and anyone who cooks for them. Dr. Heli Perrett provides clear guidance on how to:
 

• Recognize the riskiest foods and places to eat
• Protect yourself from dangerous microbes like E. coli and salmonella
• Reduce toxins that build up in your body
• Learn which corners you can cut—and which you shouldn’t
• Enjoy your favorite foods without hurting your health or your budget

 
Organized by food group, The Safe Food Handbook demystifies the perils in our food—infectious bacteria, deadly molds, hormones, antibiotics, toxins, irradiation, and even wax on produce. It explains what to watch for in fruits and vegetables, fish and shellfish, meat and poultry, dairy, eggs, grains, legumes and nuts, and even herbs and spices.
 
Also included are answers to questions on shopping (“What exactly does this label mean?”), eating out (“What should I avoid in restaurants?”), and food preparation and storage (“How long can I save these leftovers?”)—so instead of worrying, you can relax and enjoy some good, healthy food.
 
“Perrett writes in a manner that clears the fog of claims surrounding food risks and safety.” —Library Journal
 
“She answers many frequently asked questions about prepackaged food, organic products, and what precautions to take with dishes such as sushi and raw beef. She even answers questions readers may not think to ask such as how to avoid distasteful, contaminated spices.” —Ruth Winter, MS, author of A Consumer’s Dictionary of Food Additives

Ratings and reviews

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About the author

Heli Perrett, PhD, a sociologist and microbiologist, has served as a senior technical specialist at the United Nations Development Programme and at the World Bank. She specializes in food, public health, and farming issues. She learned to love and grow food at an early age, and she continues to harvest organic crops at her home in Oakland, California.