Food poisoning is not only unpleasant (and potentially life-threatening), it’s also inconvenient. But here are some useful tips to ensure you don’t get a queasy stomach again…
 
Four ways to spot an unhygienic restaurant – ten paces off!

When considering just how “safe” a restaurant is to eat at, ask yourself the following questions:

* Are the staff wearing gloves for handling raw and cooked foods?
* Are waiters using clean cloths to wipe surfaces or are they simply shoving dirty cloths back into their aprons?
* Are the toilets clean?
* And finally is the restaurant generally clean?
 
If the public areas of a place aren’t clean, then you can bet that the kitchen and “behind the scenes” areas are even filthier!
 
Avoid these high-risk foods

If your friends have picked the restaurant and there’s no going back then try to avoid eating the following foods (or if you do then ensure they’re prepared as safely as possible):

* Meat – ensure it’s well done.
* Poultry such as chicken and turkey – no pink flesh!
* Eggs – no liquid, must be properly cooked.
* Dehli meat such as salami and hams – sandwiches should be served ice-cold.
* Seafood – should be opaque-white and not translucent – AT ALL.
* Cooked rice – must be piping hot.
* Cooked pasta – should be piping hot.
* Prepared salads such as coleslaw, pasta salads and rice salads – should be ice-cold and not served at room temperature.
* Prepared fruit salads – should be served ice-cold.

Always obey the three laws of buffet lines…

* Food should be kept over burners or hot trays and cold food should always be displayed on ice or in refrigerated containers.
* Each dish must have its own serving utensils and if utensils have been mixed – avoid those dishes.
* Only take from the dishes that are covered and only select plates and cutlery that are clean and dry (never take the plate on top – reach for the plate just below that).
 
Five signs that food is “off”

* Odour: Strange smells (sometimes like rotten eggs) are produced when bacteria break down the protein in food, (usually fatty foods).

* Sliminess: Food becomes slimy as the bacterial population grows.

* Discolouration: Foods can become discoloured by microbial growth, for example, blue and green mould on citrus fruit and cheese.

* Souring: Foods go sour when certain bacteria produce acids.

* Gas: Bacteria and yeasts often produce gaseous by-products; for example meat may become spongy and cans swell.