Every year thousands of consumers suffer from a dose of food poisoning. Many of those cases are caught in the home.

Food poisoning is usually caused by bacteria called pathogens. These can either be present on foods, or can be passed from you to the food. You cannot tell if food is safe by looking at it, smelling it or tasting it. Bacteria are so small that 10 million (more than enough to give the average person food poisoning) would fit on a pinhead.

The golden rule for safety is to keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold.

There are things you can do to reduce the risk of food-bourne illness, and a good place to start is at the beginning- when you buy food.

Food retailers, like supermarkets, maintain rigid food safety standards to ensure that you always receive the best. But once you buy food, it is then your responsibility to take the same care of it. Shopping is the first stage where you can take this responsibility. Not only can you look for certain signs to ensure you receive a safe product, but there are things you can do yourself. Here's how:

All food retailers and food producers hae a responsibility to provide you with safe food. But, even then there are things you should look for:

Damaged packaging: Check the products carefully to check for any signs of the following:

1. Dented cans

2. Leaking cans, cartons, bottles or containers

3. Torn or ripped packaging

4. Swollen chilled foods packages and cans

5. Cracked eggs

6. Broken or imperfect seals

7. dairy products and other chilled or frozen foods left out of refrigerators

8. Products with molds, discoloration or infestation

9. Products in loose vacuum packs.

Never buy such products. They may be contaminated with dangerous levels of bacteria. Report such findings to the store manager.

..If you return home and find some evidence of tampering or package damage, return the product to the store or call the manufacturer.

.. Always check the date mark on foods, especially foods with a short shelf life such as dairy products. The date mark indicates the date by which the food will be at its best quality. After this date, the food may still be okay, but check it very carefully for any signs of deterioration. If in doubt, don't buy it.

..Products should not be overloaded in supermarket fridges and freezers. Chilled foods need to kept at constant low temperature in order for bacteria growth to kept on hold. Note the black line in fridges and freezers with the words "load limit" written above. Retailers should never have any product above this line.

..If a product is labeled "keep refrigerated" or "keep chilled" and it is not in chilled storage, don't buy it.

..When buying food from the deli counter, ensure staff use separate tongs for each food type.

..Always choose refrigerated and frozen foods towards the end of your shopping trip such as meat, dairy products, deli products, and ice cream. Frozen foods should be rock hard and chilled foods cold to the touch.

..Save hot chickens and other hot cooked foods for later in the trip, too. Keep them separated from frozen and chilled products.

..Try not to overload your cart. This can result in damaged packaging and quality loss for many foods.

..Ask the packer or retailer to pack raw meats in separate bags from other products. This prevents juices from cross-contaminating other products.

..And, lastly, always go straight home. Do not leave your groceries in a hot car. If you are traveling long distances (over an hour), place your chilled and frozen products in a cooler for the trip home. If you anticipate a long drive home, avoid buying hot food.

..When you arrive home, immediately pack chilled and frozen products into your fridge or freezer.

Self-sevice Salad/Dessert Bars

Self-service salad/dessert bars are becoming more popular in supermarkets. These convenience foods are great for the busy person. A few simple rules, however, will ensure that you enjoy these foods safely:

..Always take the container from the dispenser

..Each salad or dessert should have its own utensil. Onlu hold the utensil by its handle.

..Food purchased from salad bars should be eaten within 48 hours.

..Check instruction provided by the supermarket onhow to use the selfservice area in a hygienic manner.

..The self service area should always be supervised by a staff member.

.. Always remember that other people will use the bar, so never touch the food with your hands and do not taste the foods. If you see anyone handling the food, report it to a staff member.