One of the greatest games of all time is camping. So many of us work in the same old workplace day after day, repeating the same old procedures over and over again. We long for the day when we can hang this apron, pack everything we need in the back pack and go on the open road. At least some of us do it.
Holiday vacations are very different. To some camping you can sleep sadly next to the fire in the camp with only stars for the roof. For others, camping can be a luxurious safari in Kenya, where everything is carefully planned down to champagne on the ice and after eight mints on the pillow. Whatever our camping holiday, we must remember that we are no longer in our natural environment. We can no longer say that we are fully prepared to live in the open air. The days when our distant ancestors were hunter-gatherers are long gone, and we can only wish the level of natural immunity that they possessed.
When we are in the outdoor environment for a long period of time, we need to keep in mind that we take care of all our needs in the same environment where in our homes we created separate environments to meet our various needs. When we are in the outdoor environment, we have very limited control over it. The quality of water in its natural environment is what it is. We cannot do anything to change it, and we cannot do much to keep insect vectors, such as flies, ants, ticks and leeches, for example.
The only way to control the influence of the environment on us is to control how we organize ourselves. The most important logistical problem that we face in the aspect of food hygiene is the problem of water. We must have a safe source of water. The second most important problem we face is to have safe food, and the third most important problem we have to deal with is how to take care of our personal hygiene needs without contaminating the area in which we should live. . Ideally, these should be three separate areas. This will reduce the risk of cross-contamination.
At the campsite, we can have only one source of water, which we should use for hygiene, cooking and drinking. This is a problem that needs to be solved. Indeed, a lot of cases of serious food and water poisoning on trips. I can vouch for this in person.
The four golden rules of food hygiene are applied both outdoors and indoors. Let's look at four rules and see how to successfully apply them in the scenario of the camp site.
Rule 1. Buy products from a secure source.
In the camp, this means that the food will not die. Sterilized food packaging can be purchased at specialized open-air stores, which are identical to those used by special forces. Otherwise, you will receive dried products and products that have been packed in small cans, tubes, concentrates, etc. Avoid getting fresh meat and fish at any price. Even cooked meat will have a very limited lifespan and can only be counted as a packed lunch for the first day, which will be within four hours of departure. Fruits, such as apples, can be taken for several days, provided that they are properly washed, dried and wrapped in a plastic bag in separate portions. Eggs should also be avoided if you cannot get them on your trip. Boil them for at least 10 minutes. Likewise, some hard vegetables, such as carrots, can be taken during the first two days. Again, it is better to clean them, wash them thoroughly, dry them and insert them tightly into a plastic bag. Do not eat local food on trips unless you are sure the source is safe. If you are not sure about the source of water, it is better to drink fresh milk than to drink water. If you catch dysentery, you can lose more water than you can.
Rule 2. Prevent bacteria from entering your food.
Again, due to the fact that your food is closed in hermetically sealed packaging, the possibility of contamination is greatly reduced. Do not open more than you need for each meal. Do not mix foods that have been opened with closed food. Do not leave food for a long time unattended. Either eat or cook. It is advisable to cook it. When handling products, make sure that you are clean, especially your hands and nails. Do not use knives that were used for other purposes than products. Thoroughly clean them before use and after use. Similarly, clean your bowls, plates, cups, knives and forks before eating and drinking, as well as immediately after eating. After cleaning, I recommend placing them in a clean plastic bag to avoid contamination on the trail. Use only clean water for cooking. If you are not sure about the source of water, and you do not have another use of the carbon filtration system in the camp, or use tablets for the purification of chlorine water. The water will not be tasty, but it will make it drinkable if it has no chemical contaminants.
Rule 3. Preventing the proliferation of bacteria in your food.
Since you may not have a way to keep cold food at the right cold temperature, it is always wise to eat all the food. Do not leave food around. If your food source is almost sterile to begin with, you will not have a lot of worries about the growth of bacteria in your food. The secret is to open it and eat it, or heat it, and eat it as soon as possible. By this I mean that they cook in twenty minutes. With a little proper organization and compromise in the five-star kitchen, everything is possible, except for eliminating this stage.
Rule 4. Destroy the bacteria on the dishes and work surfaces.
Once again, the previous organization is the order of the day. Always take dishwashing liquid and spray or wipes for lysol or detol. Rinse all worktops thoroughly with soap and water, then spray it with Lysol or wipe with an antibacterial cloth. Do this before and after use. As mentioned earlier, wash all utensils before and after use. After use, spray or wipe with an antibacterial product and wrap in a clean plastic bag. Seal it as tightly as possible. Postpone the plastic bag after opening it for the next use. Old packaging must be collected in a garbage bag and sent home with you.
Keep your dirty clothes as far away from dishes and food as possible. Make a field toilet at least fifty paces from your camp site. Even if it is a hole in the ground, make sure that you cover your discharge with some particles of soil or sand that you dug out of the hole. If you have it, pour a little chemical disinfectant on the soil to contain the flies. Avoid camping where others defecate outdoors. Clear the area before choosing a place. Do not wash or brush your teeth in the same place that you go to the toilet or eat. Choose a place suitable for this. If you can not, and also want to use sanitary napkins. Especially use them after washing hands after using the toilet.
Many people like to entertain the notice that camping can be a little weaker. This is a trap that causes many people to fall unintentionally into the camp. Nothing could be further from the truth. A healthy and successful hiking trip requires a fairly high level of forethought, prior organization and planning, and an appropriate level of self-discipline, without destroying the holiday, being overly fanatical and intrusive. It is not that I am a supporter. If you systematically carry out all my suggestions, you should take no more than a few minutes of your time while eating and protect you from several unpleasant days in the hospital and poor memory throughout your life.
