Transcript FOODSAFE BC Food Safety Basics

Food Safety Basics
FOODSAFE BC
Food Safety Basics
• Clean
• Separate
• Cook
• Chill
Clean
Wash your hands thoroughly:
– Use warm water and plain soap (antibacterial soap can
lead to antibiotic resistance);
– Rub your hands together vigorously for 30 seconds paying
special attention to the spaces between your fingers, your
fingernails and around rings;
– Rinse your hands for at least 10 seconds; dry with a clean
towel or paper towel.
Clean
Clean and sanitize your work surfaces and
utensils (cutting boards, counter tops, knives,
spoons, etc.) with hot water and soap after each
food item is prepared. For added safety, use a
mild bleach solution ( 15ml bleach to 4L of
water).
Clean
Disposable paper towels are the safest way to
wipe kitchen surfaces.
If you are using dishclothes or sponges, wash
them often in your washing machine and store
them in a sanitizing solution when not in use.
Separate
Cross-contamination, a leading cause of
foodborne illness, is the transfer of harmful
bacteria from food to food or from surface to
food. Separating foods—especially potentially
hazardous foods such as raw meat, poultry and
seafood—can reduce the risk of foodborne
illness through cross-contamination.
Separate
• Separate raw meats, poultry and seafood from
other foods in your grocery cart.
• Store raw meat, poultry and seafood on the
bottom shelf of your refrigerator to prevent
raw juices from dripping onto other foods.
• If raw juices accidently spill into the
refrigerator, clean and sanitize all of the
affected areas using a mild bleach solution
(15ml bleach to 4L of water)
Separate
• If possible, use a different cutting board for raw
meat, poultry and seafood than the one that you
use for salads and other ready to eat foods
• Always wash cutting boards, knives and other
utensils with hot, soapy water and then sanitize
with a mild bleach solution after they have come
into contact with raw meat products
• Never put cooked food onto an unwashed plate
that has held raw meat
An example of cross-contamination :
Getting ready to make his special Chicken Piquant for
a dinner party, Josh accidently spills some of the raw
poultry juice onto the kitchen counter. After putting
the chicken into the refrigerator to marinate, Josh
wipes up the spilled poultry juice with the damp
dishcloth hanging from his kitchen faucet. He then
gets out a head of lettuce and begins to prepare a
salad on the counter. Josh is running the risk of
making his dinner guests sick! Even though the
counter looked clean, bacteria from the poultry was
still present and may have transferred to the lettuce!
Cook
Foods are properly cooked when they are
heated for a long enough time, at a high enough
temperature, to kill the harmful bacteria that
can cause foodborne illness.
Cook
• Use a meat thermometer to ensure that meat is
cooked all the way through
• Cook eggs until the yolk and white are firm, not runny.
Do not use recipes in which eggs are left raw or only
partially cooked
• When cooking in a microwave oven, make sure there
are no cold spots left in the food. For best microwaving
results, cover the food while it is cooking and stir and
rotate at least twice during the cycle
• Bring gravy and sauces to a full boil when reheating
• Leftovers should be reheated to an internal
temperature of at least 74°C
Chill
• Bacteria multiply rapidly between 4°C (40°F) and 60°C
(140°F), so refrigerate promptly! Your refrigerator
should be set at or below and 4°C (40°F) and the
freezer set at or below -18°C (0°F).
• Check temperatures of your refrigerator and freezer
using an appliance thermometer or a thermal strip.
Chill
• Refrigerate or freeze perishables, prepared foods and
leftovers within two hours.
• Do not defrost food on the kitchen counter. Always
defrost in the refrigerator or, if you are in a hurry,
under cold running water or in the microwave.
• Always marinate food in the refrigerator--not on the
counter.
Chill
• Divide large amounts of leftovers into smaller
portions and refrigerate in shallow containers for
quick cooling
• Remove the stuffing from stuffed meats or poultry
and refrigerate in a separate container
• Cool air needs to circulate to keep foods fresh. Don't
pack the refrigerator and make it a weekly routine to
clean out old leftovers.
Resources
www.eatsmartbc.ca was developed by the BC FOODSAFE
program, in cooperation with the BC Ministry of Healthy Living
and Sport and the BC Ministry of Agriculture and Lands to provide
easy access to important information about food safety and
healthy eating in order to reduce the risk of foodborne illness and
improve the health of British Columbians.
The FOODSAFE Program is a comprehensive food safety
training program designed for the food service industry.
FOODSAFE courses are available face-to-face, online, and by
correspondence, and are recognized throughout BC and across
Canada as meeting the requirements for food safety training
for food service industry workers.
Visit www.foodsafe.ca to find a course in your area.