Health and hygiene tips for food preparation

lime
© Horticulture ()
Cleaning
When preparing food, it is essential to maintain clean hands at all times. Always wash your hands following use the toilet, prior to handling foods, and following handling raw meat.

Remove jewellery before handling foods. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and hot water. Ensure that your nails are clean.

Clean the area in which you will be preparing food and ensure your utensils are clean.

Change cleaning materials regularly to ensure they do not harbour bacteria.

Cooking food
Cooking food at high temperatures will effectively kill any bacteria found within it. If food isn’t cooked at temperatures above 70 degrees Celsius, bacteria may remain in the food.

Food should always be served piping hot. Use a food thermometer to ensure that food is of the correct temperature prior to eating.

Take extra care when cooking meat. Pierce the meat with a clean skewer to check that it is cooked right through.

Clear juice will run through meat that has been cooked thoroughly.
Preparing food
Food that has passed the use-by date should not be used, even if it looks perfectly fine. The majority of foods may be used a few days after the "best before" date. Eggs should never be used once the best before date has passed.

Refrigerated foods should not be left outside of the refrigerator for long periods.

Never use the same chopping boards or utensils to prepare meat or fish.

Never handle foods if you are unwell.
Storing food
Food labels will provide you with instructions on how to store food.

Refrigerated foods should be kept at a temperature of less than five degrees Celsius. Frozen foods should be kept at a temperature of less than -18 degrees Celsius. Use a thermometer to check the temperature of your refrigerator and freezer.

Raw meat and fish should be kept separately from other foods and should be kept in a closed container.

Frozen foods requiring defrosting should be placed inside a covered container and left to defrost in the refrigerator.

Tinned foods should be removed from the tin and placed in an airtight container before being stored.

Cooked leftover food should be placed in a container and left to reach room temperature before being stored in the refrigerator. Leftover foods should be eaten within two days.