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1. Scrub A Dub. Wash your hands often. Wash with warm, soapy
water before preparing any food and after handling raw meats, poultry or
fish. Good hand washing could eliminate nearly half of all cases of
foodborne illness.
water before preparing any food and after handling raw meats, poultry or
fish. Good hand washing could eliminate nearly half of all cases of
foodborne illness.
2. Keep Your Kitchen Clean. To prevent the growth of bacteria, it’
s important to keep all kitchen surfaces clean including your appliances,
countertops, cutting boards and cooking utensils. Wash kitchen surfaces
with hot, soapy water and a commercial sanitizing agent.
s important to keep all kitchen surfaces clean including your appliances,
countertops, cutting boards and cooking utensils. Wash kitchen surfaces
with hot, soapy water and a commercial sanitizing agent.
3. Keep Foods Out of the Danger Zone. Germs which cause
foodborne illness grow rapidly between the temperatures of 40 degrees
and 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep cooked and ready-to-eat foods cold
below 40 degrees. Cook all foods well. Check your refrigerator temperature
regularly with an appliance thermometer.
foodborne illness grow rapidly between the temperatures of 40 degrees
and 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep cooked and ready-to-eat foods cold
below 40 degrees. Cook all foods well. Check your refrigerator temperature
regularly with an appliance thermometer.
4. Keep Cold Foods Cold. Foods should be kept at 40 degrees or
below to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria. Use an appliance
thermometer to check the temperature of your refrigerator at home. Place
raw meat, poultry and seafood in the coldest part of your refrigerator.
Check refrigerator temperature regularly to ensure food safety and quality.
below to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria. Use an appliance
thermometer to check the temperature of your refrigerator at home. Place
raw meat, poultry and seafood in the coldest part of your refrigerator.
Check refrigerator temperature regularly to ensure food safety and quality.
5. Keep Hot foods Hot. Foods which are being served hot should
be held above 140 degrees farenheit to prevent the growth of bacteria.
Reheated foods should be brought to a temperature of at least 165
degrees.
be held above 140 degrees farenheit to prevent the growth of bacteria.
Reheated foods should be brought to a temperature of at least 165
degrees.
6. Don’t Cross-Contaminate. Use separate cloths, sponges and
towels for washing dishes, wiping counters and tables and wiping hands.
Clean dishes should be air-dried. These practices will prevent cross-
contamination with harmful bacteria.
towels for washing dishes, wiping counters and tables and wiping hands.
Clean dishes should be air-dried. These practices will prevent cross-
contamination with harmful bacteria.
7. Segregate Stored Foods. Keep raw meats and juices away
from foods that are ready-to-eat to prevent cross-contamination. Store raw
meats and poultry at the bottom of the refrigerator so that they don’t drip on
other foods.
from foods that are ready-to-eat to prevent cross-contamination. Store raw
meats and poultry at the bottom of the refrigerator so that they don’t drip on
other foods.
8. Code Your Cutting Boards. Use two cutting boards in your
kitchen; one to cut raw meats, poultry and seafood and the other for
ready-to-eat foods like breads, fruits and vegetables. This will prevent
cross-contamination of harmful bacteria from raw foods to those that are
ready-to-eat.
kitchen; one to cut raw meats, poultry and seafood and the other for
ready-to-eat foods like breads, fruits and vegetables. This will prevent
cross-contamination of harmful bacteria from raw foods to those that are
ready-to-eat.
10. Serve Food Safely. Foods should not be left at room
temperature (the DANGER ZONE) for more than two hours at a time to
prevent the growth of harmful bacteria. Cover and chill foods quickly in
shallow dishes after serving.
temperature (the DANGER ZONE) for more than two hours at a time to
prevent the growth of harmful bacteria. Cover and chill foods quickly in
shallow dishes after serving.
11. Defrost Your Foods Safely. Foods can be safely defrosted
in the refrigerator, under cold running water, or in the microwave oven.
Never at room temperature.
in the refrigerator, under cold running water, or in the microwave oven.
Never at room temperature.
12. Marinate Foods Safely. Foods can be safely marinated in a
covered glass or metal bowl in the refrigerator - not on the counter
covered glass or metal bowl in the refrigerator - not on the counter
13. When in Doubt, Throw it Out. Label and date foods stored
in your refrigerator and freezer. Leftovers that are not used within 3-4 days
should be discarded.
in your refrigerator and freezer. Leftovers that are not used within 3-4 days
should be discarded.
14. Double Up on Cooking Utensils. Use separate cooking
utensils and platters when putting raw meats on the grill and taking cooked
meats off the grill to prevent cross-contamination with harmful bacteria.
utensils and platters when putting raw meats on the grill and taking cooked
meats off the grill to prevent cross-contamination with harmful bacteria.
15. Chill Foods Well. Chill hot foods safely by using shallow dishes
(no deeper than 2 inches) that will cool food quickly to prevent the growth
of bacteria. Keep foods out of the temperature danger zone (40 degrees to
140 degrees Fahrenheit).
(no deeper than 2 inches) that will cool food quickly to prevent the growth
of bacteria. Keep foods out of the temperature danger zone (40 degrees to
140 degrees Fahrenheit).
16. Store Cleaning Supplies Safely. Store chemicals in their
original containers and out of the reach of small children. Keep cleaning
supplies in a dry, locked cabinet or in areas away from food products or
other chemicals with which they may react.
original containers and out of the reach of small children. Keep cleaning
supplies in a dry, locked cabinet or in areas away from food products or
other chemicals with which they may react.
17. Sanitize Your Kitchen Sponges. Heat a wet kitchen sponge
in a microwave-safe dish in the microwave oven for approximately 2 minutes
so that it achieves an internal temperature of 160 degrees to kill harmful
bacteria.
in a microwave-safe dish in the microwave oven for approximately 2 minutes
so that it achieves an internal temperature of 160 degrees to kill harmful
bacteria.
18. Be Careful Mixing. Never mix fresh prepared foods with
leftovers or raw foods with those that have been already cooked. This
increases the chance for contamination of harmful bacteria.
leftovers or raw foods with those that have been already cooked. This
increases the chance for contamination of harmful bacteria.
19. Taste Safely. When tasting food, ladle a small amount of it into a
dish and taste it with a clean spoon. Do not use the same ladle or spoon to
taste and prepare your food. This may introduce harmful germs into your
finished product.
dish and taste it with a clean spoon. Do not use the same ladle or spoon to
taste and prepare your food. This may introduce harmful germs into your
finished product.
20. Turkey Safety Tips. When thawing your turkey in the
refrigerator, allow 24 hours for every 5 pounds the bird weighs. Cook the
turkey in an oven set no lower than 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Check
internal cooking temperatures to assure proper doneness, stuffing inside
the cavity should reach 165 degrees and the bird is done when the
innermost thigh reaches 180 degrees. Juice should run clear.
refrigerator, allow 24 hours for every 5 pounds the bird weighs. Cook the
turkey in an oven set no lower than 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Check
internal cooking temperatures to assure proper doneness, stuffing inside
the cavity should reach 165 degrees and the bird is done when the
innermost thigh reaches 180 degrees. Juice should run clear.
9. Cook Your Foods Well. Use a meat thermometer to determine
proper doneness of cooked meats and poultry. Cook whole poultry to 180
degrees farenheit, ground turkey and chicken to 165 degrees, ground
beef, lamb, veal or pork to 160 degrees and eggs or egg dishes to 160
degrees. Meat roasts and steaks to 145 degrees farenheit. Fish should be
cooked until it flakes easily.
proper doneness of cooked meats and poultry. Cook whole poultry to 180
degrees farenheit, ground turkey and chicken to 165 degrees, ground
beef, lamb, veal or pork to 160 degrees and eggs or egg dishes to 160
degrees. Meat roasts and steaks to 145 degrees farenheit. Fish should be
cooked until it flakes easily.