Now that you understand about cooking food properly and separating cooked and uncooked items both before and after cooking, it's time to move on to the last two points.
-
Cleaning is a crucial part of food safety. Wash your hands and work surfaces frequently when you are cooking and after you have blown your nose, been to the bathroom, touched a pet, or changed a diaper. Plain old soap and water are very effective. If you slowly sing a verse of "Happy Birthday To You" while washing your hands, you will have washed them for the proper length of time. If you are cooking for someone who is pregnant, is very young or old, has a chronic illness, or a compromised immune system, choose a soap with more sophisticated antibacterial qualities.
I wash my hands 20-30 times while I am cooking, and my work surfaces are cleaned that often too. I wash tongs, spoons, and spatulas after they have touched uncooked meats or eggs. I prefer using paper towels for drying my hands and my countertops. They are easily discarded and don't carry bacteria to another surface. That habit may be environmentally incorrect, but I still do it - and no one has ever had food poisoning eating at my house.
One easy way to avoid cross-contamination is to use a large platter to cut raw meats. After the meat is prepared and is cooking, just put the platter directly into the dishwasher, along with any utensils used to prepare the meat.
-
Chilling food is very important. The danger zone where bacteria multiply is between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Your refrigerator should be set to 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below; your freezer should be 0 degrees Fahnrenheit or below. Here's a simple rule: serve hot foods hot, cold foods cold. Use chafing dishes or hot plates to keep food hot while serving. Use ice water baths to keep cold foods cold. Never let any food sit at room temperature for more than 2 hours - 1 hour if the ambient temperature is 80 degrees Fahrenheit or above.
When packing for a picnic, make sure the foods are already chilled when they go in the insulated hamper. The hamper won't chill food - it keeps food cold when properly packed with ice. Hot cooked foods should be placed in shallow containers, covered, and immediately refrigerated so they cool rapidly.
Here are some important links about food safety:
- Foodborne Illness FAQ
- Cold Storage Chart and Food Handling Info
- Food Recall Hot List
- Busy Cooks Basics of Cooking Lesson Series
Go to the next page to learn about power outage tips.
