Did you know that there is more to celebrate in December than just the holidays? It is also Worldwide Food Service Safety Month! In today’s climate, health and safety are at the top of everyone’s mind - so let’s spend this month remembering some of the most important aspects of Food Service Safety.
Tip One: Wash Your Hands
While this seems obvious, it’s important to remember that it is one of the most important steps to avoid keeping sick and spreading germs to others. When preparing food, hands should be washed before working with food, after coughing, sneezing, or using a tissue, after handling used/dirty equipment or utensils, when switching between raw and ready to eat food and ingredients (to name a few).
Tip Two: Food should be time and temperature controlled
It’s important to heat foods to the proper temperature so that the potential for harmful bacterial growth and toxin formation is minimized. The temperature danger zone is between 41 degrees and 135 degrees Fahrenheit, this is where microorganisms cause illness to thrive. Examples of foods that need to be cooked required to temperatures and times include milk and dairy products, eggs, meat (beef, pork, and lamb), poultry, fish, shellfish, and crustaceans. More tips for time and temperature control can be found here.
Tip Three: Cooking equipment should be cleaned and sanitized
Just like you need to wash your hands, you should also be cleaning and sanitizing your cooking equipment - anything that has come in contact with food. You need to clean equipment to remove food waste, dirt, grease, and food-borne disease pathogens. To learn the proper way to clean and sanitize equipment, check out this guide here.
Tip Four: Food must be stored in ways that prevent cross-contamination
Cross-contamination is when harmful bacteria are spread from one food to other foods by surfaces, hands, equipment, or other foods. It can easily lead to food poisoning if not properly managed. When refrigerating or preparing food, keep ready-to-eat foods away from raw foods. For more examples and tips on preventing cross-contamination click here.
Now while this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to food service safety, it’s a basic starting point for anyone in the food service industry, or if you just like to cook at home. Being aware of the risks will help you keep everyone healthy and safe.
