4 simple food safety tips you need to learn now
4 simple food safety tips you need to learn now. Food safety is not just for the workers in the restaurant industry. To avoid food poisoning and cooking safety for your family and loved one, what can you do? I’ll show you 4 simple food safety tips you need to learn now so that you can be more confident and aware of creating a safe kitchen and environment.
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Table of Contents
4 simple food safety tips you need to learn now
Knowledge is power. Understand the importance of food safety. Learn 4 simple food safety tips at home to protect your family and yourself from food poisoning. Then practice the steps on daily basis.
Clean
Wash your hands and surfaces often:
Germs that cause food poisoning can survive in many places and spread around your kitchen. 80% of food poisoning caused by ineffective hand washing. It’s the most basic, simple food safety you need to learn now.
- Wash hands for 20 seconds with soap and hot water: before, during, and after preparing food. Before eating, too.
- Wash your utensils, cutting boards, and countertops with hot, soapy water.
- Rinse fresh fruits and vegetables under running water.
Separate
Don’t cross-contaminate
Raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs can spread germs to ready-to-eat foods—unless you keep them separate. Always practice food safety. Prevention is the key.
- Use separate cutting boards and plates for raw meat, poultry, and seafood.
- While grocery shopping, keep the juice of raw meats and seafood away from other foods.
- Keep raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs separate from all other foods in the fridge.
Cook
Right temperature
Cook food at proper internal temperature to kill germs. Use a food thermometer. You can’t tell if food is safely cooked by checking its color and texture.
- 145°F for whole cuts of beef, pork, veal, and lamb (then allow the meat to rest for 3 minutes before carving or eating)
- 160°F for ground meats, such as beef and pork
- 165°F for all poultry, including ground chicken and turkey
- 165°F for leftovers and casseroles
- 145°F for fresh ham (raw)
- 145°F for fin fish or cook until flesh is opaque
Chill
Refrigerate promptly
Bacteria can multiply rapidly if left at room temperature or in the “Danger Zone” between 40°F and 140°F. Never leave perishable food outside of the fridge for more than 2 hours. Or 1 hour, if it’s hotter than 90°F outside.
- Keep your refrigerator at 40°F or below. Additionally, know when to toss the food.
- Refrigerate perishable food within 2 hours. (If the outdoor temperature is above 90°F, refrigerate within 1 hour.)
- Thaw frozen food safely in the refrigerator, in cold water, or in the microwave. Never thaw foods on the counter. Bacteria multiply quickly in the parts of the food that reach room temperature.
More Resources
Food safety gov
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Conclusion: Food safety is very important to all of us. Wash hands, keep everything clean, avoid cross contamination, cook at proper temperature, and use refrigeration properly. Be safe and stay healthy.
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