Basic Foods Safe Food Handling Techniques As many

Basic Foods Safe Food Handling Techniques

As many as 76 million illnesses, 325, 000 hospitalizations, and up to 5, 000 deaths can be traced to contaminated foods. Approximately 80% of food born illnesses originate in restaurants, and most of the rest are traced to errors at home.

How can I prevent food born illnesses? • • Personal hygiene habits Purchasing Storage Food preparation – Cross-contamination – Cooking (heating) • Sanitation

Personal Hygiene Habits • Clean clothes • Avoid hand-to-mouth gestures • Hair pulled back • Hand washing

Purchasing • • Purchase from reputable vendors Undamaged containers Marked containers In original containers

Is this a reputable vendor?

Should I eat the soup from this can?

Can I eat the cereal from this bag?

Can I eat the cereal from this box? Small dent here

Storage • Two main risk factors 1. Temperature 2. The amount of time food stays within a certain temperature • • Refrigerator 40˚F or below Freezer below 0˚F Dry storage 60˚F – 70˚F Danger zone 40˚F-140˚F

What temperature should we store each food item?

Food Preparation Cross Contamination • Fruits and vegetables should be washed before eaten • Meat and poultry should not be washed before cooked • Do not crosscontaminate foods on cutting boards

Should I wash this?

Food Preparation Cooking (Heating) • Two most common mistakes to avoid when heating food 1. 2. Failing to heat food to its minimum internal temperature Failing to cool food properly

Food Preparation Cooking (Heating) • Minimal Internal Temperature – Poultry 165˚F – Ground meats and pork 160˚F – Beef 145˚F • Care of thermometers – Must be cleaned between uses (with alcohol wipes or washed with hot soapy water) – Store away from heat or cold

Food Preparation Cooking (Heating) • Thawing food – – Refrigerator Submerged under running water Part of the cooking process Microwave oven

Sanitation • Dished can be washed in a dishwasher or by hand using hot soapy water • Dried on drying rack or with clean dish towel • Counters, sink, and cutting board should be disinfected after every use – Easy disinfecting solution: 1 gallon of water mixed with 1 tablespoon bleach