Do not let hair jewellery sleeves ear bud

Do not let hair, jewellery, sleeves, ear bud cords or apron strings dangle. Keep your mind on what you are doing. Prevent clutter. Close drawers and doors completely after you open them. Use the right tool for the job. Store heavy or bulk items, like cookware, on low shelves.

Keep the floor clean and free of clutter. Wipe up spills, spatters and peelings. To reach higher shelves, use a firm step stool.

Keep knives sharp and use them properly. Use a drawer divider or knife rack for sharp cutting tools. Don’t try to catch a falling knife. Don’t soak knives or other sharp-edged utensils in a sink or dishpan. Sweep up broken glass from the floor immediately using a broom and dustpan. If you need to pick up pieces by hand, use a wet paper towel.

Water and electricity don’t mix! Avoid damage to electrical cords. Use outlets properly. Use care with any plugged-in appliance. Watch for problems.

Oven cleaners, lighter fluid, drain cleaners, pesticides and polishes. Never mix different chemical products. Make sure the spray bottle is pointed away from you. Store hazardous products away from food and where children can’t reach them. Avoid using hazardous chemical unnecessarily.

Use potholders or oven mitts when picking up or uncovering hot pots and pans. When uncovering a pan, lift up the far edge of the cover first so the steam will flow away from you. Use only pots and pans in good condition. Keep pan handles turned toward the back or middle of the range. Keep flammable items away from the range. Arrange oven racks properly before you start the oven. Stand to the side when you open the oven door. Don’t reach into a hot oven, pull out the rack first. Make sure cook top and oven controls are turned off when not being used.

Following practices that help prevent disease – one of your biggest responsibilities when working with food. Can lead to food-borne illness – food poisoning. May be mild or may lead to hospitalization or even death. Caused by microorganisms – tiny living creatures. - bacteria - toxins – poisons - parasites – organisms that get their nutrients from other living organisms - viruses – simplest form of life known

Keeping yourself clean so you do not introduce harmful microorganisms into food as you handle it üWear clean clothes and cover them with an apron üRemove dangling jewellery, roll up long sleeves and tie back long hair üScrub your hands for 20 seconds before you begin to handle food üUse soap and warm water üUse rubber or plastic gloves if you have an open wound on your hands üWash gloves and hands often as you handle food üWash your hands immediately after going to washroom or blowing nose üDo not sneeze or cough near food

Make sure work areas and equipment are clean before you start preparing food. Avoid cross-contamination, juices from raw meat, poultry or fish getting into other foods. Wash the top of a can before opening it. Use a clean spoon each time you taste food. Keep pets out of the kitchen. Keep two towels handy – one for hands and one for dishes.

Temperature is one of the most important factors in food safety. Bacteria multiply very rapidly in the danger zone 60⁰F – 125⁰F (15⁰C - 52⁰C).

Do not thaw food at room temperature. Place food in refrigerator, where it will thaw slowly. For faster thawing, put the package in a water-tight plastic bag and submerge it in cold water, changing the water every 30 minutes. Use a microwave for quick, safe defrosting.

Heat speeds up some spoilage. Too little moisture can cause fresh foods to dry out, wilt and lose nutrients while too much moisture can lead to spoilage Light can destroy nutrients, especially vitamin C. Dirt contains harmful microorganisms. Damage to food or packaging makes spoilage by microorganisms more likely.

How do you know when food is starting to spoil? §Some fresh foods dry out – apples and celery §Some may wilt, get wrinkled or turn brown §Some become slimy §Spots of mold, damage such as holes, tears and bruises, bad flavors and bad odors Most molded food should be discarded

No food can be stored indefinitely All food has a “shelf life”, then length of time it can be stored and still retain its quality To avoid loss of quality: • Buy only what you need • Follow the principle of “first in, first out” • Look for “sell by” or “use by” dates • Clean storage areas regularly

General rule of thumb is if you found it on the shelf at the store then you can store it on the shelf at home. Most canned and boxed foods can be stored in the kitchen cupboards. Keep them clean, dry, doors closed to keep out the light and dirt. Do not store food on shelves near and above heat sources such as the range, refrigerator or a radiator. Once a package is opened, a different storage method is quite often required.

Perishable foods spoil quickly at room temperature and require cold storage. üFoods that were refrigerated in the store üDairy, eggs, deli foods, fresh meat, poultry and fish üMost fresh fruits and vegetables üWhole grain products, seeds and nuts üLeftover coked foods üBaked goods with fruit or cream fillings

Allows for long-term storage Foods keep from one month to a year When packaging foods, take time and do it well to prevent freezer burn Label foods in the freezer to know what they are and when you put them there