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San Bernardino-Riverside Counties
Health Collaborative NetCom III
Policies
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General Guidelines for Safe Food Handling Practices
Safe food handling practices minimize the potential growth
of microorganisms, a major cause of foodborne illness. The most commonly reported causes of foodborne illness are
poor personal hygiene and improper cooking and storage temperatures.
Foods in which microorganisms can grow rapidly are called potentially hazardous foods. These foods contain optimal conditions for microorganisms to grow, such as being
high in protein, moist, and neutral or slightly acidic pH. Examples of potentially hazardous foods are: milk and milk products, all meats, poultry, fish and shellfish, garlic and oil mixtures, sprouts and raw seeds, shell eggs, tofu, soy-protein foods, baked or boiled potatoes and cooked rice and beans.
Safe food handling practices include good personal hygiene, controlling time and temperature and preventing cross-contamination. Follow these four steps to ensure safe food is served at all events. Whether making it at home or at the event, be sure to follow these practices: |
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1. Clean |
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Wash hands and surfaces
where food is placed often. |
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Wash hands in hot, soapy
water before preparing food
and after using bathroom.
For best results, you
should wash your hands for
at least 20 seconds before rinsing thoroughly. |
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Wash cutting boards, knives, utensils and countertops in hot, soapy water after preparing each food item and before going on to next one. |
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Use plastic or nonporous cutting boards. Cutting boards should be run through dishwasher, or in hot, soapy water after use. |
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Use paper towels for cleaning, or wash cloth towels
often in hot cycle of washer. |
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2. Separate |
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When shopping, separate raw meat, poultry, and seafood from other foods in the cart. Store raw meats on bottom shelf of refrigerator to prevent juices from dripping onto other foods. |
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If possible, use one cutting board for raw meats and another for salads and other foods which are ready-to-eat. |
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Never put cooked food on a plate that previously held raw meats, poultry or seafood |
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Wash cutting board after each use |
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3. Cook |
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Use a thermometer when cooking foods |
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Roasts and steaks should be cooked to at least 145˚ F |
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Whole poultry to 180˚ F |
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Ground meat to 160˚ F (Meat should
not be pink on the inside.) |
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Eggs should be cooked till firm, not runny |
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Fish should be opaque and flake easily |
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Sauces, gravies and soups should be brought to a boil to reheat and leftovers reheated to 165˚ F |
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4. Chill |
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Make sure refrigerator is set at 40˚ F or less, and freezer is 0˚ F or less |
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Chill foods within 2 hours after being set out |
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Divide leftovers into small, shallow containers for quicker cooling |
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Do not overpack the refrigerator. Foods won’t cool fast enough to prevent bacteria from growing. |
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Do not keep foods in the temperature danger zone (40˚ F to 140˚ F) more than four hours. Generally, if food is left out more than 2 hours total, throw it out. |
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Adapted from www.fightbac.com
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